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'Mummy loves you, Harry.' by MJ_Padfoot

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Chapter Notes: So, maybe I'll write one more story before I finish "Man in the Mask." Besides, I've been dying to share this story with you guys. xo MJ
"Mummy loves you, Harry."
By: MJ_Padfoot
One-Shot


A dark and stormy night was a grim way to end a long, exasperating week. Petunia, who was making a batch of sugar cookies for the trick-or-treaters, was unusually quiet that night. She wasn’t giving her usual update on the neighborhood gossip that endlessly annoyed her husband while he read the nightly paper. It most certainly wasn’t a typical night for number four on Privet Drive. In fact, it was a very peculiar night.

Petunia hadn’t gotten anything noteworthy accomplished that night. Everything that was supposed to be up to par had gone wrong: the chicken casserole had burned which caused Vernon to complain loudly about how they should’ve gone out to eat that night, the dishes were piled higher than the sink, the cat ran away, and to top everything off Dudley had thrown up the burnt chicken casserole onto Harry. Clearly, it was a lousy night at the Dursleys' home. However, Petunia wasn’t bothered by any of these things.

On any other night, she probably would have been bothered. If it were any other night, she probably would have agreed with her husband to go to dinner, but Petunia wasn’t herself tonight. She was lost in the heavy weight of grief because tonight, October 31, 1982, was the year mark that Harry had been found on the doorstep. As Petunia finished cleaning Dudley’s mess, floods of memories came to her of playing with Lily. Flashes of the park, the Snape boy, Mum, Dad, her letter from Dumbledore, Lily’s first summer home from Hogwarts danced quickly through her mind.

As the jealousy resurfaced, she kneaded the sugar cookie dough harder. This not only ruined her perfectly good sugar cookie dough but made the memories of that first summer race through her mind. Flashes of Lily coming home with frogs in her pockets, strange candy, piles of books, and so much more raced through her mind. Even though she had spent that summer locked up in her room, she secretly longed to be at Hogwarts with Lily. But Dumbledore had made it very clear that she was not permitted to attend.

Petunia did everything she could to avoid Lily: silent dinners, no contact during the hot summer days, and more. But deep down beneath all the bitterness, Petunia knew that Lily couldn’t help that she was a witch. In addition to the avoidance, Petunia secretly stole Lily’s school books and would stare at them late at night. She longed to learn everything about the Wizarding world but could never bring herself to open any of the books.

Frustrated, Petunia picked up her ruined dough and tossed it in the waste bin. She washed her hands and started to clean her messy kitchen. Vernon was reading the paper still while Harry and Dudley were crawling around playing with some toys. Once everything was put away, Petunia sat next to her husband, lost in her thoughts.

She felt guilty for the way that things had ended with Lily. Petunia and Vernon were horribly offended by James after their engagement (he had teased Vernon about his piles of gold in a place called Gringotts). Petunia had asked Lily to not be a bridesmaid at her wedding. She had not sent Lily a birth announcement when Dudley was born. She had completely cut Lily out of her life. The last time she had heard from Lily was when Harry was born. Lily had sent her a birth announcement but that ended up in the waste bin only minutes after it had arrived.

–Have you read the paper today, dear?”

Realizing that her husband was speaking to her, she quickly said, –No, I haven’t, dear.”

–Well, you’ll be glad to know that this Halloween there will be two less idiots on the road tonight. There was an accident that…”

As Vernon rambled on about the car accident that happened on Main and 31st, Petunia continued thinking about Lily. Although Petunia wasn’t paying close attention to Vernon’s story, she nodded and gave the appropriate remarks when needed. Eventually, the doorbell rang and Petunia answered it with the bowl of brand-name candy in her arms.

By this time, trick-or-treaters were coming around. She stayed close to the door as the consistent flow of children came and went. Vernon continued to tell her the latest gossip at the office and didn’t take notice of how quiet she had been. Eventually, Petunia grew tired of the trick-or-treaters and turned off the outside lights. She walked over to her son, who had fallen asleep on top of the very squished and sleeping Harry. This made her smile for a moment. Not taking her eyes away from the boys, she asked, –Vernon, would you put Dudley to bed? I’ll put Harry to bed tonight.”

