Harry Potter and the Year of Surprises by erinpotter

Diagon Alley

‘Oh my God! I can't believe you just did that!’ Harry said, flashing Petunia a smile.

‘Neither can I!’ she laughed. ‘But it was definitely the right thing to do! Now, where to? Do you think we could go to your friend’s house?’

‘Yeah, I'm sure of it, but they may be somewhere else. Wait there and I'll owl them.’
Harry stopped in a street he did not know, but it looked like all the others in that area. He wrote to Ron.

‘Dear Ron, 
My aunt and I have just left Privet Drive for good. We thought we would come and stay with you and your family if you don't mind. I was just wondering if you were at the Burrow or Grimmauld Place. Tell your mum not to worry and that my aunt is good now and that she is a witch. She was also forced to be mean to me so please don't hold that against her. 
Write back soon.
Harry.
P.S We will be in the leaky cauldron until we receive your answer.’

He sent it off with Hedwig and sat on his trunk. 
‘We have to get to the Leaky Cauldron. Do you know where that it?’

‘Of course I do! What witch or wizard doesn’t know of the Leaky Cauldron!’

‘I'm glad to see that you’re calling yourself a witch again.’ Harry said, hoping that she meant to say that.

‘Yeah! I am a witch and I always have been. I think I will write do Professor Dumbledore to see if I can start my studies again at third year. It will be hard work though.’

Harry thought this was an excellent idea and promised that as soon as Hedwig returned, she could owl the headmaster.

‘But how will we get to London?’ Harry thought aloud.

‘Hmmm. I seem to remember a way of travel. Some kind of bus, I think?’

‘That’s it! The Knight Bus! You’re a genius Petunia!’ He stuck out his wand to call the bus, which came crashing down in front of them. Harry was glad to see that it was still Stan Shunpike conducting.
‘Hi there, Stan!’ he called.

‘Right there ‘Arry! How’ve yeh been?’

‘Great! Do you think you could take us to the Leaky Cauldron?’ he asked.

‘Anythin’ for you ‘Arry! Hop on!’

Harry helped Petunia on with her bag and then dragged his trunk on too. He paid for them both with his sickles. Petunia gave a sharp intake of breath.

‘Harry!’ she whispered. ‘I have a whole vault of that stuff!’

‘What stuff?’

‘Wizard money! It was for my college fund but I left. We must’ve forgotten about it. Number four hundred and seventy two, I think.’

‘That’s great,’ Harry said. ‘Because you’ll have to buy all your school stuff!’ they both laughed. The first time Harry had really laughed all summer. It was the first time Petunia had really laughed in twenty years.

After the bumpy ride on the knight bus, Harry and Petunia dragged their belongings off it and into the small pub. When Harry walked in, a few heads turned, but the everyday customers just nodded their heads at him.

‘Mr Potter, back again. It seems you come here every summer!’ Tom the innkeeper said.

‘I do!’ he laughed.

‘And who is this lovely lady you have with you?’ Aunt Petunia giggled like a teenager.

‘Tom, I would like you to meet my aunt. Petunia Evans.’

‘It is an absolute pleasure Miss Evans. I expect you were Lily’s sister?’

‘Yes I was, I miss her terribly, you know.’

‘And I too. She and James would come in here sometimes for a chat with me, before, before. . .’ he trailed off.

‘Tom, could we possibly have two rooms for the night? And for as long as we need?’

‘Of course, of course Harry! Come along. Will room eleven suit you again?’


Harry spent the next few days wandering around Diagon Alley, showing his aunt the shops and where she would have to buy her school things, if she were to return. She knew all this, but she let Harry tell her again. He was such a lovely, lively boy and she needed perking up after eighteen years with Vernon Dursley. She was just sad that she had never taken the time before, to get to know the boy. 
Hedwig arrived with Ron’s letter on the fourth day of their stay in Diagon Alley. He had written:

‘Hi Harry,
Mum says she would love to have you stay with us and that she will take the time to get to know your aunt. I think it’s great that she turned out good. Just be careful, okay. Hermione arrived here yesterday; we’ve been having a great time. You know how I feel about her, (Harry smiled) and Ginny has broken up with Dean. Good thing too. I know he likes Parvati. Anyways, Ginny likes someone else and Hermione knows but won't tell me. Girls suck. 
Talk soon mate. 
Ron.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot. We’re at the Burrow but we’re going to Grimmauld Place tomorrow. We’ll pick you and your aunt on the way, at about 4 o clock?
Bye Harry.’

Harry smiled at Ron getting carried away talking about the girls, but he was going to have to go to Sirius’ old house. He hadn’t gone last summer because he just couldn’t bear it, but it was his only hope this year. He went to find Petunia.
He found her coming out of Quality Quidditch supplies looking really happy.
‘What are you so happy about?’ he asked. 

