Chapter 3: I Will Call Her

"Harry, when your mother was killed, it wasn't just you who lost someone. I also lost my only little sister; I lost my biological family," said Petunia.

Harry looked at his aunt. It was true that her treatment had changed since Dudley became a wizard, but now that he was older, he realized that the way she treated him when he was young was too extreme.

"Your grandparents were in an accident, and I suspect it was because of that Vol… Voldemort," said Petunia.

Dudley was also shocked, and he looked at Harry, whose mouth was wide open.

"That's why I couldn't accept you when you were younger. I didn't want to lose my husband and my son too. But when Dudley became a wizard, I knew I couldn't run anymore," Petunia explained to Harry.

She realized that Harry had become estranged from her. It seemed that all the trauma she had caused him had backfired, and now she was trying to justify why she had treated Harry so badly in the past.

Listening to his aunt finally soothed his heart. He had never known why she treated him so harshly and still held a grudge against her.

"That man, Vol-what? Is he really dangerous?" asked Vernon Dursley.

"He is dangerous, Father—very dangerous—and now no one believes that he has returned," Dudley said, handing the Daily Prophet to Vernon. "Read it; they're speaking badly about Harry and Professor Dumbledore."

"What?" Harry was shocked; he hadn't read the newspaper at all.

"Relax, Harry. Cornelius Fudge is a coward. Remember what happened to your adopted father?" asked Dudley. Harry, listening, tensed up for a moment, then relaxed.

"Harry has an adopted father?" asked Petunia.

"Yeah, remember Sirius Black?" said Dudley.

"That murderer?" asked Vernon in disbelief.

"He's not a murderer!" shouted Harry.

"Be quiet, Harry. Talk, don't shout," Dudley warned. "Yeah, that man. You can ask Harry what really happened to him."

"Wait, do you believe me?" asked Harry, recalling how he had once tried to inform Dudley about what really happened at the end of the third year, but Dudley had just listened without replying.

"Of course. You might be weak, but you're not a liar. So now, tell my parents what really happened with Sirius Black," ordered Dudley.

Harry then told the whole story about Sirius Black.

...

"So what should we do now? Isn't our lives in danger?" asked Vernon.

"Don't worry. There's a reason why Dumbledore put Harry in this house. There are blood wards protecting us; they can't enter this house without risking being burned alive," said Dudley.

"You know about the wards?" asked Harry.

"Of course I know. I might be boring, but I'm not stupid," replied Dudley.

"So what will be your next move?" asked Vernon.

"I'll call my friend," said Dudley.

"Your friend? For what?" asked Harry.

"Susan Bones. Her aunt is Amelia Bones, and her family was killed in the last war against Voldemort. I'll invite her, and you need to show her the memory of what really happened that night," said Dudley.

"Mother and father don't said his name anymore. Don't said Voldemort because there is a taboo, when you said Voldemort they will track down you and send squad killer to kill the whole family" warned Dudley.