Sometimes Bad is Good

Chapter Six

Harry had been feeling awkward at that time, as he'd folded his arms behind his back and nodded slightly at Dudley, giving the older boy a small smile that had seemed to quieten his tears and pathetic noises. Looking back now, it seemed that it had calmed Dudley, and not his aunt's excessive swaddling that could make even a baby sick.

Harry had had Remus and Bill go up ahead of him, just so they wouldn't catch him giving something them something that was supposedly illegal. He'd taken them into the kitchen and sat them at the table, ignoring how the kitchen looked slightly dirtier than the last time he'd been here, and looked them at them both a little awkwardly, "I don't know what to say to either of you, because I never thought that I'd live to see the day that we could say goodbye to each other," he'd confessed, again ignoring the way Dudley flinched and the fact that aunt Petunia was beginning to cry again, "It wasn't exactly my plan to come back here when I knew you'd both be here, but I reckoned that you both deserved more than that, so I guess all I can say is, thank you," he'd said.

Aunt Petunia had burst into tears at hearing what Harry had really planned to do, and had mopped her tears viciously with the dirty handkerchief, regardless of her sons snot. "Oh Harry," she'd said thickly, looking at him through a painfully tearful gaze. "you've no reason to thank us. We've done nothing to earn it. I'm so sorry we haven't been the family that you deserved," she'd said, swallowing loudly. "you're welcome here anytime you like, no matter what, this house is open to you."

Dudley had nodded his agreement, apparently more than okay with the idea of Harry coming to visit them.

"Thanks, I appreciate that," Harry had said gratefully, before slowing down and beginning to become more serious, "I wanted to give you both something, as an added protection if the wards failed," he'd said slowly, and watched as the blood had drained from his relatives faces.

Aunt Petunia had been the first to speak, but she had seemed terrified, "What is it?" she'd asked in a quivering voice, leaning forward. Dudley seemed to shrink in on himself, obviously thinking that it was something bad that Harry wanted to give to them.

Harry had reached into his pocket almost immediately, and withdrew two necklaces. They were made of a strong but light silver and with the purpose to blend in, but they had small intricate and unbreakable vials hanging from them, the real reason he had fretted so much. They were filled with his blood, it was close to a blood bond, one of the most sacred of bonds.

Aunt Petunia and Dudley had looked horrified at the thought of carrying around his blood with them, but he'd assured them that it was the safest thing out there, and would be fine to wear. Harry had reasoned with them that when he left he wouldn't be returning for long periods of time, which meant that without his blood, the wards would fail and fade away. The blood that the vials held would be able to satisfy the terms of the wards for when he left, keeping them safe. They hadn't protested after that.

Harry sighed into the comfortable mattress, spreading his legs and arms out and wringing out the tired muscles. He moaned in relief and satisfaction when his bones clicked and his joints popped. He could almost feel the tension in his body fading into the bed.

The final straw that broke the camels back, came after he'd finished lunch and was stiffly hobbling upstairs towards his bedroom. Remus and Tonks had left him pretty much alone at lunch when they'd gotten back, not wanting to 'pester' Harry after everything he'd done for them. They'd been that way since they'd left the final house, which -with a stroke of luck- turned out to be the house in Harry's vision.

It was in good timing too, as Harry had gotten just about fed up with the house-elves bombarding him in each house with squeals of "The Master is finally home!" at every turn. Each house-elf, of course, had a different personality, but all their reactions had been the same. "Food for Master Potter!" It was not amusing when he left each house with pockets absolutely overflowing with food. So much that he left a trail of crumbs for some ducks to follow.