Harry Potter's aunt

CHAPTER TWO

Rosemary couldn't contain her excitement. It was May 3rd, the day she would finally get to meet her nephew all grown up. Shemused over all of the clothing she owned, not sure what would be best to make a good impression. She opted for a pair of bluejeans and a white t-shirt and straightened her hair. She grabbed her wand and some money before apparating to Hogsmeadewhere she waited outside of the Three Broomsticks.Dumbledore was walking besides a confused twelve year old boy who didn't understand why he going to Hogsmeade."She's someone you should've met long ago, Harry," Dumbledore explained as they walked down to the village."Who is it, professor?" Harry asked."Her name is Rosemary Evans," Dumbledore glanced down to see if he saw the connection. "She was your mother's youngest sister.""| have another aunt?" Harry asked confused. "Where has she been? Why haven't | met her before? Why now?"Harry had stopped walking and looked at the headmaster waiting for answers. Dumbledore smiled lightly down at the young lad."We best not keep her waiting too long, Harry. She's been very impatient on meeting you," he told the lad."Why now?" Harry repeated his question.Dumbledore sighed, "That is her story to tell. But | will tell you this, she was at St. Mungo's Hospital until about a year ago. She'sbeen recovering from what You-Know-Who did to her.""What did he do?" he asked, still wondering why he had never heard of this woman."Ah, that is her story to tell you," Dumbledore said. "She's waited eleven years to meet you. We should keep moving, Harry. I'llanswer any other questions you may have before we get there. | know this is a lot to take in."Rosemary's eyes lit up when she spotted a young lad with dark overgrown hair walking besides the headmaster. A grin formedit's way on her face from ear to ear. She couldn't believe it.Dumbledore spoke as they approached her, "As you have requested, Miss Evans. Harry, this is Rosemary. Miss Evans, I'm sure"you know who this is.""My, have you grown," Rosemary blinked to hide away her tears."I'll leave you two alone," Dumbledore gave Harry a look before walking away."| know this is strange," Rosemary offered a smile. "Would you like to go in and get a drink while we chat?"The lad nodded and Rosemary paid for their pumpkin juices before they took a seat in a corner of the nearly deserted tavern.Rosemary felt anxious but was beyond ecstatic to see her nephew after all these years."You look just like James," she sadly smiled at him, "It's unnerving if you ask me."Harry nervously smiled as he took in the woman in front of him."Did Dumbledore tell you anything before you came here?" she asked."That you're my aunt," he said.She nodded, "Yes. | do apologize for my absence. If it wasn't for my accident then you would've been with me this whole time,not Petunia and her awful excuse for a husband."Harry smirked a little at this."How is Petunia towards you?" Rosemary asked, nervous to hear the answer. "She's never been fond of magic since we werekids. It's no surprise | was never mentioned. She couldn't even care to visit me.""| sleep under the stairs and they still hate magic," Harry explained. "They tried to hide my Hogwarts acceptance letter fromme."Rosemary rolled her eyes, "If you ask me, Petunia has always been jealous that it was me and Lily who were witches. Do they nothave enough bedrooms for you to have one?""They do but Dudley..." Harry was cut off."Dudley?" Rosemary crinkled her nose."My cousin.""| didn't know Petunia had a motherly bone in her body," Rosemary commented. "If they have enough rooms why don't you have"Dudley has two rooms for all his stuff," Harry explained.Rosemary scoffed, "Well, | don't want to take your whole day especially if you don't want to spend it with me. | understand I'm astranger to you Harry and that is how it wasn't supposed to be. But I'm here to offer a home to you."Harry looked at the woman in front of him who Dumbledore had led him to. Surely Dumbledore wouldn't let him meet someonehe didn't trust. But anywhere might be better than living with the Dursleys."And you don't have to make a decision right away," Rosemary added. "Rightfully, you should be with me. But | understand youhave been living with Petunia and want to give you the choice. | only want your happiness and safety. And if you choose Petunia,I'll talk to them about that bedroom."Harry smiled slightly at her words."Your name's Rosemary, right?" he asked, wanting to get to know the woman a little better before giving his answer even thoughhe already knew it."Yes but everyone calls me Rose," she smiled at him. "| see you definitely got the Evans eyes. They're just like your mothers and father Harry did note that Rosemary looked similar to the pictures he had seen of his mother. The main difference was Rosemary's hairwas more of a light brunette rather than red and she had no freckles where as Lily had them scattered across her cheeks "Where have you been all this time?" he asked. "Dumbledore mentioned you were at St. Mungo's.""Yes, | was," Rosemary looked at the young lad in front of him, trying to pick