Death Eater Takes a Holiday

Thanks so much for the reviews. They always make me smile.
Are we due for a cliffhanger? I haven't gotten a death threat in a while.


Chapter 58 Relative Revelations

Severus Snape barely looked up from his research when a timid house elf edged closer to his desk with a tray of food.

"Professor Snape sir, Professor Dumbledore is asking Tizzy to bring you dinner," the elf said with only a little stutter. House elves seemed more confident when entering on the Headmaster's authority. "Does Professor Snape sir, want the tray here or by the fire, sir?"

"Here is fine," replied Snape distantly as he jotted down notes.

An hour later Severus put away his work, locking the desk drawer. When lifting the large dome cover off the food, he noticed it felt cold under his left hand, but hot under the right. The fruit and salad greens were chilled, the soup and entree hot. All his favorites were there. He had the feeling Albus had a hand in the menu for the evening. Severus didn't mind not eating in the Great Hall in the least, but it never hurt to have Albus feeling guilty on your behalf.

Lucky for him, Harry and Dudley weren't the only two Severus had been kept from inadvertently running into.

Neville Longbottom waited anxiously for his date to meet him in the Entrance Hall. He'd been almost happy for the distraction when Colin Creevey bombarded him with a barrage of questions. Having been close to the Great Harry Potter for seven years meant Neville was subject to the 'Creevey inquisition' when cornered. Feeling much harassed, with a strd smd smile, Neville politely answered yes, he'd seen Harry at the Weasley house over the summer and no; he hadn't been to Harry's home. Usually Neville would avoid taking part in Colin's unhealthy obsession, but truth be told, it did help take his mind off his earlier concerns, worrying if he was dressed nice enough for his dinner date. When Harry, Ron and Dudley arrived through the big oak doors, Neville smiled with relief. Colin Creevey turned his attention quickly to the door. Luckily for Harry and Ron, it was only a matter of seconds and an exuberant 'Hiya' Harry!' later when a striking Miss Weasley arrived.

Ron gaped like a hooked haddock in shock at the sight of his little sister. Neville and Harry alike gave her big smiles.

Neville complimented her outfit and they left for dinner. They quickly made it out the door, avoiding Ron questioning Neville's intentions and their plans for the evening. Feeling the nudge to his side, Ron closed his open mouth. He was still dumbstruck by the thought of his sister having breasts. He knew she had them, but hadn't ever remembered noticing them being up there so high. Hermione had one of those 'push them up bras', but certainly his little sister wouldn't have one, regardless of her only being eleven months younger than Hermione. The idea that his sister was a woman who had sexual interests was not something he could think about.

Harry pulled Ron into the Great Hall for dinner. Food was always a good distraction for Ron, or any teen for that matter. Colin was only too eager to stay at Hogwarts, regardless of the Hogsmeade weekend, if it meant he could dine with the Great Harry Potter.

Dudley startled when he saw the enchanted ceiling above his head. They sat close to the door, calling little attention to themselves. Dinner had already begun, which spared Dudley the shock of food magically arriving on the table. Harry was counting down the minutes until Dudley would be gone. He and Ron rolled their eyes at Colin. Harry's younger fan was positively giddy and jumped at the opportunity to make conversation with Dudley.

Dudley, for the most part, disregarded the seventh year in favor of the variety of food before him, amazed that there was a seemingly never-ending supply of it. Harry poured the last drops of pumpkin juice into his goblet, ignoring the annoyed growl sent to him by his cousin, who thought Harry'd not been polite enough to offer anyone else the last of the juice.

"Can you pass the juice, Harry?" Colin asked politely.

"Its empty..." Dudley began, but shut up when Harry passed the seemingly full pitcher.

Harry snorted. Ron and he had noticed the previous year that Colin used any excuse to make conversation with him. He 'coincidently' needed Harry to pass something for each course. Ron rolled is eyes, though he wasn't sure if Harry's snort was regarding Colin the devotee, or Dudley the annoyed.

Just to wind up Harry, Ron took to asking him for anything and everything Harry could reach. Within five minutes there was nothing at all Harry had not passed with the exception of one lone bottle. Harry snickered as he recognized the bottle was a condiment seldom found on the table at Hogwarts.

The meal continued in relative silence, at least on Harry and Ron's end. Dudley continued to eat as Colin regaled him with tales of exciting moments in Harry's Hogwarts Years: a History. It was the possible book title for his most recent unauthorized biography currently in progress, complete with full photo layout.

"Do the pictures in your muggle house move?" Colin waited for Dudley's response, so did Harry.

"Yeah, they get moved every time my mum dusts," answered Dudley.

"I meant the pictures of Harry, are they magical and move about, or are they still-shots?" Colin reloaded his camera as he spoke.

"Why would there be pictures of him?" Dudley's comment was taken as a joke and laughed off.

"Only muggle pictures," Harry quickly cut in. "No magic on summer hols, so no one to spell them motionless when visitors came over," Harry hoped it was enough, but unfortunately, Colin had been relentless as always, and was beginning to annoy them all. Harry could see Dudley's hands clench into fists.

"Great game today, did you see Ginny's double loop?" Ron asked Colin, steering the conversation in a new direction. That worked for a few minutes, but when Harry's quidditch days came into play, Harry decided to do something.

"I sure wish I knew when Slytherin was going up against Gryffindor. Do you think McGonagall would know?" He said to no one in particular, but it had the desired result. Harry turned to Dudley after Colin went to ask their Head of House about the game schedule.

"I know he's annoying, but he's a good guy, and you're almost out of here," Harry checked his watch. The hands seem to move much slower than usual.

"If I have to hear one more word about you and how they all think you're some kind of God around here, I'm going to punch the prat in the mouth," threatened Dudley.

Harry's lips thinned. "You d wan want to do that," he warned.


