FicWad

Chapter 26





Surprise Visit





Vernon Dursley was sitting at the dining room table, reading the Sunday newspaper when he heard a car stop out in front of the house and the engine shut off. Petunia scurried into the living room to peer through the curtains to see which of her neighbors were having visitors. Her jaw dropped and she ran to where her husband was drinking his coffee, turning the pages of the business section.



"Vernon! It's him! Harry! There are people with him! They've got a /Rolls/!"



"/WHAT /?!?!" Moving very quickly for someone of his girth, he hurried around the sofa and peeked thorough the lace curtains. He saw the beautiful, classic old automobile parked at the end of his driveway, and Harry leading three people up the sidewalk to the front door.



DING! DONG!



"HELLO!..." Harry yelled through the mail slot. "Aunt Petunia, I know you're in there; I saw you at the front window peeping through the curtains. Open up! We're just here to wish you a Happy New Year!"



Dudley came thumping down the stairs from his bedroom. "What's all the shouting about?"



"Hey, Dudley!" Harry spotted his cousin, as he landed at the bottom of the stairs.



Dudley looked around wildly. "Harry?"



"Open the door, Dud."



"What?"



"NO!" shrieked Aunt Petunia, running into the front hall.



"Got to now, Petunia, or I'll open it for you." Anna said sweetly, bending over to talk through the letter slot. "Consider the neighbors. What must they think, seeing us standing here, talking into the mail ..."



The door was yanked open.



"Petunia!" Anna straightened up and threw her arms around Harry's aunt and hugged her. "I haven't seen you in years/!" Releasing her, Anna walked past to face Dudley and Vernon. "So, /this is Dudley. Hello. How are you? And /you/," she continued, turning to Vernon, "must be Petunia's husband. Vernon, isn't it?"



"Yes," Vernon managed to squeak, backing up as Harry moved into the hall to allow Gwen and Remus to enter the front door. Petunia was pressed against the wall, mouth open, staring around wildly.



"Hey, Dud." Harry smiled at his cousin. "How was Christmas? Get all of the junk you asked for? I got a bloody great pile of gifts for Christmas, myself!" Turning to his Aunt Petunia, Harry gave her a big kiss. "Hello, Aunt Petunia. Let me introduce you to..."



But Petunia backed away from him, bumped into Anna, turned, saw her, squeaked, and rushed into the living room.



"Petunia, what a sweet little house you have here. Decorate it yourself?" Anna followed her into the parlor.



Uncle Vernon had backed into the kitchen and circled through the dining area to come up behind Petunia. He put a protective arm around her. Anna was looking at Petunia Dursley with her head cocked to one side, smiling slightly. Harry came into the living room, saw Anna, froze for a second, and then quickly turned toward his uncle.



"Let me introduce you, Uncle Vernon. This is Professor Anna Twigg-Jones, one of my teachers at school. She was a classmate of my parents, isn't that right, Aunt Petunia?"



Petunia Dursley nodded her head, still looking at Anna. "Yes. Classmates...friends....years."



Turning, Harry pulled Gwen into the living room and Remus followed her.



"This is Anna's step-daughter," Harry continued with his introductions, "Doctor Gwen Jones and another teacher of mine, Professor Remus Lupin. You've met before...at King's Cross Station...last June? He works with Anna and Gwen on medical research. Anna's a Healer, you see."



"Healer?" Dudley had worked his way over to stand behind his parents.



"Equivalent to a medical doctor, but for our world, Dud," Harry explained. "Anyway," said Harry cheerfully, as he put his arms around Gwen and Remus' shoulders. "We were taking a drive and I suggested we stop for a couple of minutes, just to say Hello and wish you all a Happy New Year!"



Turning from Anna almost reluctantly, Petunia Dursley shook her head slightly and then focused on Harry.



"Well, I, well, yes, ah, Happy New Year," she muttered. Then looking back to Anna, a small smile crept onto her face. "You look well, Anna, and you're right, it has been a long time."



Uncle Vernon goggled at her. "You really know this...this person/...this...this /you-know-what that just barged into our home, without so much as...as...?" he sputtered indignantly, looking down his nose at Anna.



Anna swung her gaze around to him, eyes flashing. Harry grimaced and turned away, Remus rolled his eyes and Gwen clamped her hand over her mouth.



"EXCUSE ME/? You /rude/, overstuffed /windbag/! I don't /barge into people's homes. But I am a genuine you-know-what/.../ON WHEELS/! So I'll thank /you to keep your big mouth shut and reframe from interrupting /us/! /We're having a reunion, here/. Now, /excuse us/!"



Grabbing Petunia by the arm, she pushed past Vernon and dragged Petunia into the conservatory, snapping the doors firmly shut behind them. Turning, she smiled and threw her arms around Petunia and to everyone's surprise; Petunia hugged her back with equal enthusiasm. They started chattering away, laughing, and both talking at once, oblivious of the group watching them.



"Well, I never!" Vernon huffed, indignantly.



"Probably not, Mister Dursley," Remus said softly, patting him on the shoulder, "probably not."



This caused Vernon to spin around in horror, having forgotten there were still other people with him in his living room. Dudley was edging over to the conservatory doors, trying to eavesdrop.



"Hey, Dud, don't you be rude, too." Harry walked up behind him and tapped his shoulder, making Dudley jump.



"Do you and your family have any plans for New Year's Eve, Mister Dursley?" Gwen tried valiantly to make polite conversation. "Anna's throwing a big party, you see, and I'm sure she would be glad to have you and you lovely wife and your...son join us."