her words carefully. "| had been induced in a comaso Healers could try and correct my brain. They had thought it was hopeless but thankfully my best mate, Remus, never gave upand wouldn't let them either. So here we are.""Why were you in a coma?" he asked.She looked at him, "I think that is a story for another time. There is no need to talk about such heavy tragedies during our first"Harry nodded. "So you knew my dad?"Rosemary noticeable brightened. "Of course! We were best of mates James and |. It took me forever to talk your mother into dating him and | spent most of my time at school coaching James on her."Harry chuckled at hearing that."James was...extraordinary. There's no other word to describe him," she continued. "| couldn't have asked for anyone better to be with my sister. So tell me a bit about yourself, Harry!"Harry tried to think of something interesting he could tell the woman, "I play quidditch.""Brilliant!" Rosemary grinned. "What position?""Seeker.""Really? You know James, your father, he was a seeker for the Gryffindor team," Rosemary shared."Yes, | did know," Harry nodded."And how are classes?" she asked."Good," he nodded. "Do you work?"Rosemary's smile fell as she shook her head, "Not yet due to my circumstances. But I'm well off and, if you choose, I'd becapable of providing."Harry smiled slightly, he honestly didn't care if she could provide for him or not. He finally had family alive that was just like him,magical. Harry would live with Rosemary in poverty if it meant he got away from the Dursleys."Are you in need of anything Harry?" Rosemary asked after a couple minutes of comfortable silence. "Robes, parchments, sweets?"Harry smiled lightly at the woman, "Uh, yeah. We can go Honeydukes."Rosemary grinned, "| haven't been there in years."Once the two had finished their drinked they stood up to leave the tavern and walked down the road to the sweets shop. Sinceschool was going on today, the shop was nearly empty. Harry grabbed a few of his favorites while Rosemary did the same. Sheeyed the sweets in his hand and smirked lightly at the box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans."Lily despised those," Rosemary laughed, "One time she got one that supposedly tasted like earwax and that did it for her. Shenever touched another one of those beans."Harry smiled at the random fact his newly found aunt had told him. Rosemary purchased their sweets before the walked outnearing lunch time."| can walk you back to the castle grounds if you'd like," Rosemary offered."I'd like that," Harry smiled up at her.Rosemary felt happy as she walked along side of her nephew towards Hogwarts to end their first day together."Feel free to owl me for any reason," Rosemary gave a soft smile to the lad.He nodded, "Thank you.""I'll see you around sometime," Rosemary offered, unsure of when that would be. "| hope you do well on your exams.""Aunt Rose," Harry spoke, the words foreign on his tongue. Rosemary's heart swelled with joy at those words. Never did shethink he'd actually call her that now. "I would love to spend the summer with you.""Really?" Rosemary was taken back slightly but his quick response. "Oh, Harry! You chose wisely, | was always the fun one of usthree girls."Harry chuckled lightly at her words."So | will see you at the station then," Rosemary couldn't contain her smile.Thank you," Harry said with a small smile, "Goodbye.""Goodbye, Harry," Rosemary breathed out a sigh of relief, glad that today didn't go disterous.When Harry was out of sight, Rosemary apparated to the her friend's home and knocked on the door deciding to have moremanners then he did. Once the door opened up, she threw her arms around his neck and let out a small cry of happiness, feelingmuch like she did when she first received her Hogwarts acceptance letter telling her she'd be joining her sister."| assume it went well," Remus Lupin chuckled as hugged his friend back."He said yes, Moony!" Rosemary pulled away and grinned at him."| told you he would," Remus stated."| thought he would hate me," she admitted."No one could hate you cub," Remus smiled down at her."But | had been gone his whole life," she reasoned."And that was out of your control," he explained. "If anyone knows you, they knew you would've taken the boy that night ithappened."Rosemary felt my chest tighten up at the thought. She hadn't known of the fate that was her sister and best mate until she hadwoken up. She continues to struggle with the idea of them being gone. And all this time her nephew was alone living with the onemuggle who hated magic the most.Rosemary felt Remus place a hand on hers and giving it a squeeze as he noticed his friend's different demeanor."Let's not talk about that," Remus smiled, "We should be celebrating the homecoming of Harry."Rosemary smiled at him lightly, "It's where he belongs."Remus pulled out some firewhiskey and Rosemary laughed lightly, thinking back to their times at Hogwarts when Sirius andJames would sneak alcohol leading to the Marauders getting drunk and in trouble."To Harry," Remus held out his glass.She connected her glass with his and smiled, "To Harry."