Thankfully, when Colin returned, dinner was about done. Remus Lupin approached the table.

"Hello Harry, Ron," greeted Remus sending a friendly nod to Colin. "Dudley, I'm going now to pick up your mother. Harry, can you have Dudley in Albus' office when I return?"

Harry jerked his head in Remus' direction. "You aren't taking him with you?" Harry questioned as he pointed to his cousin.

"No, it will only take me five minutes to walk to the school gate and Apparate to St. Mungo's. To travel there with a muggle would take an extra forty minutes. The Ministry is still trying to make up for their mistake, and has at least approved a portkey for the return trip from St. Mungo's. I won't be long," he added with a glance at his watch. Harry wanted to complain, but he appreciated all Remus was doing for him. Realizing how close he had come to having to spend a few hours on a train with his aunt and cousin, Harry was grateful to only have Dudley for less than an hour more.

"We'll walk you out," offered Harry, on their way thanking Remus profusely for all his help. He could hardly believe it was only three days ago Vernon was killed. It felt like weeks. Harry was only too glad to have an excuse to get out of the Great Hall. Remus waved him off, telling him not to bother, but Harry convinced him he wanted the chance to walk around outside in the evening. "No front yard at my house," he joked about the antique shop he lived above. Ron, Harry and Remus talked about the planned funeral service as they walked Remus to the gate. They hadn't noticed the change in Dudley as he'd fallen behind.

Everything had happened so fast, and having stayed with Harry, surrounded by freaks and such, Dudley's past few days had been a blur. It was like an alternate reality and he hadn't allowed himself to think about the fact that his father would not be there when he returned home again. Since his father's death, he had only allowed himself to be overcome with grief one time, while in the shower. He'd quickly composed himself, not wanting to show such vulnerability in front of his cousin. Father had always said, 'Real men don't go crying and carrying on.' Dudley remembered his father would often say that when Harry had been carrying on over being beaten. The charmed sofa was the best way for Dudley to keep his mind off his loss. Having caught a few words of the conversation ahead of him, Dudley knew they were talking about the funeral.

His parents had always felt that poor Dudley was too young and innocent to have to experience a funeral and he'd been allowed to stay home when Great Uncle Felix had passed. It seemed that watching his uncle abusing a freak wasn't too disturbing for him to observe, and that on a regular basis. Dudley was torn from his thoughts, as some annoying sound wouldn't stop.

"Did they show you the quidditch pitch? Gryffindor won the match today and the next game's against Slytherin; that should be a good match. Of course, the seeker that replaced Harry isn't nearly as good, but Slytherin had to start the season with a new seeker, too. I couldn't wait to see a real quidditch match after seeing my first game here. Mum thinks they're too violent. Too bad Harry isn't playing for England. I thought for sure he would be flying his way to the World Cup by now. Do you have a trophy shelf at home where Harry keeps his..."

Harry said goodbye to Remus and turned back just in time to see Dudley swing his meaty fist at Colin Creevey's face. Apparently the seventh year was accustomed to annoying people to the point of violence and swiftly ducked away from the punch.

In a flash, Harry grabbed Dudley's hand, preventing the second punch from hitting its mark. With a turn of his wrist and the right amount of pressure, Harry had his cousin on his knees in a blink of an eye.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" screamed Harry, releasing Dudley and stepping back.

"You freaks are the matter with me!" yelled Dudley. He had been surprised by the sudden pain, but was angered even more that Harry would dare touch him. He lurched up toward Harry to take a swing with his other hand. With a swift shift to one side, Harry easily avoided getting hit. Catching the hand, he applied another twist to the wrist, forcing Dudley back to his knees, then turning the arm swiftly and stepping further to the side and behind, he let Dudley's own weight slam himself face down to the ground. Harry was now holding the twisted arm up behind his cousin, with the wrist bent at a sharp angle, effectively immobilizing him.

"You can't just hit people that annoy you!" demanded Harry, missing the sheer awe on Creevey's face, having been 'saved' by Harry personally. He did, however, see the attention he was getting from a small group returning from Hogsmeade. "Get over here," growled Harry, releasing his hold and rolling Dudley, then bringing his cousin to his feet in a surprisingly quick maneuver and pulling him behind Hagrid's hut for privacy. "Ron?" he called, getting his friend's assistance.

"I'm on it," was all Ron had to say and Harry knew his best friend would keep onlookers at bay. "Come on, Colin, you can help," said Ron, knowing it was better to give the boy a task on Harry's behalf than to try to keep him from interfering in a 'family' matter. Ron taught him a quick disinterest spell, preventing more students from paying them any mind. The few that had seen the brief skirmish lost interest with nothing more to see.

Harry pushed Dudley behind Hagrid's hut, causing him to trip over a huge pumpkin. "What the Hell is the matter with you?" he repeated his question. "You would have had to stay here the whole time if I hadn't taken you in! You think you can come into my world, act like an arse, and I'm going to put up with your shit?!" Harry took a step back, his heart racing. He hated that Dudley was there. Here he was at Hagrid's, where Harry usually felt so safe and welcome, and now it was sullied by the likes of his muggle cousin.

"This is all your fault!" screamed Dudley. "If you didn't have psycho wizards trying to kill you they never would have come to my house!" spit sprayed from his mouth as he roared. "You should have died that day they took you out from the house! They would have left us alone and Dad would still be alive!" He lunged and struck at Harry, "He's dead and it's all your fault, you damn freak! You should be dead, not him!"

"It's not for lack of trying on your part!" Harry blocked Dudley's strike, while punching his cousin in the gut. "I'm a freak? Do you think it's normal to beat the living shit out of people you live with? You need some fucking counseling! Your father was a monster who got what he deserved," growled Harry.

"It didn't matter what you think; he's dead because those guys in masks wanted to hurt you by getting at your family. But your 'real' family is all dead, like you should be!"

