The next morning, Harry woke up at 8 o'clock, and decided to take a stroll before leaving. "Hey Nick!" Harry called as he passed.
"Harry!" The ghost called. "Heard you're the new Head of Gryffindor!"
Harry nodded. "Yep, teaching DADA too."
"Congratulations, where are you headed?"
"Ah, I have to meet my aunt and cousin at my house for lunch. Just taking a walk before I leave. Nice seeing you, Nick."
"You too, dear boy!"
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"Hey Hagrid!"
"Harry, good luck, with your relatives!"
"Thanks!" Harry spun, Apparating, once he passed the school boundaries.
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Harry Apparated across the street from Grimmauld, and unlocked the door, meeting Kreacher in the kitchen.
"Master Harry! Kreacher is cooking for guests. Kreacher did not go to sleep."
Harry frowned. "Thanks, but you didn't have to. Anyway, I'm just grabbing some breakfast, then I'll be outside. Please be nice."
"Yes, Master Harry."
-------------- ------- ------- -------
Harry looked up from watching Obsidian play when he heard the sound of Apparation and crying.
"What the--?"
"Harry!" Andy yelled, running over with Teddy.
He stood up, taking Teddy automatically. "Whats going on?"
"I'm sorry Harry! But you see, Narcissa is still in a Ministry cell with Draco. They're not going to Azkaban, but their lives are...sorry, anyway, I have to take care of it, get their affairs in order, and I need you to take Teddy."
"But, Andy--I love Teddy, you know that--nut today--"
"I know, I'm really sorry. Hermione, Luna, Ron, everyone is busy. You're the only one. I'll be back around three."
"Andy--I'll be at the school at two. Meet me there." Harry called.
She smiled. "Thank you, I owe you!"
Harry held up a hand in Farwell. "I'll give remember that!"
-------------- ------- ------- -------
So, at 11:30, he heard Dudley shout, "Hey Harry!"
Harry looked up from where he was holding Teddy's hands as he tried to walk, to see Vernon's car, and Dudley was getting out, as Petunia stood there nervously, and Vernon just glared at him.
Harry waved back, picked up Teddy, and walked down the small yard to where they had parked. "Hey Dudley, Aunt Petunia, Vernon. This is Te--"
"Knocked up a freak? Great, now there's another freak in the world." Vernon scoffed loudly.
Harry glared. "Actually, no. I haven't. But you should really hold your tongue Vernon. I won't have you insulting my godson."
They glared at each other before Teddy changed his black hair to blue, making Petunia scream.
Harry looked over, and apologized. "Sorry about that. Teddy's a metamorphagus. It means he can change his features. Why don't we heading inside?"
-------------- ------- ------- -------
They headed into the kitchen, where Kreacher was placing food out. "What is that thing?" Vernon asked rudely.
Harry glared. "This is Kreacher, my house elf"
Dudley looked at him. "Er, hi Kreacher. The food smells great."
Kreacher looked him up and down. "Hello, Master Harry's . . . relative." He spat the word.
Harry cringed. "Kreacher, can you take their coats?"
"No way am I letting that, that, hideous creature take my things!" Vernon yelled, slapping Kreacher.
"Dad!" Dudley exclaimed.
Harry sighed. "Kreacher, why don't you take a break? Thanks for everything."
Kreacher bowed, disappearing.
"Why don't you have a seat? Kreacher's made several different snack you might like. They're Mu--normal snacks, what you'd usually have."
Vernon looked about to comment, but stopped himself at seeing Harry's wand in his hand.
"I'm just making Teddy a bottle." Harry told them.
"So why do you have that freak? His parents dead?" Vernon snapped.
Harry stiffened. "Actually, yes, they are."
Petunia stuttered. "I-I'm sorry, for your loss, H-Harry. Were you close?"
Harry nodded. "Yeah,"
"Well, world's better off without them!" Vernon yelled.
Harry sat Teddy in his highchair. "Take that back!"
"No, it's true, it'd be better if you'd die too!" Vernon hollered, slapping Harry across the face.
Petunia shook. "V-Vernon! Wait in the car!"
"I'm going home! Find your own ride, if you wanna be with the freak so much!" Vernon called, leaving.
When Petunia and Dudley looked back at Harry, his head was against the wooden cupboards.
Petunia went over. "Harry," she whispered, touching his shoulder, wincing when he flinched away.
"Nobody's . . . nobody's hit me in so long, I just,"
Harry muttered.
Dudley shook his head. "Look, I'm really sorry, maybe we should--"
Harry turned around. "No, don't go. Just, sit down and have lunch. What do you guys want to drink?"
"Uh, what're you having?" Dudley asked.
"Butterbeer. It's a nonalcoholic drink wizards and witches like, children especially. We have punkin juice too, if you'd like to try it." Harry offered.
Petunia smiled. "I'd like some Butter-butterbeer. Lily was always talking about it."
Harry looked surprised at mention of his mother, but nodded when Dudley agreed, and called Kreacher. "Kreacher, can we get 3 Butterbeers?"
Kreacher looked an let him suspiciously, but nodded, returning minutes later.
-------------- ------- ------- -------
"Harry, this is amazing!" Dudley exclaimed.
Harry smiled. "Yeah, Kreacher's a great cook."
Petunia was looking nervous, before she blurted, "Why?"
The boy's looked at her. "What?" Harry asked.
She took a breath. "Why, are you...why are you being nice? I've been terrible, Dudders has been, Vernon just was! Why are you so damn nice!?"
