Back to the Burrow

Before Remus had left, he'd returned the bed he'd been using back into the desk chair, though it was no longer rickety. He'd left Harry's bed transformed to be more comfortable, and Petunia either hadn't noticed or hadn't cared. The night before he was due to leave the Dursleys, Harry sat in the chair looking out the window for a while before packing up as much as he could. He carefully stuffed an old t-shirt inside his mother's vase and then wrapped it like a mummy in a pair of old sweatpants before burying it among the clothes in his trunk. When Harry woke up the next morning, he lay in bed, staring at the ceiling and appreciating the comfortable mattress. He finally got dressed, tossed the ratty t-shirt he slept in into his backpack, and headed downstairs.

To his surprise, Dudley was already at the table. More than that, he had poured himself a bowl of cereal and a glass of orange juice. When he saw Harry, he carefully put down his spoon and, even more surprisingly, turned off the telly which had been set to some cartoon.

"Is something up, Duds?" Harry put some grounds into the coffee pot filter, turned on the machine, and slowly walked to the refrigerator.

Dudley took a deep breath. "Yeah. Hey – I know you're leaving today. I just wanted to say I'm sorry we haven't gotten along so well."

"Okaaay…" Harry got out his own bowl and brought it to the table.

"I know we haven't talked about it, but ever since those detempers …"

"Dementors," Harry corrected automatically as he slowly sat down.

"Yeah, those things. They showed me horrible things, and that got me to thinking. And this summer I learned something about your world from all your guests. I realized I was jealous that you have so many people that care about you."

"You have two loving parents and you're jealous of me?" Harry was so busy gaping he didn't realize he was pouring too much orange juice for his glass to hold. He cursed and got up to get a damp sponge.

Dudley shook his head. "I saw you and your guests take walks around the neighborhood and could hear you talking at night. Other than at meals, I see Mum and Dad maybe a few minutes a day. We never really talk, you know? They don't really know me."

Harry nodded.

"Some of my friends have brothers and it looks like they have fun together. Look … do you think we could try next summer?"

Harry took a spoonful of cereal to give himself time to think. "That's a lot to consider."

"Yeah, I thought this summer would be too soon, but that I could take the first step to show I was serious. I did my best to treat you differently than I did in the past. The old gang thought I was going soft, but I told them to lay off you." He hesitated, then continued quietly. "I hardly see them anymore."

Harry paused, thinking back. "But you were with them all summer!"

Dudley snorted. "Mum just assumed I was. I never told her that. I even mentioned one of my new friends, but I don't think she really listened."

Harry recalled the last few weeks. He hadn't had to watch his back this summer, but he thought it was because the stream of visitors and never knowing when they were coming had kept Dudley away. "I guess we can give it a try…"

Dudley smiled. "Great!" He cleared his throat. "Maybe you can send me a letter or two and let me know how you're doing. You know, let me know if anyone predicts your death this year, or if that werewolf or a vampire bites you, and how you do in your kidduch games, that sort of thing."

Harry was surprised with how serious Dudley sounded. "Uh, sure. I'm not sure Aunt Petunia would like seeing Hedwig flying about..."

"Hedwig?" Dudley interrupted. "Is that your owl's name?"

"Yeah. I sent her to a friend's house for the summer. She doesn't like being cooped up like she normally is here."

"Yeah, I can understand that." Dudley said. "She's a beautiful bird," he added softly.

Harry smiled at the compliment. "Thanks. Anyway, I'll tell her to wait for you outside." He cleared his throat. "If you like, I'll ask her to hang around for a day so you can write back to let me know how things are going here." He paused. "You can let me know the results of your boxing bouts."

"I'd like that," Dudley replied. Keeping with his unusual behavior, he brought his bowl to the kitchen sink. "Well, bye, then."

"See ya, Dudley." While Harry was still mulling over this unexpected interaction, Aunt Petunia came into the kitchen. Harry automatically got up but Aunt Petunia waved him to sit down again. She poured herself a cup of the freshly brewed coffee and sat down across from Harry. He grew uncomfortable with the look she was giving him.

Aunt Petunia finally broke the silence. "You may not believe me, but I loved my sister." She paused and continued so quietly that Harry had to strain to hear her. "It sometimes hurts to look at you and see Lily's eyes looking back at me,"

"I can't help how I look," Harry said bitterly. "Sometimes I wish I looked totally different so people wouldn't judge me on my appearance."

Aunt Petunia shook her head. "I know it doesn't make any sense. I never want to forget Lily."

"But you hardly ever talked about her, and when you did it was always something negative! I barely know anything about her. You never even showed me any pictures of her."

"I have some hidden away. It hurt too much to look at them. I'll dig them up before you leave." She paused again. "You never told me the things that went on in that school of yours."

Harry shook his head. "Did you really want to know?"

Aunt Petunia winced. "Maybe not. But still…" She took a deep breath. "You'll be welcomed back next summer, and even over the holidays."

"Uh, thanks, Aunt Petunia." He brought his bowl to the kitchen and rinsed both his and Dudley's.

Uncle Vernon came down next, dressed in his suit and ready to work. Harry brought a cup of coffee for him and made sure the sugar bowl was within reach.

"You have some intelligent people watching out for you," he grunted at Harry. "You mind what they say."

Harry nodded. He returned to the kitchen to prepare a bacon and egg breakfast for his aunt and uncle and stayed there while they ate. They'd occasionally look over at him and then back to each other. When they were done, they nodded briefly at their nephew before leaving the room.

Several minutes later Petunia returned to the kitchen just as Harry was finishing cleaning up and drying his hands. She thrust an envelope at him. "Here. You can keep these. I don't ever want to look at them."

Harry opened the envelope and glanced at the top photo. The picture didn't move, but there was something about it that suggested the small child who would grow up to be his mother was only holding still because she was told to pose and that she would be off exploring the world as soon as she could. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Petunia gave a quick nod and left the room.

Harry sat down and pondered the strange morning conversations as he examined the rest of the photos. He hoped the Dursleys would follow through with their promises and would become his family in more than just name. He jumped when there was a knock at the door. He smiled to himself, knowing that regardless he had at least one family who loved him, and went to open it.

I hope you enjoyed this less common view of the Dursleys. As always, all reviews are appreciated.