‘Oh nothing, what are you so happy about?’ she replied, with a slight smirk.

‘Hedwig just came back. We can go and stay at Sirius’ old house. It’s the headquarters for that secret society I told you about.’ he whispered the last part.

‘Oh yes, will you be alright going to Sirius’ house? I mean, from what you told me, I gathered that you loved him very much and haven’t been there yet.’

‘No, I haven’t been there yet but I will need to go sometime and, well, there’s no time like the present.’

‘Quite right you are. Harry, can I borrow Hedwig, to write to Dumbledore?’

‘Yeah, sure. She’s in my room and there is spare parchment and a quill on the table beside the bed.’

Petunia kissed her nephew on the cheek and whispered, ‘Thanks, Harry.’
Petunias ran to Harry’s room, number eleven and grabbed a quill and began to write on the parchment.

‘Dear Professor Dumbledore,
I am Petunia Evans, Harry Potter’s aunt. You may remember that I used to attend Hogwarts, but I left in my third year, due to complicated circumstances, as you well know. 
I have now reinstated my place as a witch and with your permission, I wish to come back to Hogwarts and finish my education. Although, this may not be necessary, I suggest you put a memory charm on both Vernon and Dudley Dursley, who may expose the magical world, because of their newfound hatred of me. 
Please think about my request and write back soon.
Yours, 
Petunia Evans.’

She folded up the parchment and approached Hedwig, shaking. She used to have an owl but she gave it to Lily when she left. 
‘Hi Hedwig,’ she said. ‘Could you take this letter to Professor Dumbledore for me?’
Hedwig hopped over to her and stuck out her leg. Petunia breathed a sigh of relief. ‘Thank God.’
She went back to Quality Quidditch Supplies to finalise her order. That morning she had gone to Gringrotts Bank and took out the suffice amount of money from her vault. She wanted to repay Harry for all the years of hardship she had caused him.
She then went in search of Harry and found him in a joke shop she had seen but never entered. 
‘Harry, where have you been?’

‘Oh, hi Aunt Petunia. I forgot to bring you in here before. I can't really see why because it’s one of my favourite shops! I know the owners, see?’
Just then, Fred and George Weasley walked into the shop from a small door behind the counter.

‘Welcome to Weasley’s Wizard Wheezes! I am Fred Weasley.’

‘And I am George Weasley.’

‘We own this shop, because of young-’

‘-Harry here. He gave us the funds to start this shop. We owe him-’

‘-so much, really, we do.’

Petunia was in shock. Here were these two young men, about twenty years old but yet their faces were as full of mischief as two eight year olds. They seemed to be connected some way, like they were reading each others’ mind. 
‘Why is it thanks to Harry?’ she asked, rather wishing she hadn’t.

‘Well Petunia.’ said George.

‘You don't mind if we call you that do you?’ continued Fred.

Petunia shook her head.

‘Well then, bro,’ Fred went on. ‘Carry on.’

‘Splendid. Well, Petunia. I don't know if you know, but in Harry’s fourth year, he won a triwizard tournament. He won a large amount of money for the prize, but since he had so much money already,’
Harry blushed. 
‘He figured he didn’t need it.’

Fred finished the story. ‘He knew that it was our dream to open a joke shop, but we never had the money. He gave us his triwizard winnings so we could open this excellent business.’

‘And we will be forever grateful, won't be dear brother?’ George reminded his twin.

‘Of course we will.’ Fred bowed to Harry in mock gratitude.
Harry blushed again but laughed.
Petunia had perked up at, once again, hearing about Harry’s greatness. 

‘That was very nice of you Harry. Now Fred and George, I think I have heard of you before. What did you say your surname was again?’

‘Weasley, I think.’ Fred joked.

‘I have definitely heard that name before.’ Petunia pondered.

‘Yeah, we are going to stay with their family. My best friend, Ron is their little brother.’

‘Yes, I remember now.’ she turned to the twins. ‘Is your mum a nice woman?’

‘Oh dear, you’ve heard of our dear mum’s temper?’

Petunia nodded.

‘Don't worry. As long as you’re nice to Harry, she’ll love you. I mean, if Voldemort bowed down to Harry right now, mum would probably forgive him and bring him in for a cup of tea! She just loves Harry.’

Harry blushed again. ‘Shut up George.’

‘Getting touchy are we, young Harry?’

‘Bad idea young sir. Have you not seen the products we have in this place? Any one of them could make you make a right fool of yourself!’

Harry chose not to argue. Petunia saw the fear in Harry’s face. ‘Well, Harry I guess we better get going. It was nice to meet you boys!’

‘And you, and you, Miss Evans.’

‘Yes, absolutely splendid.’

‘Spiffing.’

‘Wondrous.’

‘Brilliant.’

‘Fantastic.’

‘Right boys, calm down, we’ll see you later.’

‘Bye bye.’