Chapter XI: A Trip to Number Four
After the last moments of the aftermath from the battle on the train station platform, Harry and Draco seemingly vanished out of sight to another location. Hermione and Ron tried to find them to see if they needed any help, but to their dismay; the two had eluded everyone's notice and disappeared to keep attention off of them both and probably without realizing that it would only bring more anyways.
"Hermione, don't worry about them. I'm sure they're fine, and I bet in less than a week's time we will be at the burrow and receiving a letter of some kind from them to let us know how they are doing and where they are at if possible." Ron told her gently
Hermione bit her lip in indecision before she shook her head at herself and then smiled.
"I guess you're right Ron. I suppose it's natural to worry about your friends, but worrying about Harry always ends up being for nothing even if he does get slightly injured. Draco will see to him now, I suppose, and so there is no reason to worry is there?" She said
Ron smiled and nodded as he and Hermione went through the barrier to find his mother and father. He had lots of explaining to do with them about Harry now and if he knew his mother; she'd give him an earful first.
Harry and Draco had vanished to settle matters with his relatives at Number Four and the arrangements made prior to the holidays.
"Draco, it is important for you to try and not lose your temper at them no matter how badly they insult me. They are muggles, after all, and so the family there has no understanding of our culture or our world except maybe for Aunt Petunia as my mother was her adoptive sister. They never wanted me and so most of the household, if not all of it at times, made no effort to learn either." Harry said
Draco was silent though he internally wanted to curse Harry's relatives to hell and back for what they put him through even if he nodded in acceptance to the idea.
As they approached Number Four, an air of somber silence fell over the area and Harry knew this was not going to be pleasant. He raised his hand and knocked on the door as they waited for someone to answer.
It turned out to Dudley, who had a fearful look to his eyes now at seeing him there.
"Hello Dudley, it's nice to see you again though I wish it were under more pleasant circumstances. I need to talk with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, and it is rather important so I suggest you don't keep us waiting. The sooner I relay my message the sooner the two of us will leave." Harry told him
Dudley seemed confused momentarily, "You mean you don't know? After that strange man said you did?" He asked
Harry's expression hardened then and Draco knew something bad had occurred here after he left for school.
"I don't what? What happened here?" Harry demanded
Dudley seemed to make up his mind, "I should let my mother tell you as she has more of an understanding to this than I do, so come in but please be careful as to what you say as she might break down."
Harry then stood straight again, "Vey well."
They entered the house and removed their cloaks. The house was dirtier than Harry remembered his aunt ever letting the house get to; but then again, she also used him as her house-elf so it was not much of a surprise. His and Draco's robes were that of high nobility and Dudley could easily tell he had money now if he wanted to. His presence demanded respect but gave no feeling of ill towards the residents there yet, so they had no reasoning to be afraid.
Aunt Petunia was in the kitchen and apparently trying to make tea though her hands were shaking.
"Aunt Petunia." Harry called softly
She turned slowly to look at him and her eyes filled with tears as she saw the strength in the child of her sister she had never had the courage to stand up for in her own home.
"Harry." She said
"Dudley said some strange man was here before and after I left for school this year. What happened here?" He asked
She sighed as tears formed, "You know as well as I that Vernon never believed in all those horrendous stories of a group called Death Eaters. He never believed you actually stopped their master as an infant."
"He was against anything magical but for reasons I assumed stemmed from something after the first war and my sister died for you."
Harry sat down, "Vernon is not here now, so is he at work?"
Petunia shook her head, "Harry, those strange men came here after you inherited your birthright and demanded we hand you over to them. You had already gone and so we had nothing to give them. Vernon yelled at them to get out but they in turn realized you were not here and assumed we had sent you to safety with others."
"Vernon started fighting them believing they were just some thug or rogue wizards that had something against you and wanted whatever it was you had. Dudley and I ran to the Polkiss's house for shelter. When we came back after it had quieted, Vernon was dead." She said quietly
Harry's head bowed and his fist clenched as he shook with anger, "But why would do this if all he ever did was treat me as if I was made as glass and a nobody not worth mentioning."
Petunia shrugged her shoulders, "I don't know Harry, but I think in his last fight with those men he realized that the war we told of was real and began to see why we as muggles depend on the cooperation of our community and yours for our own safety."
"He may have hated you, but Harry, I never did. Yes, I understand that I treated you horribly and there is no excuses for my actions; but in all honesty, what could I have done against Vernon's brute strength?" She asked him
"There were times where I wanted to hold you and reassure. Times when you were badly hurt and I wanted to heal you. Times where I knew you were troubled and needed an ear to listen and I wanted to be the one who listened to those troubles, however, Vernon was always watching and there was no way I would jeopardize you to him."
Harry shook his head, "So your answer for neglecting me all these years is that you did it to spare me even more pain? Get real, Aunt Petunia because we both know that this is a poor excuse."
Petunia slumped, "I know that, but the wards Albus put on the house for your safety after Lily sacrificed herself for you prevented us from moving even if I desired to take both you and Dudley away from his abuse."