"They did the world a favor, ridding it of Vernon," snarled Harry.

The two of them tumbled around the pumpkin patch brawling, but neither getting a good shot. Dudley hadn't a chance. Harry was combat trained, the the likes of a big oaf, who despite his school trophies, relied on his size to overpower an opponent as much as any real skill with wrestling and boxing, was no match for him. Harry quickly caught himself. For his part, he really didn't want to use any moves that would cause damage and possibly result in Dudley staying any longer for trent ont of injuries. Harry kept himself from losing control. He was angry, but did not take the offensive to strike his cousin. He would not be like his relatives. Instead, he used many of the more passive techniques taught to him by Kieran and Severus to subdue an attacker. Being forced into submission by what appeared to be the slightest hold was infuriating to Dudley. Harry continued to dodge punches and retaliate without injury. He was surprised at the depth of Dudley's irrational anger, and apparent stupidity. He knew the holds he was using only redirected the attacker's own force, and he released when Dudley stopped, but his cousin seemed unable to accept the change in circumstance, and each time Harry hoped Dudley was done, after a brief pause, his cousin attacked again. Dudley hadn't come into contact with the ground so much in his whole life. The garden was beginning to look like one big orange battleground. Abruptly, Dudley realized he was rising off the ground, though Harry wasn't touching him. He feared magic, but then felt the squeeze of a huge hand gripping his shoulder. He saw who had a hold of him and froze in fear.

"What's goin' on 'ere, 'arry?" asked Hagrid.

"Nothing I can't control," he replied smugly, which irritated Dudley, who twisted but couldn't break free from the half-giant's grasp.

"This lout tried to flatten poor Colin, here," offered Ron, having come around the corner a few moments earlier. Harry almost laughed, hearing his friend's defence. Never in all their years had Ron said a word on Colin's behalf. Nor had he, for that matter. It was funny all the same.

"We don't put up with tha' sort o' behavior at 'ogwarts Mr. Dursley," Hagrid lowered him to the ground, but kept a grip on Dudley's shoulder. "Ya need ta see the Headmaster 'bout this."


*~\*'*


Albus sipped his tea as Severus argued his point.

"How could you agree to those terms? With only two wizards at the services, Harry would hardly be protected from a full-scale attack, if one occurred. The time and date of services are public information."

"Do give me some credit, Severus," Albus smiled, a gleam in his eye. "I gave my word to Mrs. Dursley that Harry would have two magical people attend the services for his support. Certainly, Harry would be expected to travel as a muggle. He has no valid driving license. So, naturally, he would require a chauffer. I believe Ronald Weasley is familiar with automobiles," Albus enjoyed Severus' reaction. Reminding him of Harry's previous exploits always riled the Potions Master.

"That's three," scowled Severus.

"Any mourners from Vernon's place of employ couldn't possibly be counted as Harry's two. I seriously doubt his wife had full knowledge of all of Grunnings' employees."

This settled Severus down. They could put in any number of people posing as coworkers, and that hadn't even included those who could pose as staff from the funeral home. The only thing left was to figure out where he, Severus, would place himself.

"If this is settled, I'm afraid I have a few unexpected visitors," Albus gestured to the floo. No sooner habus bus spoke the words but Severus could sense Harry's magic as he passed the gargoyle with the others.

"I thought we were rid of him," Severus said, referring to Dudley Dursley. Albus checked a contraption on his desk that must have given some reference of time.

"Remus should be here very soon, and both mother and son will be on their way back to the muggleld,"ld," Albus' tone spoke of a relief that couldn't come soon enough.

Severus gave a nod and stepped into the flame, retuning to his quarters.

"Come in..." Albus pacified an angry Hagrid and served tea and biscuits. Harry happily helped himself to tea, knowing full well it would be tainted with a calming drought, and figuring it might help. Ron stood behind Harry's chair with Colin between him and Hagrid. Albus smiled warmly at Dudley, handing him a small plate of biscuits. Harry chuckled, knowing Dudley was in for one big dose of 'calm' if he ate his usual fill of biscuits.

"What seems to be the problem?"

Hagrid immediately went into a tirade, explaining how he found Harry and Dudley wrecking his pumpkin patch. Ron joined in the fray, explaining how Dudley had hauled off and tried to punch Colin. Harry sipped more tea, thinking he couldn't drink enough to get calm. He checked his watch every minute, hoping Remus would return and make thele ale annoying scene just end. Colin remained silent, but looked like an overjoyed spectator in a tennis match as Ron, Hagrid and Dudley all spoke at once.

"The only way you know is violence," shouted Ron. "No wonder you spent so many hours on that sofa." 'Like father, like son. ' Ron said under his breath.

"I wish I was still on that sofa! Best thing that happened to me all weekend," Dudley added smugly.

"Ya can't go aroun' hittin' people. It ain't right," added Hagrid. He didn't have a clue what the sofa thing was about.

"It doesn't matter if I hit him," he said dismissively in Colin's direction. "He's a freak, he'd heal like Harry does." Everyone was suddenly quiet.

"Tell me, how is it Harry heals any different from you and I?" asked Albus.

"Not me, I'm not a freak. You can fix yourselves. I'm not stupid; I know you can do it with magic." Dudley narrowed his eyes at Harry who seemed to be choking something back.

"Did you witness anyone heal themselves this weekend?" Albus was concerned about where he thought this was going.

"No, back when he used to live in my house."


"Ronald," Albus said evenly, getting Ron's attention. "Would you mind delivering a message? It goes to the kitchens. Perhaps Mr. Creevey would appreciate you showing him how to get in?" mused Albus. Colin looked up excitedlnly nly a few cool upperclassmen had managed to get food up to the dorms. He remred red how popular the twins had been when they arrived with a feast for one celebration or another. And Harry and Ron used to do it, too. It would give him something in common with Harry Potter!

