A/N: Hey, thank you to everyone who reviewed!I love getting reviews and knowing that people are reading and liking this. But really, if you have an criticisms, let me know so that I can improve. Also, I apologize for the long delay. Final exams hit, work stuff happened, and I'm now on vacation. I hope to write a bit more frequently now, but I promise nothing.

Ron was right. Since reconciling things with Ginny, Harry had been noticeably happier. While nothing could truly ease the loss of everyone, having someone else there for them had helped speed that healing process for both of them. Frequently, their talks would turn Fred, Remus and Tonks, Colin, and Mad-Eye. Harry also found himself wanting to bring up Snape and share what he learned in Dumbledore's office, but something about that seemed so intimate that he still hadn't mentioned it.

Today though, Harry had a daunting mission ahead of him. Yesterday, an owl from Kingsley arrived with the address for his aunt and uncle. Now, he was faced with the prospect of seeing them again. True, their final parting had not been horrible. Dudley was quite nice and Petunia seemed almost civil. It was just his uncle he was still afraid of. Dressed in a new pair of slacks and a regular button down, with a hair taming spell Andromeda taught him in place, he hoped he wouldn't be cast away for looking indecent. He grabbed his wand and coat, went out the door, and with a pop, apparated.

He stood on the landing of the flat for a moment, not really to reconsider, but finally gathered himself and knocked firmly on the door. Movement and some muffled voices floated through the door before a tall, severe woman with too much neck appeared in the doorway. Aunt Petunia looked as polished as ever and what little Harry could see of the flat looked as spick and span as Privet Drive.

"Hello Aunt Petunia. Forgive me coming unannounced, but I only found you yesterday and I have some business to discuss with you and Uncle Vernon that I know you've been waiting for," he greeted her formally. Although her expression did not change, Harry thought he saw something in her eyes soften just a bit.

"Vernon's at work today, but you may come in and talk to me." She allowed him into the sitting room and called for Dudley to start tea. The small glimpse Harry caught of his cousin showed a much healthier-looking Dudley and apparently, a more domesticated one too. The room was decorated simply with some of the furniture from Privet Drive and a few family pictures that continued to exclude Harry. Petunia sat on the right side of the sofa and Harry took an armchair at her side.

"I hope you're all well," Harry inquired as they took their seats.

"We are, thank you," she responded. Harry did not expect her to ask about him and accepted her civility gratefully. "What is it you wish to discuss?"

"Your living situation. The danger has past and it's safe for you to go back to Privet Drive if you wish," he said. A smile broke onto Petunia's face.

"I did hope we would go back some day," she told him wistfully. But the smile faded a second later. "But I imagine if there was so much danger to ourselves as you said that the house is hardly fit for habitation. Perhaps in a week or two we can go back and examine the damage and start making repairs," she thought aloud.

"That's not necessary. I went there two weeks ago and fixed everything. The house is like new again. Your garden is even in order." Petunia stared at him in disbelief. Although Harry wondered if his family was aware of how awful they were to him, he felt in this moment that Petunia was wondering why he would ever do something like this for them.

"We can go back then?"

"We're going back?" Dudley interrupted from the doorway, holding a tea tray haphazardly as he processed his mother's question. Harry leaned around the side of the armchair to face his cousin.

"Everything is ready for you." Tea spilled all over the tray as Dudley carelessly put it on the table as he moved to embrace his ecstatic mother. They hugged and cried, and, shockingly, pulled Harry into their grasp.

"Thank you, thank you," Petunia cried in joy.

"You don't have to thank me. We're a family after all," Harry said. In a new light, Petunia looked at him with the first kind expression he'd even seen from her.

"You're just like your mother," she whispered, causing him to smile sadly. The newly formed family stood there for a moment before Aunt Petunia finally wiped the tears from her eyes with a smile and gestured towards the sofa. "We are a family, and I hope you'll have time to... visit for a bit. Dear me, you made quite a mess of the tea Dudders. I'll go make us some new cups," and with few awkward motions, she collected the soiled tray and went back to the kitchen.

Harry and Dudley both stared at the table in a moment of uncomfortable silence. Although things were different now, Dudley was once the schoolyard bully Harry had to live with for years, and Dudley knew Harry only as the freak he shouldn't associate with until about five minutes ago.

"It's over then? You're safe?" Dudley finally asked. Harry kept staring at the table, not sure how to answer that considering no one here really knew the situation.

"For the most part. There are a few followers that need rounding up, but it's a lot better now." Simple honesty always was the best answer. Silence again.

"What happened when you left?" But then, some things were too hard to simplify.

"It's hard to explain Dudley. There's so much behind all of this and you wouldn't-"

"I'm not stupid you know," Dudley said forcefully. "I'm not one of you. I don't know everything, but neither did you at one point. And, I want to know what happened and why my family had to leave our home. I want to know why I heard you screaming at night. Yes, I was awful to you at one point, but I didn't know better. Let me show you I'm different," he practically pleaded. Harry was moved, yet he wasn't sure if now was the time to get into this.

"It's a long story."

"We have time Harry," Aunt Petunia assured him from the doorway. Harry looked up at her and saw that although she seemed anxious and scared for the truth, she sincerely wanted to know.

"Very well. It all started with a boy named Tom Riddle, an orphan who knew he was a different and one day learned he was a wizard." And he told them about Tom and how he grew into Lord Voldemort. About those who stood against him the first time and why he murdered the Potters. He told them about the Sorcerer's Stone, the Chamber of Secrets, the Triwizard Tournament, the Ministry, the Order, the Horcruxes, being hunted, feeling so alone and helpless, watching people die, dying. He told them everything, pausing in places to clarify when he knew they needed it, but mostly, his relatives listened to his trials and let the raw, angry emotion flow. By the end of it, everyone had tears in their eyes, but no one knew what to do about it. "And now, all we can do is try to move on. And that's what I'm doing now. Starting over."

"How are you doing that? Where are you staying? What are you doing?" Petunia asked, hoping for a happy new beginning.

"I've taken a job at the Ministry of Magic with the... police department, Aurors, tracking down the remaining Death Eaters. That starts in a few weeks. Once that's in order, I want to get a place of my own, maybe in the city. I'm currently staying with my godson, Teddy, and his grandmother, Andromeda. They've been a real help." Petunia perked up at this.

"You have a godson now? But so young! And who were his parents?"

"Remus and Tonks, I told you about them. He's only about six months now. But gosh, he has spirit like his parents. And his smile is just so innocent it warms your heart to see it. Yet he doesn't know how much he's lost already. I had more time with Mom and Dad."
Petunia hesitantly reached over from her chair and took his hand.

"Then you'll be just what he needs when he starts asking questions. You'll know the answers to give."

"I can tell him his parents decided to fight my battle instead of staying with him?"

"No. But when the time comes, you'll know the answer. All parents figure it out on the go." Harry glanced down at his watch. It had been a long time since he'd arrived and all this emotion was awkward for everyone. These connections of relation that had always been their, lying dormant, were now activated, but like anything, it took practice. Harry rose and shook his cousin's hand and thanked his aunt for a pleasant afternoon, promising to visit once the family was moved back into Privet Drive.

He left the small flat and apparated as soon as he was sure no one was watching. He arrived back at the Tonks' House, but he wasn't quite ready to go in yet. Turning on his heel, he started down the street. He had a lot to think about today. What was his new relationship with his mother's family going to be now? What did his future hold? How was he going to raise Teddy?