A New Start

Family reunions were never pleasant affairs. The overbearing Aunts that pat you on the cheek exclaiming on wonder over how much you've grown. (Did they really expect you to stay a midget your entire life?) The Uncles that laugh just a bit too loud and too late. That kid that you think is your second-cousin-three-times-removed but you're not really sure on that one.

But today was worse than the usual reunion. Today he had finally plucked up the courage to visit his cousin for the first time in almost a decade. Because he had wanted to, ever since they had come back from hiding, but he was never one to take a risk. But now he was married and had a daughter and he really didn't want her to grow up as estranged from his cousin as he had.

So here he was, standing out on the Potter's doorstep and shaking more from nerves than cold, despite the snow. Harry knew they were coming – they'd been writing to each other for years – but he was still scared about seeing him face to face.

The door opened to reveal Harry in an oversized emerald sweater with a baby on his hip. Dudley knew this child was his second, not much younger than his daughter, and searched for a name. Alex? Alistair? Albert? Albus, that was it.

After what felt like an hour – but was really only about ten seconds – Harry opened the door even wider and gestured for them to follow him, chatting all the while. "Hi Dudley, I was beginning to wonder if you were going to show up. You must be Grace, I've heard a lot about you in letters. And your daughter! You never did tell me what her name was Dud. Ginny, James and Teddy are in the living room, and this little one is Albus. Put your coats here, and come and have a seat. Can I get you something? Tea? Coffee? Water?"

Dudley knew that Harry was nervous, he only rambled like this when he was. Dudley had already apologised in a letter and Harry had forgiven him, but meeting in person was different. Eventually though both calmed down and the four adult got into an easy rhythm of conversation, punctuated by the laughter and happy squeals coming from the kids on the carpet.

"So Harry, what are you doing for work?"

"I'm an Auror. Kind of like a Muggle policeman. What about you, did Uncle Vernon rope you into Grunnings?"

"No, definitely not! No, I'm a lawyer actually. That's how I met Grace, she's my secretary. Ginny, you were some sort of sports person weren't you?"

"Yeah, I played Quidditch professionally for five seasons but retired when I fell pregnant with James. I'm a sports reporter now."

"So you have three children? How old are they?"

"Well, Teddy is actually my Godson, but his parents died in the war and we adopted him after his grandmother died. He's eight. James is eighteen months and little Albus is three months. What about your daughter?"

"Lilia is nine months."

He probably should have expected the stunned silence that followed that announcement. Ginny regained the power of speech before Harry, which didn't really surprise him.

"Lilia? As in a variation of Lily?"

"Yeah. That year in hiding gave me a lot of time to think. And Dedalus and Hestia told me all about the war and why you had to fight in it. I got really scared for you Harry. I realised I didn't really hate you, I'd just acted how I'd been taught to. And I didn't want you to die before I could tell you that. And I also realised how little I knew about my own Aunt. So I asked Mum to tell me about her, which took some prodding and begging, but she did. And did you know that Hestia went to school with her? She's got some good stories too. Anyway, your Mum is a pretty amazing person Harry, and she not only stopped the war for thirteen years, but she had you, and gave you her love. And you're a pretty amazing person too you know, even if I didn't tell you that when we were kids. So I wanted to honour her when naming my daughter, but wanted to leave Lily for you. So Grace and I did some research and fell in love with Lilia."

"Wow Dudley, I don't know what to say. That's so sweet. And you'll have to tell me some of those stories one day. I don't know much about Mum really."

"That'd be great, I'd be happy too. And I'd love to hear more about magic too, all I really know is about the war, and I'm sure there's more to it than that. And I'd like Lilia to grow up knowing and loving her cousins, despite their magic. I don't want to make the same mistakes my parents did."

"I'd like that too. Maybe we can count this as a new start."

And at that moment, he knew all the nervousness was worth it. Because gone was the bullying and bigotry and in it's place was two cousins enjoying spending time together, just as they should have all those years ago.

A/N. Hmm. Not sure how I feel about the second half of this. I like the beginning but I had to stop halfway through and complete it about a month after I started. Oh well. Please let me know what you think. NG.