"Yes, sir." Ron knew he was being dismissed, or at least given the job of getting rid of Colin from what was turning into a private meeting. Hagrid, smarter than people gave him credit for, asked if he was needed any longer. It was better to be asked to stay than be sent on a menial task in lieu of a dismissal. Harry gave Hagrid a smile, reassuring his friend that he was fine, and a promise to help clean up the pumpkin patch.


~<*>~


"You say Harry healed himself while living at Privet Drive?" asked Albus conversationally. Dudley eyed the old man suspiciously. "What kind of illness or injury did he heal himself from?" Albus sipped his tea as if the answer was of little consequence.

"I know what you're trying to do. You think I'm going to tell you he was hurt, and then you'll blame me for it."

"Not in the least, Mr. Dursley," Albus said, while handing Harry a new teacup. Harry wasn't sure why he was getting a new cup, but then saw the tea leaves in his cup began to form words. 'Play along.'

Harry gave a slight nod, wondering what it was he was playing along with.

"By wizarding law, you were too young at the time of Harry's stay in your home to be accountable for your actions," lied Albus. "What I'd like to know, is what Mr. Potter did, and if he used his wand at any time to heal himself. I'm sure you recall the incident with your Aunt Marge. The Ministry frowns against underage wizards performing magic while not in school."

Dudley, while still wary, looked overjoyed to have the opportunity to get Harry into trouble. He knew that by muggle laws he wouldn't get into much trouble, though his father would have. In his father's honor, he would do his best to prove Harry had done his fair share of magic over the years.

"He didn't use his wand. My father kept his stuff locked up most the time."

"I see, this does look grievous," tutted Albus, shaking his head at Harry with a look of disappointment. Harry kept his eyes on his shoes, biting his lip to keep from smiling. Albus was making the same face he made when Harry had insisted he try a Bertie Bott's bean again, and he had gotten Brussels sprout.

"When did you find out he had been healing himself?" Albus continued to ask questions and Dudley filled him in on various injuries Harry had had over the years.

"...I knew for sure his bone was broke, and Dad said he'd have to take him to the hospital come morning, but when he woke up, Harry was fine. Maybe not fine, but the break was gone."

"I think I would have remembered fixing a broken bone," complained Harry. "If I was healing myself, then why did I have to hide bruises to keep the neighbors from seeing?"

Dudley explained it was only the really big stuff Harry would heal, and he'd do it while he was sleeping. Harry complained he'd not even known about some of the serious injuries his cousin had described, but Dudley said he'd always gone to sleep first, or more often went unconscious.

"We used to think he was blacked out, but the next morning he'd be fixed and we knew what he'd done. He'd be out for days, sometimes. I think sometimes he did it to miss school longer then he really needed to."

"So this began back before Harry had gotten his Hogwarts letter, and continued? How did your mother explain his missing school?"

"She told them he had a fever and had to stay in bed."

Harry began thinking back to the times he'd missed school or something because of a bad fever. He'd always thought it to be true. Although he didn't actually remember having them, his aunt had said he did. Since his family tended to leave him alone when he had a fever, he never really questioned it. It made sense now, since he hadn't been sick so often after he started Hogwarts, and had hardly ever been ill while at school.

"If I have this great ability to fix some huge injuries, why didn't I heal the little stuff?"

"Mum said you used to leave the marks to get out of doing yard work, that you knew if the neighbors saw, they'd call Children's Services again."

Albus was saddened to hear of the things Harry endured over the years, and it looked as if Harry himself didn't know of the more severe injuries. Albus, being a powerful wizard, could easily sense Harry's magic. He thought if Harry was a Healer, he would have known of it years ago. Something wasn't right.

Albus knew when someone was l. It. It appeared Dudley believed Harry had miraculously cured himself of a number of known injuries and a few of which the extent of damage was unknown. Dudley could only explain symptoms, like bleeding from the ear a g a gurgling sound during breathing after Dudley fell on Harry and they'd heard a crunch of bones, possibly puncturing a lung.

Harry sat, looking incredulously at his cousin as he listened to the conversation. "Wait," Harry interrupted. "The time with the gurgling sound, was that when I fell on the garden tool?" Dudley shrugged, but then remembered and nodded. His mother had made him pull out the offending tool from his cousin's back. Harry recalled the incident that had caused the odd scar on his lower back. He'd always thought the crack sound was the tool breaking, not his ribs. He'd blacked out, and when he awoke, he'd found out it was several days later.


When the conversation moved to Vernon, Dudley's demeanor changed. It was the first time Harry noticed his cousin showing signs of his father's loss. He was thankfully saved from the situation when Remus arrived with Petunia.

Final plans for the services were discussed. Many of the preparations were taken care of by the Ministry with Petunia's consent, but as she was not entirely on the ball, she was currently fighting some of the final plans. It seemed more than anything else that she just wanted to gripe about something for the sake of being difficult. In the end, it was evident she had been relieved to not have to tend to some of the details first hand.

Harry found it very amusing that Vernon, the hater of all things magic, was embalmed and had motherther final preparations all done magically before his body was sent to a local funeral home in Surrey. Harry got a glimpse of the description of services. There had been extensive work done to make Vernon look presentable without the use of Glamour spells and such. It made Harry wonder what his uncle's last hour must have been like with the Death Eaters. Severus may have planned to keep Harry's tormentor alive, but that didn't mean he wasn't willing to make him pay for his crimes. Harry couldn't find it in himself to feel bad for his deceased uncle. He just wanted it to end, and was grateful to see the surviving Dursleys leave once and for all. There was a slight commotion with a scuffling of feet. Harry thought it might have been Dudley trying to get in one last shot at him, but Harry paid no attention, refusing to give him the satisfaction of a reaction. Petunia said no parting words, and Harry hadn't bothered to look up when they left.


