Redemption

Reconciliation

Dudley made the reservations. They met two days later for dinner at a nice restaurant. As requested, they were allotted a private room. The Dursleys (plus Pansy) were already there when Harry and Hermione arrived. The way they held hands was clear indication of their new found intimacy, yet Harry looked very tense. Dudley made sure not to make the seating too stressing, so he sat beside his father, followed by Pansy while his mother sat at the other side. Hermione sat beside Pansy, leaving Harry between her and his aunt.

"I believe you all know each other, but may I know who this young woman is?" Petunia asked.

"This is Miss Hermione Granger, my best friend since first year, my girl friend and hopefully my future wife," Harry said proudly, making Hermione blush.

"You're finally together!" Pansy gasped. "It's about time, I'd say. Congratulations!"

Petunia was more reserved. "Welcome, miss Granger. I hope that whatever we discuss here will not give you a bad impression about us."

Hermione only nodded, unsure about the right answer. Dudley was sure she already knew everything about Harry. He wondered if anything could make her impression about his family any worse.

Vernon only mumbled something under his breath, nodding his head in welcome.

They didn't talk much until the first course was served. Once the waiters left them alone, Vernon started to talk. "First, I need to apologize to you, Harry, for the hell I made of your early years with us. I really hoped I could wipe the magic out of you, and you'll soon see why. Please understand that I don't hate you. I hate the magical world for what it had done to me and I wanted to spare you that experience. As you all know – I failed. Please forgive me."

Harry seemed bewildered. Vernon didn't expect an immediate answer, though, as he continued talking. "When we went to visit the Parkinson, I didn't expect my secret to come out. Parkinson is not a rare name, you know, just like Potter. When we arrived there, though, I knew that I could not escape my past." Vernon stopped and pulled a wand out of his sleeve, putting it on the table in front of him. Both Harry and Hermione gasped. "You see, I also went to Hogwarts. I married Marcy, my childhood friend, who was a muggle, as soon as we finished school. A year later, she was expecting our first child."

Vernon breathed heavily, trying to keep calm. "Pregnant women have some weird carvings, as you're sure to find not too far in the future. I left home to buy Marcy a few things she wanted. When I returned, I only found smoldering ruins and the dark mark floating over them. Only Marge, my squib sister who no longer lived with us, escaped. My parents, my wife and my unborn child were dead." He didn't even try to stop his tears.

Petunia and Dudley held his arms comfortingly, while Hermione held Harry's just the same. Vernon continued after a short pause. "I could not retaliate. I could do practically nothing, as I'm just barely more than a squib. I left the magical world, grew a mustache and started working at Grunning, where my family had some shares. I was glad to find a perfectly normal woman to make my wife, only to later find that her sister was a witch, one I've already known about from Hogwarts, although she didn't know me. I didn't want to go to your parents' wedding, fearing somebody would still recognize me, and Petunia was easily persuaded, due to her view of the magical world. When they were killed, it only strengthened my resolve to leave magic behind. A day later, we found you at our door."

Vernon's tears were leaking freely now. Petunia tried to wipe them with a handkerchief. He didn't seem to notice. "I tried everything I knew in order to remove your magic, so you could live normal life and not become another victim of Magic, yet your own magic was too strong to quench. I admit that I may have overdone it, and I'm sorry for that, but I'm even more sorry that you had to suffer this war, to become a hero against your will and to lose people dear to you. I'm sorry I couldn't prevent any of these. Please forgive me."

It took Harry a long moment to comprehend everything he was told. Finally he spoke. "I'm really sorry for all that you've suffered. I understand you had good intentions. It may take me some time to fully forgive you, though, as you really overdid it, causing me to suffer more than any child should. I hope, for Dudley and Pansy, that you'll not keep that attitude."

Vernon smiled, although his face was still teary. "I couldn't expect a better reply from you. I hope that time will help heal our relations. As for Pansy – I've already accepted her. I think Pansy and Dudley are very good for each other."

"Which house have you been?" Hermione's curiosity took the better of her.

"Couldn't you guess?" Vernon replied.

"I think you were Hufflepuff," Pansy said. Hermione nodded.

"Why do you think so?" Vernon asked her.

"You're clearly hard working and very loyal, yet not brave enough for Gryffindor and not ambitious enough for Slytherin. Not having studied after Hogwarts also indicates you're not studious enough for Ravenclaw. Am I right?"

"Yes, dear. I was in Hufflepuff, I played beater at Quidditch for three years."

"Did you know my parents then?" Harry asked.

"No. I was in my seventh year when they were in the first. I've probably seen them in passing and nobody could refrain from noticing the beautiful redhead who was buried in books, but that's about it."

Harry thought a bit. "I wonder why Dumbledore didn't recognize you, though."

Vernon smiled bitterly. "Wizards are easily fooled, in general, and Dumbledore was no exception. When he saw me after your fifth year, I was fat, balding and wearing a mustache. He didn't see me much at school, except during the Quidditch games, and probably didn't remember me too well, so these differences were enough to fool him. And I was really afraid of him, much more than the others, as I knew just too well how powerful he could be."

"Hagrid didn't recognize you either," Harry noted, "nor did Professor McGonagall."

"That's true. I was never close to Hagrid. His pets were too frightening to come close. As for the Professor, she was in her cat form, I believe, as I've never noticed her nearby. It's not well known, but animagii lose some of their human mind while in animal form. How else would such a proud lady be able to eat remains from a garbage can? I was more concerned about the Weasley parents, though, as they are close to my age and were at school while I was there. Luckily, the simple changes were enough to fool them."

