Aunt Petunia Dies

HARRY Potter Apparated down a quiet side street behind a large wheelie bin, shielded from the main road. He very easily could have Apparated directly into a broom cupboard in the hospital he was about to visit, if he wanted, but he felt that the less magical his arrival the better. Besides, the short walk to the hospital would give him time to think things over.

Two days ago, Harry received a letter from his cousin Dudley Dursley with whom he had grown up. Dudley told him that his mother- Harry's aunty- was dying in hospital. The news had shocked Harry to the core- forasmuch as Petunia Dursley had pretty much hated his very being, the thought of someone wasting away from cancer was still sickening, especially when that someone was almost his last link to the past.

As Harry crossed the busy road he remembered the last time he saw his Aunt Petunia after the War, all those years ago. After the dust had settled and all the necessary form-filling and reporting had been done following Voldemort's demise, Harry realised that he needed to make sure his family was safe. They had unwittingly provided him with security for 16 years of his life so the least he could do was to make sure they were alive. He traced them down, which wasn't difficult to do, and knocked on their cottage door.

*

The honeysuckle surrounding the white-painted wooden door was fragrant. The claw-shaped brass knocker rapped neatly against the wood. As the door swung open he was met with shock and fear. His large uncle, Vernon Dursley, gasped in surprise as he beheld Harry stood there. For a moment he seemed to swell but, unbelievably, he took a step back. Harry cautiously stepped into the frou-frou cottage and went to the living room.

Aunt Petunia, wearing a peach-coloured sun dress, dropped the china cup she was holding and shot to her feet. Moments later, his large cousin Dudley walked through the door and did a double-take. After several extremely uncomfortable seconds Harry said, "Hi."

Aunt Petunia broke down into sobs and Uncle Vernon seemed thunderstruck, either from incandescent rage or sheer surprise Harry wasn't sure. Dudley shook Harry's hand and told him he was glad to see him.

After that he was eventually offered a cup of tea (more out of duty than true hospitality, however) and they all sat in the floral living room quietly. The shock events around the War had stunned this most Magicphobic family. After a few enquiries from Harry about their health/home/happiness they answered quickly, but not with the hostility of before. Forasmuch as they were not being friendly, per ce, they clearly could not bring themselves to openly hate him anymore. Perhaps the brazen effects of the War had softened their hearts.

After about half an hour Harry stood up to leave. Stiffly his family said farewell, again out of a compulsive need to be "proper", and Harry was satisifed that they were mostly unchanged and that he'd probably never see them again. But as he left Dudley pressed a piece of paper into his hand. When the door had shut and Harry walked up the garden path he realised that Dudley had written down his phone number and asked him to keep in touch.

*

Two years after Harry had visited he wrote to Dudley. He wasn't sure what he had to say, apart from the fact that he and Ginny were about to be married. Dudley then replied and told him that he had a girlfriend, Leanne, but also that his dad had died from a heart attack. Harry suddenly realised that family was more important to him than he ever knew. From there, Harry and Ginny and Dudley and Leanne met about once a year for a brief catch-up. Harry even found that he started to like Dudley. Much of his spoilt childishness had grown out and he actually turned out to be a fairly decent chap. After Harry and Ginny had their first child, James, Leanne became pregnant and had a son, Jack Vernon Dursley, and again life perspectives changed for the better.