Harry pushed aside a dish of lemon drops, and propped his elbows on the desk, face in palms. Albus closed the floo after seeing the last guest leave and poured a few fresh cups of tea. Harry didn't have to open his eyes to know there was a teacup betwees els elbows on the desk.

"Albus?" Harry sounded very tired.

"Yes."

"If I stay just like this, will the steam from a calming tea have the same effect, or do I have to drink it?"

"You have to drink it for full strength, but I imagine the steam will have some residual effects," he answered, amused.

"I used to think that if I said yes to tea to stop you from offering, but didn't drink it, then I was ahead of the game. Now I know why Sev always refused," mused Harry.

"You know perfectly well I have regular teas for the both of you. Tonight I thought we could all use a little something to take the edge off."

Harry didn't have to look up to know Albus wore a sad smile. "Do you want to tell me what all that was about? What was the point in having Dudley tell you all that stuff about my past? Was he lying about the healing thing?" Harry knew Albus would know if he'd lied and he truly hadn't remembered some of the serious injuries his cousin had described.

"Yes, he was telling the truth," Albus said with a sigh. "After you told me the reality of your family life, I could never understand how you managed to go so many years without more accidental magic."

Harry looked up from his palms questioningly.

"Do you remember the times you did magic unintentionally when you were young?"

"You mean like ending up on the roof of the school when Dudley and his gang were chasing me? Yeah, I remember. It happened when I was really scared of getting hurt, or mad enough."

"I assumed that since there were no reports of more of such episodes, you were rather safe. You having the ability to heal yourself explains a lot. Unfortunately, it also kept us from finding out the truth sooner."

"OK, that explains some things from the past, but what does this mean for right now? And, how did I heal myself and not even know it? If I can heal myself, why did I almost die after the attack on Privet Drive, or a bunch of other times for that matter? There are plenty of times something like that would have come in handy."

"I'm afraid I don't have the answers, or at least, I don't know which apply in your case. There are a few possibilities to look into. We'll have to talk to someone who may know. We'll start with Poppy, and go on from there."

Harry nodded, but continued to lean into his palms. Albus offered him a straw so he could slump and have his tea, too. Harry didn't look up, but his shoulders bobbed with a chuckle at the joke.

"Don't look so down, this could turn out to be a good thing." Albus waved his hand, magically causing one of Harry's elbows to fall from the edge of the desk. Harry just caught himself from winding up with a faceful of tea, then sat up and paid attention. Albus happily explained that yes, the situation does add to the list of things that make Harry different. But without these oddities in Harry's life, he, Albus, wouldn't have had the chance to have Harry be a special part of his life, instead of just one of the many students that pass through Hogwarts.

"Are you done with the pep talk?" Harry asked flatly, but didn't hide his grin.

"Only if you're done moping. It's still early enough to go have a talk with Poppy," Albus cheerfully spelled away the tea service from his desk.


~*~

The Infirmary doors were open when they approached Madam Pomfrey's office. Harry could hear a voice he knew and loved.

"Give him this potion twice a day, decreasing his medication daily. When he's at the point where he takes half the dose he takes now, let me know and I'll bring the next potion for that stage. If it works on this schedule, his liver and kidney functions will be normal in three months time."

"You can cure illness?" Harry couldn't stop himself from interrupting.

"Me? No. Madam Pomfrey can cure illnesses. I make the potions that ensure the body doesn't go into a state of shock by such a drastic change. I create temporary results gradually; going at a pace the body accepts comfortably. When the series of potions are complete, Madam Pomfrey works her own magic." rus rus explained, then stopped to look over Harry, whose clothes were still rather messy from his fight with Dudley. "What happened? Are you hurt?"

"What kind of defensive trainer would you be if I allowed an oaf like that hurt me?" laughed Harry.

"I can't tell you how happy I am to see the two of you have remained friendly after the holiday back in the spring. It would have been a shame if you hadn't," Poppy smiled at them, and then tutted over Harry's appearance. "What can I do for you?" she asked with a professional tone once again.

Albus explained the conversation with Dudley. He kept the topic of conversation centered around Harry's apparent healing abilities, but it all had to be said, and the extent of injuries Harry had endured over the years was a frightening eye opener for them.

Poppy took it personally that she would have missed any signs of major trauma. Severus' mask of indifference was firmly in place. The pleasure from the memory of Vernon Dursley's pain and suffering wasn't enough, in his opinion. He'd wished the vermin had lived, so Harry wouldn't have had to put up with the past few days. That, and the opportunity for further punishment would have been left open.

Lying on a bed in nothing but an institutional style gown, Harry wished he could think fast enough to mess with Sev somehow, but his mind was too busy with the latest fiasco that was his life. Though he found no way to tease his lover, he was rewarded when Poppy commented on how relieved she was to see the red letter 'F' had faded from his abdomen. It had been quite a while since she'd seen it and Harry wondered if maybe she was teasing him as a way of making light of the situation. Little did she know it wasn't Harry that was hiding his embarrassment. Albus stood by Severus' side silently, but the twinkle in his eye was plain to see. The old coot really did enjoy himself.

"I hope I enjoy myselff asf as much as you do when I'm your age," Harry commented to Albus.

"You should just hope to live that long," deadpanned Severus. Poppy scowled and fussed at their banter. Harry laughed, startling her and making her have to begin a spell again.

"My contract states my requirement for the healing and well-being of students, professors, and staff alike. You, Mr. Potter, fall under none of those categories. Be quiet and still or you can find some hack at St. Mungo's to help you," she stated firmly. Albus and Severus quieted immediately, but she had to wait another moment for Harry to stop chuckling. "Biting your lip only gives me more to heal. Kindly get the giggles out of your system and settle down," firm tone or not, Harry could see the corners of her lips begin to curl.