"What? Oh...ah...I don't...plans..." Vernon Dursley's head was swiveling back and forth between the scene in the conservatory and the lovely - he had to admit to himself - young Doctor...?...standing next to the tall man with the strange scars on his face. "Must ask...Petunia knows...sorry...plans..."



"Mister Dursley...Vernon," said Remus, as he held up the holiday gift basket they had picked up at Fordham and Mason on the way to Privet Drive. "If you already have plans for the evening and can't join us, we understand. This is a bit short notice, so here's something for your celebration, from Harry and all of us on Harley Street."



"Harley Street, London?" That got Vernon Dursley's undivided attention. He whirled to gape at Harry. "You're staying on Harley Street for the holiday?"



"Yeah, at Anna's house." Harry was beaming at his uncle.



"Anna and my late father's home and office are located on Harley Street, Vernon," explained Gwen. "May I call you Vernon? We're having the party there tomorrow night, starting at 7 PM and we'll be going on until 1 or 2 AM. You and Petunia and Dudley can drop in and just stay a bit, if you have another party to go to, or join all of us for the whole evening."



"Are all of the guests, well, like...him?" Vernon jerked his head at Harry.



"Oh, well, I'm a Muggle, like yourself and your family, as was my late father. But yes, everyone else attending will be from the magical side of the family, so to speak," she noted, smiling at him.



"We don't say that word in this house, thank you," he sniffed.



"What, /magic/? How odd. My father and I never thought it was that unusual; explained an awful lot of strange things, actually."



"Yeah, Uncle Vernon," said Harry, walking over and putting his hand on his uncle's shoulder. "You would be in the minority...the odd ones out...center of attention, too, probably. Besides, you've already met half a dozen of the people who are going to be there. Mister and Mrs. Weasley, Ron, Fred and George Weasley, remember them?"



"No."



"The family of red-heads, from King's Cross. Some of my classmates and teachers and my Headmaster will be there too. Come on...say you'll come," Harry urged, giving his uncle's shoulder a friendly squeeze.



Just then, Anna and Petunia came back from the conservatory, giggling as old friends do.



"Vernon," Petunia gushed, "Anna's invited us to a party, at her home in London, for New Year's Eve!"



"I've heard, but don't we..."



"Have another engagement? Yes, we do, but we can at least stop in and say hello. We'll be driving right past, so let's do."



"But, Petunia, they...we...I..."



"Vernon," Petunia lowered her voice, which stopped him in mid sputter, "you also owe Anna an apology, for you rudeness earlier."



"Petunia!"



"Vernon! Do it!" Petunia barked. "This is an old friend and some of my only good teenage memories are because of her and Lily. I will admit that. Now apologize!"



Stunned, he turned to Anna, gulped and stammered, "I'm so...so sorry for my rudeness. You just took me...by surprise. I didn't mean..."



"That's quite alright, Vernon. I understand and I'll be happy to see you at the party, even if only for a quick visit on your way to other festivities," replied Anna, graciously.



"Oh, well, thank you...Anna."



"It's #42, on the corner. Park out front or in the mews, if there are no spaces available on the street," instructed Anna. Turning to Dudley, she dazzled him with a smile. "There's going to be several good looking young ladies present, Dudley, so dress sharp, make a good impression." She winked at him.



"Oh dear. Anna, Dudley is staying over at his friend's house for the night. So he won't be coming."



"Pity. Maybe another time," said Anna, patting Dudley on the cheek. Then rubbing her hands together, she looked around the room at everyone. "Well, troops, we've got places to go and things to do. It was good seeing you again, Petunia. It's been too long." Anna gave her a hug and Remus, Gwen and Harry said goodbye to Uncle Vernon and Dudley and headed for the front hall.



"Anna, it was a surprise, but I'm really glad to have seen you, also. We'll talk more at your party."



"Excellent! See you then. Goodbye, Vernon." She planted a kiss on his cheek and gave him a hug. She looked over at Harry's cousin. "Bye, Dudley. If you have a change of plans, feel free to tag along. The more the merrier."



Harry, Gwen, Remus and Anna filed out and settled into the Rolls. Window curtains all around #4 fluttered as the neighbors tried to see who had been visiting the Dursleys. They recognized Harry and speculation ran wild. Petunia came out and waved goodbye and smiled happily, while Vernon stood in the door, smiling weakly, looking slightly ill. Dudley was in the kitchen, disemboweling the holiday gift basket.



Harry leaned over to Anna and hissed, "What did you do in there, to Aunt Petunia?"



Smiling wickedly, she whispered back, "I is a bad girl, I is. HE! HE! I'll tell you later."



X # X # X



"I have a task for you, Wormtail."



The silky voice reached him from the shadows of the wingchair across the room, making Peter Pettigrew shiver.



"Yes, my Master?"



"Go to Malfoy Manor and tell Narcissa I wish to speak to her, before she travels to Azkaban to visit that idiot husband of hers."



"Yes, Master, I'll leave immediately." Wormtail backed out of the room, bowing low.



"Well, Bella, do you think your sister will do as I say?" Voldemort addressed the woman sitting on a nearby settee.



"Yes, Master. She wants Lucius out of that rat hole as much as you do. If not more so."



"Ah...indeed, rat being the operative word."



Voldemort stood and walked back and forth for a few minutes.



"Is everything ready?"



"Yes, Master. I saw to the details myself."



"Excellent."



"When will they...."



"When I deem the time is right, Bella. Patience...you must learn patience."



"Yes, Master."