Harry swallowed his drink. "I...don't know. I guess, I've forgiven you. Of course I wish I knew why, but--"
"I was jealous."
"What? Why?"
"I was jealous. Your mother, she was so beautiful, talented, brilliant! She was a witch, and my parents, well...they loved her more! They tried to be fair, but they couldn't hide it. And there was little Petunia Evans, ugly, stupid, boy crazy, nothing special. I wasn't important, and when Vernon came along, he made me feel special, for once, I was special!"
"Mum," Dudley sighed, holding her hand.
"No, Duds. Anyway, I had a nice, normal family. Then you came along, with a note that my sister, my baby sister, whom I'd ignored, and resented, and hated, was dead. I--I took you in, agreed to treat you less than Dudley. 'It's the right thing to do! He's not like us, we'll do him a favor by stamping it out.' Vernon told me, made me believe it. I can't be excused, but please, don't hate Dudley for what I did. He never had a choice, we forced him to be what he was." She started crying, and Dudley rubbed her arm soothingly.
Harry looked down at the table when Teddy began crying. He bolted out of his chair and held him in his arms, walking around the room. "It's okay Teddy, Harry's here."
Petunia sniffled. "You, you're good with him. Better than I was. I'm glad you turned out better than we raised you."
Harry raised his head. "Thanks, if it means anything, I've told my friends not to use magic around you. I didn't want it to bother you."
She smiled. "Thank you."
Harry shrugged. "So, what happened since you went back home?"
Dudley glanced at his mother. "Harry, Dad's been...he's changed. His temper is worse--"
"Worse?" Harry asked incredulously.
Petunia nodded. "He takes it out on us now."
"I'm so sorry! Is there anything I can do?"
Petunia shook her head. "No, Dudley just needs to move out--"
"What about you?" Surprisingly, both boys exclaimed.
"Why do you care?" Petunia scoffed.
"Y'know, all my friends keep asking that too. I don't know. Look, what if I... Okay, I'm moving back though my old school, Hogwarts, I'll be a professor--"
"Congrats." Dudley exclaimed.
Harry smiled. "Thanks. But you could...stay here."
"We couldn't." Petunia said instantly.
Harry sighed. "If it gets dangerous, I want you to. I know how bad Vernon can get. Anyway, what time were wanting me to take you home? Assuming Vernon doesn't come back."
Dudley shrugged. "Not like I've got any friends, so I don't care."
Petunia sighed. "We should get going. Thank you Harry."
"Thank you too. For telling me. Owl me sometime. I don't have a phone, magic interferes at Hogwarts."
"We don't have--" Dudley started, when Harry whistled, in came a small, tawny owl, flying onto his finger. "This, is your owl. I've bought him, so you can contact me."
"What happened to yours?" Petunia asked.
Harry laughed sadly. "She died in a Death Eater chase, a year or so ago. I have a pet dragon now, so he keeps me company." Harry pulled Obsidian from his locket.
"Oh!" Petunia gasped.
"Got him back in 4th year. He's a living model of the dragon I had to battle."
"One of these days, you should tell us what all you did, sounds interesting." Dudley chuckled.
Harry shrugged. "Sure. Anyway, want me to drop you off?"
"Yes," Petunia sighed. "Are you going to, to--"
"I'll Apparate. Sorry, I don't have a car." Harry shrugged sheepishly. "So, Dudley, grab my arm, Aunt Petunia, my shoulder, I'll hold Teddy, and--"
POP!
"Owl me!" Harry told them, before smiling and Apparating to Hogwarts.
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"Hey Minerva." Harry called.
She looked up from the paper she was reading. "Harry. How did it go?"
"Fine. What do you want me to do?" He replied evasively.
She looked him over suspiciously. "Are you lying?"
Harry shrugged. "Aunt Petunia, Dudley, and I got along fine." He mumbled, "Vernon and I...not so much."
She set her quill down. "What happened?"
Harry sighed. "Can I please just get some work to do?"
"No," She told him sternly. "I care about what happened, and you're not fine."
Harry pulled at his hair. "Vernon and I, got into a small fight, he started it, he finished it."
She stood up, brushing his hair out of his face. "Did he call you a name?"
" . . . Yes. And Teddy." He admitted, holding the baby tighter. "And he yelled, and..."
"Did he hit you?"
. . .
"Harry..."
Harry swallowed. "He, he said the world would be better off without a freak like me."
She looked at his face.
"Sometimes I think," he strode towards the window. "Sometimes I think he's right."
"Harry," she whispered. "Harry, Harry, Harry. He is so wrong. The world needs you, you're not a freak! Look at me."
"He slapped me across the face too. Called Teddy a freak,"
"Shh, don't think about him."
"Sometimes, late at night, I think about the cupboard, I deserved it."
"No! No, you didn't. Come here," She said softly, leading him to a red couch, and tucking her feet up. He tucked his knees under himself as she made him lean against her as she brushed through his hair. "Shh, don't think about that horrible, horrible man. He doesn't deserve you."
"Its not fair, why do I feel like this?"
"It's not, it's not, I know. I'm sorry. Just sit here." She shushed him.
------------------------------------------------
Later, red-faced and red eyed, Harry stood up, said, "Thanks...for, yeah. I'm sorry it's dinnertime, I'll come up later, get some work done--"
"It's alright, Harry. Get some food and sleep. I'll see you tomorrow."
"Night then."
"Goodnight. Don't forget to put that cream on your chest."
Harry only nodded before closing the door.
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Wow. That turned out way more emotional than I'd planned. Anyway, hope you liked this! I'll update soon, bye!