Poppy was not fully a true Healer. Although she did have some healing ability, she was more someone who had the knowledge of spells and potions to heal the body. Most doctors and nurses did have some healing ability, albeit small. It was usually the reason they were drawn to the field. It's possible for a Healer to sense the magical signature of another Healer, if only slightly. Using what talent she had, she ran a few other preliminary tests, to no avail.

"Nothing. I certainly didn't expect to find anything, either. There are few people's bodies that I am more familiar with than Harry's. If he had this ability, I would have sensed it, in the last few years at the very least," she said confidently.

Harry soon found himself back in Albus' office with a fresh cup of tea. Only this time, Severus joined them, and the tea wasn't tainted.

"What now?" Harry spoke into his teacup. "Why does it really matter? Isn't it just some form of accidental magic?"

"To put it simply, yes. Why it's a big deal is a little more complicated. If you had a natural ability to heal, you may want to train in that area of expertise, much like Severus' friend Kieran."

"But Madam Pomfrey didn't think so," Harry didn't think he wanted to deal with sick people as a full time job.

"Perhaps you do not. I usually tend to lean in Poppy's direction. I trust her abilities and instincts. Now, the question is...if you are, or had been healing yourself unconsciously, how much of your magic was drained to do so?" pondered Albus.

"He could be storing magical reserves as a defense mechanism," Severus suggested.

t's t's exactly what I want to find out," Albus seemed excited about the challenge of solving the puzzle. "Harry, when do you meet up with Kieran again?"

And so the conversation continued. They would have a meeting with Kieran to get his professional opinion and examine Harry in an effort to detect what Harry had done, compared to the care he received from Poppy.


~/*\~


"I've never owned a suit in my life. I feel ridiculous," complained Harry.

"Nonsense, you look wonderful. It's a good fit," Hermione tugged on the back of Harry's black jacket, running her hands over his shoulders.

"Is that what muggles wear when they go formal?" Ron splayed across Harry's bed while thumbing through a quidditch magazine.

"No, formal would be a tuxedo. This is a suit, usually worn for things like business, or a nice dinner out. Black is the preferred color for funeral services," Hermione explained. "You've not once had an occasion to wear a suit? What about holidays, what did you wear to church on Easter and Christmas? Any weddings, or funerals?" she added, getting the same negative headshake for each one.

"When I was very young, I think they took me to church, but after a while all the clothes I wore were too big to look anything but sloppy. There were older jumpers of Dudley's that fit, but they had pictures of ducks and bears from when he was a toddler." Harry laughed at how ridiculous he looked when they made him try them on. Luckily, his relatives didn't want to be embarrassed by being seen with him anymore than he wanted to be seen. "They gave up on me going with them as soon as I was old enough to have breakfast on the table for when they got back. They were invited to a wedding once. I spent the day at Mrs. Figg's."

"Oh, Harry," Hermione began pitifully.

"Oh, stop it!" Annoyed, Harry cut her off, "How many boys did you know growing up, who wanted to get dressed up and go to any of that stuff in the first place? Dudley hated it and I got to wave from the window as they drove off. It drove him crazy," he laughed at the memory. "Besides, after a bunch of years, Dudley put up such a fuss they stopped going to church altogether. I could always attend your wedding... if he ever asks!" Harry threw a pillow at Ron.

"I don't know..." Ron said, waving his hand with a flourish. "I wanted to get married to a smart witch, and 'Mione only got 100% on her last exam," he teased. Hermione pouted and whinged about missing the bonus question.

"Don't start, you," huffed Hermione. "University is a lot harder than Hogwarts," she said while performing a shoe-polishing spell. "Harry, I wish I could be there for moral support."

"You're here now, and this is when it matters the most," he gave her a hug. "Now, what can you tell me about muggle funerals?"

"I went to one, but it wasn't a local service, so things may be different around here," she explained. "After the church part they put the coffin in a hearse, and the mourners attending got in their cars and followed in a line to the cemetery. There was a priest there who said a few words and some people spoke, then mostly they just said a few prayers and put flowers on the casket before it got lowered into the ground. Mum said not all places lower the casket while the people are there. It's very emotional to watch a loved one be put in trounround."

"Would it be disrespectful to ask how long all of that takes?" asked Harry a little nervously. He didn't want her to think he didn't appreciate her talking about her own experiences.

Hermione shrugged. "I guess it depends on if the family and friends attending have had a chance to speak at the church or if they're going to do it at the cemetery, or even at all. From what I've learned, except for the minister or priest, sometimes only the immediate family speaks. My guess is anywhere between fifteen minutes to an hour."

"I hope it's closer to fifteen minutes," Harry said, running a brush through his hair.

"Mum put up a fuss about not bein' able to attend. You know how she is," Ron was looking forward to driving a car again. He'd even been given a few quick lessons at work to make sure everything went smoothly. "The funeral services mark the end of my service to you," remarked Ron sadly. "I'll have to go back to my real job, and hang out with you for free again."

"What do you want, an allowance?" asked Harry, throwing a Knut at Ron with a chuckle.

Ron held up the coin, looking at both sides before putting it in his pocket. "I might as well start saving for a ring," he said, nodding his head, agreeing with himself. Hermione walked out of the bedroom with her eyes on the ceiling. Both guys could hear the muttered 'jerk' as she left.

"Good one, mate," complimented Harry. "Funny as Hell. She may not talk to you all day, but funny as Hell," he said, laughing.

~*~


Harry laughed when Ron opened the back door to the black car for him. Ron was wearing a chauffeur's outfit complete with hat. He was about to climb in when someone stepped out. "May I present your travel companion sir," Ron said formally, receiving a glare from said companion.

"How you doing, Harry?"