Harry looked up, "You knew of the wards?"
Petunia eyed him, "Of course I did. Albus left you here on our doorstep in November with a blanket and warming charm after all. It would be extremely rude to ask us to raise you if he hadn't left some kind of note behind making us aware of the circumstances."
Harry didn't know what to say now.
"So Harry, you have not introduced me to your friend who is with you?" She said lightly, "Seems rather rude, if you want my opinion on that matter."
Harry smiled slightly, "I suppose it is. This is not my friend however, this is my…bonded mate Draco Malfoy."
Petunia's eyes widened in shock.
"I see. How lovely to meet you Draco, though I wish our family was not so strained at this time." She said
Draco shook her hand gently.
Harry turned to her, "Aunt Petunia, I am sorry about Uncle Vernon. I honestly had no idea what had happened here, but I came here because I need a favor from you if you wish to grant it."
Petunia seemed intrigued, "Go on."
"I am uncertain of exactly how much you know of wizarding politics in our society from here, but I am Lord Peverell now and as such I have many matters that need dealt with at this time even when the war has started again. Least of all, I must end our war that is raging again."
"You know full well the danger I am in because of your sister and because of her sacrifice for me alone sixteen years ago. I am grateful for my mother's actions, but this does not mean I don't wish my family was still here at times either. So I assume you know how precarious this matter is when I said the war is once again active." He said
She nodded her head in understanding.
"I am supposed to be staying here for the holidays by order of Albus Dumbledore, but I cannot do so as there is much I need to attend to elsewhere. However, I cannot leave here without creating a body clone of myself to leave behind and this of itself is risky if a certain few members of the order are watching here along with Death Eaters as well since the events that have occurred recently."
"What I want is for you to 'host' this sentient clone I will make in your home and to treat it as if it was me and not a fake. Meanwhile, I will be at Malfoy Manor for the duration of the holidays when not anywhere else."
Petunia thought it over, "Okay, but if those creeps show up…can the clone act in your stead?"
"No, but if they do appear, the clone will have a sensory alarm connected to my magic. If it goes off, I will be alerted to their presence." He said
"If number four is demolished after I save you then I will offer you a place to stay until you both either wish to leave to find one yourselves or you feel as if you need to move on and that it is time to go."
"For now I can put stronger wards on the home that amplify the blood wards, but without alerting my watchers; there is little more I could do in this way." Harry said
"I see." Petunia said solemnly, "I agree then to your request. However, may I ask a question of you Harry?"
He nodded as he prepared to strengthen the wards.
"I was wondering why you would go out of your way to help us even though we have treated you so badly in the past. You have every right to be angry and vengeful towards us, and I am certain you have the power to kill us if you desired to. So, why?" She asked
Harry sighed, "You're right, I am angry for the years you could have convinced Vernon to try and understand and the years wasted where you could have been like a second mom to me, but it was not meant to be."
"I do have the power to kill you for sure, and the anger of the treatment I suffered in this house is and should be more than enough to want to do it, true. However, you are still my last two remaining living relatives in this world, adopted or not, and whilst my mother was not your true blood sister; she still considered you as such. It is out of respect for my mother who gave her life for my own that I can see why killing out of anger destroys ones soul."
"If I were to kill you and Dudley for things that happened in the past and I had no control over then I would set myself on the same path our resident dark lord is on too. He killed his father who abandoned his mother after she told him she was a witch. His mother had used love potions to ensnare him and ultimately he impregnated her under the influence of the potions."
"His mother also had let go of the potion's hold over him when she found out, and for whatever reasoning I can only guess. He left her to fend on her own because she had used him to get what she wanted and did care for his thoughts or feelings in the matter. She died giving birth to the one who is now terrorizing our world." Harry said to her with a sharp eye
Petunia and Dudley were strangely silent.
Petunia then broke down again, "I don't know what I have done to deserve this Harry, but I want you to know that Lily would be so proud of you and the man you have become. I never doubted you wouldn't, but there were times when I knew you were hurting and I thought something bad was to happen."
"Don't thank me until the war is over. The dark lord and I are both related distantly through two different branches of the Peverell clan. It is I who was said to be able to defeat him, and as many time as I faced him now; it has only ever ended in a draw. The war will be long and I doubt we will see each other much after this." Harry said
Petunia smiled in her tears, "That's alright, because just by seeing you here makes me know you will win." She said softly
Dudley was curious, "So, this dark lord guy is real, huh?"
Harry smirked, "Yeah he is and a real pain in my arse too."
Petunia gasped as Dudley smiled, "So how many times have you fought now?"
Harry pondered momentarily as he seemed to think as the magic his hands started to glow bright orange, "Let's see now, I'd say at least eight or nine times now, why?"
Draco seemed rather startled by that news as he could see six or seven, but not eight of nine.
Dudley seemed fascinated by all this magical talk and of fight for life or death. So childish still, Harry thought to himself.
"So do you wizards only do combat with wands?" He asked
Draco interrupted, "I'll answer that one since you need to concentrate now Harry."