–Yes, I will. Let me just finish reading this last article.”

Vernon read for another moment, and then set down the paper. –Alright, let me have Dudley.”

Petunia picked Dudley up first. He fussed for a moment and calmed down once he was handed to Vernon. Gently, Petunia picked up Harry and cradled him. His lightning bolt scar was hidden behind his ridiculous amount of baby hair. Petunia lightly moved his hair so she could look at it closely. Dumbledore had only explained so much about (what he called) the deep magic that kept Harry alive. Selfishly, she wished that her sister was alive and not her nephew. Harry snuggled into his aunt and placed his small hand on the collar of her shirt. –I’ll be up in a moment,” she told Vernon.

He nodded and then headed upstairs to Dudley’s nursery. Harry, whose nursery was next to Dudley’s, slept peacefully in his aunt’s arms. As Petunia slowly walked upstairs, she thought about how the only way she could ever protect Harry was to squash all the magic out from him. That meant no stories about Lily coming home from Hogwarts, or that horrible man she married. No stories about that Snape boy and the awful tricks he played on her. It meant telling him that James and Lily had died in a tragic car crash and nothing else.

As Petunia entered into Harry’s semi-clean nursery, she had an odd feeling that someone was watching her. Ignoring it, Petunia laid Harry in his crib and covered him with an old blanket. Normally, she would’ve left him there but tonight she just stared at him. His peaceful face oddly reassured her that everything was going to be okay. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw the dark empty room and assumed that Vernon was downstairs. Leaning over the crib bar, she kissed Harry’s forehead and whispered, –I’m sorry this happened to you, Harry. I promise to keep you safe from those people.”

Petunia then slowly walked out of the nursery. As she turned to close the door, two figures were looking directly at her. Shocked, she was about to let out a shriek. Lily and James Potter were staring back at her.

Lily placed her finger on her lips, telling Petunia to be quiet. Petunia walked over to her sister and said, –Lily? Is that you?”

–It’s me, Petunia. It’s okay. Don’t be afraid.”

–I thought you were dead!” she exclaimed. Thousands of emotions were racing through her mind. –How are you alive? Why are you back? How is this even possible?”

Lily touched her sister’s arm, –I wish I could tell you everything but we just don’t have enough time.”

–Time?” Petunia asked.

–Yes, time. We only have a moment. But I just wanted you to know that I’m okay. We’re okay.”

–How can you be okay? You left me! You went to Hogwarts and you were never the same. That place destroyed our family! It destroyed you! Look where it got you!” Petunia whispered angrily. She could feel the tears streaming down her eyes.

Tears filled Lily’s eyes. –I’m sorry, Petunia. I never, ever meant to hurt you.”

–I know, Lils. I know. I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have cut you out of my life. I never wanted to. I was just so jealous. But now you’re gone and it’s too late.”

Lily nodded understandingly. She was about to say something when James cut her off. He said, –We never left, Petunia. We’ve always been here. You just couldn’t see us until now.”

–You were?”

Lily smiled, –Always.” As Lily wrapped her arms around Petunia, she whispered, –I love you, Petunia. Take care of Harry.”

Pulling away, Lily turned to James. –One last time?” she asked.

He nodded and they both took a step closer to Harry’s cradle.

–Harry, we love you. We’re always with you.” whispered James. He leaned down and kissed his son’s forehead. Then Lily kissed Harry’s forehead.

For a small moment, James, and Lily stared at Harry. Petunia ached at the scene. She knew that they would be gone in a moment. But she couldn’t help but feel at peace knowing that Lily would be with her every step of the way of raising Harry. Looking at each other, James whispered, –We have to go.”

Tears filled Lily’s eyes. She brushed them away, and turned back to Harry. Lily leaned over the crib for one last time and whispered, –Mummy loves you, Harry.”

A bright light filled the room and Lily and James were gone. Petunia, still in shock of what had just happened, walked up to the cradle and stared at Harry. He was still sound asleep. As more tears streamed down her face, she whispered, –I love you too, Harry.”