"Charlie! What are you doing here?" Harry gave him a squeeze and a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I thought that was obvious. I'm attending dear, departed Vernon's services."

"Thanks. Albus didn't tell me who the second person would be. He's going to meet us there, right?"

"Correct," Charlie gestured to the car door, and they were off.

Harry thought Charlie sounded more formal then his usual self, but figured given the situation, it made sense. Charlie wouldn't be kidding around. Ron didn't act like anything was amiss, so he ignored it.

"Alright there, Ron?" Harry asked, hearing a car horn blaring.

"Yeah, I just forgot the stop signs don't turn off like the red lights do," answered Ron sheepishly.

Harry turned back around, looking next to him, "It's good to see you, Charlie. I haven't seen you since the party."

"No, Albus has kept me rather busy with the Order. Godric's Hollow has been gone over with a fine-toothed comb, looking for the spell that was cast there. Now that they know it's a trigger announcing when you arrive, Albull hll have to decide what will happen next. They haven't removed it. It may come in handy later," he explained stiffly.

"Relax, Charlie," Harry could see his shoulders settle at his words. "I've never been to anything like this before. I hadn't come out of the coma yet when they buried Sirius," he said sadly. "You've been to these things; you'll need to tell me if I'm supposed to do something," Harry said lightheartedly.

"I'm glad I can be here for you," Charlie said a w a warm smile. "How are things with you and Severus? It must be hard at times like this when you can't be together."

"We're good," Harry's content smile confirmed his words. "What makes you think we're not together?" Harry said comically. "I guarantee you he'll be there. I know him, and even if he couldn't be there to hold my hand, he will be nearby," Harry said confidently, but he looked a little sad just the same. "Did you see Albus this morning?" Harry asked, changing the subject. "He wouldn't tell me what he was wearing. I've never seen him in muggle clothes before."

"He doesn't wear muggle clothes," Charlie said simply. "He'll use a charm that will make him appear normal to muggles. Normally, I wouldn't put it past him to wear something outrageous, but he knows there will be Press sneaking pictures."


When the car stopped, Harry could see all the people getting out of their cars. "I guess this is it," Harry said resignedly. But before he could step out of the car, a strong hand clasped his own, offering comfort.

"You'll do fine. We're here for you, and it will all be over in no time," the reassuring words seemed to wash over Harry like a warm blanket. When he stood up, he immediately noticed a woman in the crowd. Her eyes widened, but she then quickly schooled her features. He'd spotted his first reporter.

"I'll be right here by the car, ready to go. Okay?" Ron too had scanned the crowd. "Blonde woman, navy blue dress," he said the last part almost mechanically.

"I saw her. I think that one's from 'Witch Weekly', leeches, all of them," the last part was a direct quote from Ron a few days earlier, earning a chuckle from Ron. "Does Charlie seem a bit off today?" asked Harry, serious again. He couldn't figure out why Ron looked pleased.

"A little off, but he's okay, I promise," assured Ron equivocally.

When Harry turned again, Charlie was speaking with Albus.

"So this is what you look like in black." Harry thought the wizard looked a lot like a priest. A much older priest. "You don't even need a concealing charm. A rosary would complete the look, though." Harry almost choked when Albus pulled a string of black beads from his pocket. Albus held the rosary respectfully.

Harry stood on the side, a bit away from his relatives. His Aunt Petunia scowled at him, but went back to coddling Dudley, who was on her other side. Dudley, for his part, was relatively passive. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy. Luckily, his attention was on the casket. Unfortunately, no one needed a view to know Aunt Marge was there. Her cries could be heard in the next county. She bawled for her departed brother. Harry had the sinking feeling this was going to be one of those times when people were going to speak. Marge looked like she had lots to say.

Harry watched the group, trying to pick out the people he thought were there to pay their respects and who were not. He'd spotted three reporters and two cleverly hidden cameramen. What was most fascinating to watch was Albus. As the wizard stood there benignly, he worried the beads in his hands. One might even think he was reciting the rosary in his head. Harry's keen eye hadn't missed the fact that every time Albus turned a certain bead, a different 'mourner' would move positions. His guardian was surreptitiously coordinating the whole operation, identifying any witch or wizard who may pose a threat or cause a disruption in the services and moving Order members into place.

Harry felt oddly out of place, not knowing any of the prayers the priest had led. He didn't want to look disrespectful, but thought he'd look foolish moving his lips to the prayers as he noticed a few people had done. Charlie and Albus also remained silent, making him feel more comfortable.

When it came her time to speak, Marge Dursley gave a long-winded speech, filled with adoration for her kind, big-hearted brother. Harry mostly ignored her. But he couldn't help but pay attention when Charlie stiffened next to him.

"...the patience of a saint, he had." She rambled on "And Vernon was generous to a fault, I'll tell you!" Harry could almost smell the booze on her breath, even from the distance. He was grateful she didn't recognize him yet. "...so generous he was, that he took in the misbegotten derelict son of distant relatives, offering a better place to live for the less fortunate, but none too grateful," she spat, spraying an arrangement of flowers with spittle.

"Distant? His wife's sister is a distant relative?" Harry whispered incredulously, and went back to ignoring the beast, thinking the distance now between Harry's true family and Vernon was the distance between Heaven and Hell. Turning his attention back to the rest of the group, he spotted Dudley again. He stood stoically by his mum's side, tears streaming down his cheeks. A woman he vaguely remembered as a cousin of Vernon's was comforting Petunia.

In his mind, Harry imagined the faces were more familiar. He wondered what it was Remus had said in tribute to his Godfather. He didn't imagine Sirius would have a big shiny black coffin like Vernon. Maybe something subtler, like mahogany? It was closer to nature, like in the days when he and Remus ran free through the woods during the full moon. Harry missed his Godfather dearly. Had Cedric's parents maintained a relative calm at his services, or had they fallen apart in grief, Harry wondered. After many a sessions with Dr. Erin, Harry no longer blamed himself for those the Death Eaters and Voldemort killed, but that didn't mean he didn't feel for them and their surviving families.