"You don't seem to have a good opinion about wizards," Hermione noted.

Vernon agreed. "Do you think they deserve any better? Had they been more observant and more caring, they could stop dark lords from ever rising. In a way, every dark lord is a punishment of the wizarding community for being so uninterested and uncaring. It's unfortunate that others suffer as well."

"I really hope we can make it change. Many who fought with us are willing to do what's necessary to bring a change. It won't come overnight, but I believe we can make a difference."

Vernon smiled reluctantly. "I wish you good luck, but I won't hold my breath."

With Vernon getting all the attention, it was much later when Petunia managed to say, "Harry, I wish I didn't treat you so badly as a child. I let my jealousy at my sister and Vernon's attitude blind me, making me act in ways I'm ashamed of. I hope you can find some mercy for me and forgive me. I can't correct the past, but I'll try to help make the future much better, at least concerning my family – and you are part of the family."

Harry nodded. "I understand, Aunt Petunia. It may take me some time, but I think we can eventually become the family we should have always been. I hope you'll be at our wedding, when the time comes."

"Have you proposed?" Pansy asked enthusiastically.

"Not formally, but we both understand that we're going to stay together for the rest of our lives. I need to get her parents' permission first, if I want to do it as properly as possible."

"Then do it! What are you waiting for?"

Harry looked at Hermione lovingly. "I'll do it very soon, I promise."

A few days later, the Dursleys called Harry on the phone for "Happy New Year" greetings. Dudley called again, a bit later, to ask for Harry's help in restoring the Durley Manor.

"Do you even know where it is?" Harry asked.

"Dad showed it on the map for me. I can drive there, although I believe you have faster means to reach that place."

"Alright. Where shall we meet, then?"

It was quite simple after that. Once they knew where to go, Harry, accompanied by Hermione, who wouldn't miss a chance to learn something new, apparated there, and Pansy took Dudley on side-along apparition. Doing the restoration, though, was not an easy task and could not be done at once.

Hermione, who had already studied all the spells and methods concerning such work, first cast some diagnostic charms. "Luckily, it wasn't fiend-fire that was used to burn the place down, or it would have been much harder to restore. Still, we need to check the exact layout of the place before trying to do anything."

A few more spells made the remnants glow, showing the locations of all walls and partitions. More importantly, they also revealed a trapdoor, covered with rubble, that probably led to some underground rooms or dungeons. Harry removed the rubble and Pansy made the door open, revealing some stairs, while Harry and Hermione were standing alert for any danger that might come out of it.

Finding no danger, they approached and cast a few spells into the open door, verifying as much as they could that no danger lurked inside. "I'll go first," Dudley volunteered. Seeing the worried faces around him, he added, "I'm a Durley by blood, so I should be safer than you, if there's anything against intruders in there."

Hermione nodded reluctantly. Pansy cast "Lumos" and walked with Dudley down the stairs, keeping half a pace behind him. Harry followed, holding his wand alertly.

Nothing bothered them. Whatever wards had previously protected the place were no longer active, yet they saw a lot of stuff there, neatly arranged on shelves and in crates. There was a desk near the end of the stairs, and an open book on it, both surprisingly free of dust.

"Don't touch anything yet!" Hermione, who came last warned them. She first cast some more spells all around, checking once again for dangers. She then looked at the book and cast another spell at it, making it glow blue.

"It's safe for you to touch," she told Dudley, "but only you. Not even Pansy may touch it until she is magically wed to you."

Dudley approached the desk reluctantly. The pages of the book seemed blank until he touche one. It then glowed brighter for a second. When the glow disappeared, the pages were full of handwriting. Dudley sat down to browse at the book while the others looked around, trying to make sense of what they saw. The shelves on the right wall were full of books, and the opposite wall had various artifacts on the shelves, most unrecognized. Harry thought he saw a pensive there and a crystal ball, yet most of what he saw there looked like nothing he had seen before. The middle of the room was full of crates, most stacked three or four high.

"This is a kind of ledger, showing what went in and what came out of this room," Dudley said, after taking a good look at the book and checking several pages. "The latest entry was probably written when the wards were being attacked, as it states that all valuables are in the crates now, and so are most of the paintings and the albums. Maybe we can find some photos of my grandparents here. Maybe even some of dad and his first love." He turned back to the first page. "Oh! I can write down whom I allow to use this. I think I should add all of you."

He didn't wait for a reply. He took his pen and wrote down the three names. They glowed each for a second and then the writing changed to look as if written with a quill. "I believe you may now touch everything with no danger at all," Dudley said. Pansy, who was looking attentively at the book from a pace away, nodded in agreement.

As expected, Hermione moved to the books immediately. Harry was torn between following her, just to keep her safe, and checking the crates. He decided not to act as a chaperon – Hermione wouldn't appreciate it – and besides, she was capable enough to protect herself. Instead, he checked the crates. One of them had the label "Albums 1950-" written on it.

"Dudley, this may be of interest," he said.

Dudley helped him reach the crate, on which two more were resting, and then opened it, revealing several albums neatly arranged in the crate with some room to spare. Dudley checked and took out one marked "1977-" This was clearly the most recent, and it was only half full.

"Can any of you make a duplicate of this? I'd rather not take the original out," Dudley asked.

They ended making copies not only of that album, but a few more, as well as the blueprint of the manor and a few books on restoration that Hermione found. They made sure to seal the cellar again and move the rubble back over it, so it would stay safe until they could fully restore the Manor. Harry was still feeling weird at the knowledge that Vernon was a wizard, yet he was coming to terms with the idea, especially after visiting the remains of the Manor.