Harry just barely inclined his head in acknowledgement.
"We use wands for the most part, yes. However, we do tend to learn hand-to-hand combat in time or to use things like swords and daggers imbued with our magical powers. First we learn the basic handling of the weapon before magical aspects can be applied as it is highly dangerous and it can be fatal if you don't know what you are doing."
Dudley nodded, "I see. So magical training is very complicated then, huh. It seems like it would be difficult."
Draco smiled, "Well, that's why we go to school to train for seven years. We start at lower class spells early on and then work our way up to higher and more advanced ones. The loophole here is that even schools don't teach children magical warfare. Harry, myself and our friends have either learned on our own because we were in danger already or some of us learn things we probably shouldn't have with tutors at home."
"Many of the children whose parents are death eaters hire tutors in advanced studies of different magical areas to teach their children outside school barriers, so when war comes they are prepared for the worst."
Dudley seemed to think, "So how does one practice this knowledge without getting caught all the time?"
Harry smirked at that one and Draco shook his head at his mate, "When your school is a giant castle full of unused areas that the professors have long forgotten about you tend to not get caught."
"Unless of course…" Draco smirked, "Your name is Harry James Potter and he can get away with just about anything there. Mainly because the castle's sentient spirit likes him and his actions he has done there already as services to the school."
Harry's eyebrow raised to that as he chanted softly.
Dudley also raised a brow as Petunia looked curious.
"Harry has been destined to defeat the dark lord since birth, so his life has always been surrounded by mysterious creatures, odd happenings and brushes with death even within Hogwarts castle. Far more than both he and I like, I believe."
"So, when you are Harry and something bad happens and he then saves the day; the rest of school knows he should have been expelled for his stunts, but he only gets house points taken and perhaps a detention with Professor Snape if he is really unlucky." Draco smirked
Harry smirked again.
"So is it true he once battle a Basilisk that was seventy feet long." Dudley asked him
Draco smiled and nodded affirmative.
Harry then stood up, "Yes, it is true that I did battle that fiend but I nearly died in the process too. If the Headmaster's phoenix had not come, I would have been a snake's lunch." Harry smirked directly at Draco who shivered in response.
Dudley seemed to think as Petunia now noticed something odd between Draco and Harry going on.
"By the way Dudley, how exactly did you find out about that incident?" Harry asked him
Dudley reddened in the face, "I went into your room after dad died and because I was angry at you. I thought those people killed him because we didn't have you and they thought we knew where you were when we didn't. I wanted closure, and so I went to your room and happened upon a certain loose floorboard…" Dudley eyed him
Harry stared now at his cousin.
"I don't blame you for never revealing the loose floorboard to us, or else you might have starved to death here. In this case though, there was a certain notebook inside and my curiosity got the better of despite my anger, so I read through it."
"I see." Harry said
Draco looked from Harry to his cousin and back. Something had just been recognized between them.
"Dudley, do me a favor?" Harry asked him
His cousin glanced to him
"I want you to straighten out your life. Being healthy is fine and all, but those thugs you hang out with…you call them your friends, but for some reason I doubt it. If the war ever reaches this far, could you guarantee they'd help you fight instead of run to save themselves?"
"They do not understand my world in the slightest like you do now, and to reveal it to them would be catastrophic. I think it's time to evaluate your life to see where it is going and if you walk this path if you would be happy doing it."
"I did not save your sorry arse from dementors in my fifth year and in doing so use magic outside school to do so. I went to the wizarding court for that you know, so I don't want my efforts wasted." Harry said
Dudley smiled, "I think you're right."
Harry turned to his aunt as Dudley walked off slowly, "Keep an eye on him and his behavior. He is vulnerable to mind possession since he is my relative. I have the clone upstairs already and it looks as though he is attempting to read a book but is rather flustered." Harry told her
Petunia smiled, "Thank you for what you've done, Harry. I hope we will get the chance to resolve our past differences, even if they will never be perfect."
Harry nodded as he and Draco stood and went to the door. They grabbed their cloaks and apparated out together. Petunia stood there not knowing what to think but was grateful for the visit nonetheless.
When she reappeared in the kitchen, she gasped at the sight she saw on the table. There sat a pile of money with a note. The pile must have at least been 1,000 euros, and so she picked up the note.
Aunt Petunia,
I know that the loss of Vernon must have hit you hard financially even if he wasn't the best husband, and even though I know you'd refuse if you could; you won't this time. We may never be like true family or perhaps see each other again due to the war, but you are still my mother's adoptive sister and my aunt. Family take care of their own, and so here is something to help you and Dudley get back on your feet.
There is about 1000 euros there, and so I hope you use this wisely. Have a happy holiday and a good new year.
Harry
Petunia smiled as her eyes watered with tears and she whispered a quiet 'thank you, Harry' to the air of silence in the house.
Many miles away two young men were just walking up the drive of Malfoy Manor in the heavy snow pouring from the sky when the dark-haired one looked up and smiled at seemingly nothing before he caught up to his blonde mate and went inside the home to warm up.