Charlie had been watching Harry closely, and rested a hand on his shoulder when he saw a tear fall. Before he realized what was happening, the group had begun moving around. Harry almost startled when an employee from the funeral home thrust a flower into his hand. Harry had no choice but to follow along, and place the flower atop the casket with the others. He nodded respectfully to Petunia and Dudley. Only his aunt noticed, but she said not a word. Instead, she merely pursed her lips and turned to speak with one of the many vying for her attention to express their condolences.

Having been momentarily separated from Albus and Charlie, Harry wasn't sure of what to do. People weren't exactly leaving; they were just sort of milling around, speaking kind words of the departed, and promises of future visits they'd hope to have before the next funeral or wedding.

He thought someone was speaking to him for a moment but then Charlie got his attention again.

"Holding up OK?" he asked before pulling him into an embraeffeeffectively maneuvering them away from the reporter who had started questioning Harry.

"Thank you so much. I don't know what the Hell I'm doing," Harry's words muffled into Charlie's broad shoulder.

"You did fine. Ron has the car all started and ready to go," Charlie said encouragingly.

Harry could feel an additional warm hand on his back. His guardian, Albus, offered his arm as if it were Harry escorting him to the car and not the other way around. Harry stepped back from Charlie's embrace with an appreciative smile.

"Did you spot the reprs?"rs?"

"Yeah, I counted three visible and saw signs of others," answered Harry.

"And Order members?" he said, coaxing answers from Harry.

"I think I spotted them all," Harry was fairly sure. Charlie smiled and gave him another squeeze. He could hear the clicking of camerhoughough they were nowhere to be seen.

"I can see it now. Charlie Weasley will be named the latest lover of the Famous Harry Potter," he teased, his arm still holding Harry's shoulder.

"You never know. It could be me," said Albus casually. Harry tucked his face back into Charlie's shoulder so he could laugh unseen. Charlie wrapped his arm tighter around his shoulder, leading him to the car.

With the two of them safely in the car, Albus leaned into the window. "As we discussed, not everyone who cares for you knows of your past with Vernon," Albus began. Harry nodded. "To circumvent the security issues at your place, Molly kindly offered her home for you to receive friends wishing to offer their condolences. Now, don't look like that Harry." Albus said seeing Harry's frustration. "Most of the time these things are like any other get-together, only a bit more solemn. Not to worry." He waved them away. Before Ron had put the car in drive, Albus Apparatedy.
y.

"Alright there, Harry?" asked Ron.

"Glad it's over," he said with a sigh. Ron nodded and closed the little window between the driver and passengers, leaving Harry curious. He peered out the window, looking to see why they weren't moving. "Oh, Merlin, it's last in, last out. We'll be here forever," groaned Harry.

"Then all the longer before you have to deal with well wishers looking apologetic." Charlie said, pulling Harry closer.

"Thanks for everything," Harry said with a sigh of relief. "I'm glad you could come." Harry could feel a hum of agreement against his hair.

"Where else would I be?" he asked softly, nuzzling Harry's ear, and began placing little kisses down his neck. Harry froze, and quickly put as much space between them as possible.

"No." The one word was as much a declaration as it was a bewildered statement of insecurity. When a hand reached out, Harry pressed himself further back against the door. "Charlie, no," Harry said again, his tone clearly hurt and confused.

"Charlie?" he said in disbelief. "You still think I'm Charlie? Did I not ask you if you had all the Order members figured out?" he received a nod from Harry. "And did you not say yes?" he stated and watched the face of comprehension creep across Harry's features.

"The first thing I said when we got out of the car was that Charlie seemed off. Ron agreed, and promised it was OK," Harry said defensively, his voice rising. "Ron almost never promises!" Harry suddenly looked startled. "He is Ron, isn't he?"

"I didn't mean to upset you," Severus said calmly. "I never expected you still thought I was Charlie." He sighed, looking at his watch. "Harry...Fawkes," he said hoping the nickname was reassuring. "Give it two more minutes; the hour is almost up."

Harry nodded, his eyes looking out the window. He was thankful for the tinted glass, keeping his privacy. "Nobody's acting like their selves today," Harry looked up to see if the Polyjuice changes had started. "Hermione was edgy; Ron, well Ron is, bu, but still his chauffer act is quite professional. That's very mature for Ron. And Charlie is never affectionate in public. Neither are you," he added.

"Come here,"

Even if Harry hadn't noticed the long slender fingers reaching for him, he couldn't miss the 'voice'. He allowed himself to be pulled closer, but remained stiff.

"I'm always testing you. Usually we have fun with it, but perhaps today I should have been more forthright," Severus kissed the top of his head. "We'll forgo any further alertness tests for the day," he added.

"Does that mean I don't have to un-hex my food today?" asked Harry sarcastically.

"Not today," he'd meant for it to come out with more bite and sarcasm, but somehow his voice sounded gentle and soothing. Harry snuggled in closer, happier for the traffic delay.

Tbc


Sorry. Did you want a cliffhanger? Nah, not today.

Notes: To answer a few questions I've received.
As the story gets closer to the end (not that close) there are a few points I didn't forget that will come up again and be resolved.

1. What was Snape's favor for Lucius Malfoy?
2. During attack, what spell was placed where Harry is building his house?
3. Whose manor is that, at the place where they train?
4. Who was the second person that gave blood so Harry could have his scars removed after he went through the window at Hogwarts? (Forgot about that one didn't you?)

This epic has gone on for over a year and I forget some things. Feel free to remind me of something you've been wondering about.

leeleepotter@optonline.net