Dudley replies to the letter wherein Harry requested a visit:

Dear Cousin,

I was sure you were coming for Christmas hols, but if you want to visit a little earlier, that's all right. Dad is feeling a lot better since Uncle Severus made those potions for us. I don't think you'll recognise us when you see us.

Dad says this weekend is okay.

Hey! I think my Dad's dating someone. He's being real secretive, but you know, he's smiling a lot. Does Uncle Severus smile a lot now that he's married?

Love,
Dudley

Severus regarded Harry's still very yellow room. He really hadn't taken a good look before, and he could definitely see the problem with it.

"Are those fairies?" he asked dubiously as he pointed his wand at a flittering, sparkling band of stylised fairies that cavorted dizzily across the ceiling. These were certainly not the ferocious, magical type fairies known in the wizarding world. They had an insipid flair to them that was far too... cute.

Harry nodded. His posture and crossed arms mirrored his father's pose. "They sparkle and I think they laugh, too. They're real annoying at night."

"No fairies, then." Severus waved his wand, and the fairies were gone with a sparkle. "So, is there any colour besides purple that you'd like?" Harry shook his head. Severus glanced down his nose at the little boy. "Surely you're not saying you wish the entire room to be purple?"

Harry's eyes sparkled hopefully. "Can you do that?"

"No." Severus glowered and Harry pouted. "I am not raising an Albus Junior."

"Huh?" Harry's brow beetled.

"Your grandfather has an annoying bent towards purple. With yellow pixies. That blink."

Harry giggled. "I like those robes."

"I know you do," Severus smirked. He waved his wand, incanted an impressive sounding spell in latin, and Harry's room went from buttery soft yellow to rich purple. The purple was considerably toned down by white and gold accents.

The drapes on the window were a lush, purple velvet with a lighter curtain of soft, gauzy gold beneath with a touch of shimmer. Both drapes and curtains had tiebacks of twisted, gold rope.

The bedding matched the drapes. The heavy coverlet was purple velvet trimmed in gold with heavy tassels on each corner. The sheets were of a more bluish, soft shade of lavendar. The carpet was also purple, but within its Celtic scrollwork design there was gold, lavendar, and burgundy.

The walls were NOT purple. Severus refused to take that colour onto the walls. With another flourish and incantation, the leftover yellow and daisies wallpaper was gone and replaced with cherry wood paneled wainscotting. The wallpaper was simply very pale lavendar and cream stripes.

Severus crossed his arms over his chest and surveyed his work. "Well, Harry?"

The wizard glanced down at his son and beheld a beatific smile upon his face. Severus shook his head and chuckled lightly to himself.

"Your highness? Does the decor suit his royal majesty?" bowed Severus.

"Oh yeah!" Harry proceeded into his room and began to run his hands over the velvet coverlet, the heavy drapes, the tassels. Within minutes, his tactile senses had recorded everything. He gave his father a hug. "It's great, Dad!"

"Well, now that's done... Tempus!" Severus glanced at the time that glowed for a moment in front of him. "Remus ought to be here, soon, so go and find Hector, would you?"

Harry darted out of his bedroom, his feet thundering down the stairs. Echo emerged from their bedroom, her cloak over her arm. She kissed, Severus' cheek and peeked into Harry's bedroom.

"I thought you said you were going to restrain yourself," she remarked with a teasing smirk. Her husband glowered. "It looks like King George's bedroom."

"Hmm. You have intimate knowledge of the late mad king's bedchamber?" Severus insinuated slyly.

"And if I do?" Echo teased.

Severus slipped his arm about his wife's waist and snugged her close to his side. "Then I wish to know all about it."

"You're wicked, Master Snape!" she laughed and wriggled away.

He sighed, exaggeratedly. "So I am. So I am."

At ten o'clock Remus arrived to watch Hector for the weekend.

The Snape family then Apparated to Muggle London. Once in Muggle London, Severus, Echo, and Harry blended in better with their Muggle clothing. They took a taxi, and were soon arriving at the Dursley home close to one in the afternoon.

Dudley still had some weight to lose, but he'd lost nearly 100 pounds and he was now gaining some muscle to define his tall, stocky frame. His dark blonde hair was trimmed short, and Harry giggled at the light mustache and beard the young man was sporting.

The younger Dursley shook hands with his wizarding uncle, accepted a peck on the cheek from his aunt, and was surprised by an enthusiastic hug from Harry. That effusive, completely non-judgemental hug had Dudley fighting to keep his emotions in check.

Dudley had been both looking forward to and worrying over this visit. He knew his little cousin had forgiven him and his father, but Dudley also knew that Harry didn't have the memories of Dudley bullying an older cousin with his fists that he would be forever stuck with.

Through his therapy, he now knew he had been just as abused by his mother, Petunia, as his cousin Harry had been. He knew that his bullying actions towards his cousin had been an acting out of his mother's treatment towards him, and he wasn't really to blame, but still, Dudley did blame himself. Harry had forgiven him, but Dudley, though close, wasn't yet prepared to forgive himself.

Dudley ushered the Snapes into the modest, four-bedroom, two-story brick house. He led them through the living room and into the kitchen where, wonder of wonders, Vernon was cooking lunch!

Vernon had changed just as much as his son did. He had lost almost 150 pounds and was now slim and muscular. His mustache was gone, and Harry, who'd always thought his Uncle was really old, looked a few years younger.

Vernon was still on the gruff side, but there was no animosity in his voice.

"You're looking quite well, Dursley," Severus remarked.

"Thanks, Snape. Feeling well, too." Vernon turned off the heat under the soup he was preparing and turned his gaze towards his little nephew. The guilt and the shame at how he had not stood up for the boy rose like a knife in his gut. He swallowed uneasily.

Harry, leaning slightly towards his father, regarded his Uncle Vernon. Having only six years of memory to go upon, Harry recalled a man who was tall, heavy, and thundered around the house. He yelled a lot, and that, more than the man himself, had been frightening for the little boy. He also remembered his Uncle's bent towards drinking. The scent of alcohol was not something Harry liked.

"Harry," gulped Vernon.

"Uncle Vernon," Harry began as he reached for his father's robes. Since they weren't there, Severus caught his child's questing, nervous hand. "Do you like me now?"

Vernon let out a heavy breath and leaned back against the counter. "I... I do, Harry. Do you forgive your terrible, old Uncle?" Vernon's brow shadowed his eyes. He was a bit afraid of the answer.

Harry nodded solemnly. "You did help sometimes, Uncle Vernon. I wished that... sometimes..." He tightened his grip on his father's fingers.

"I know, Harry. I know I should have done more for you. I have no excuse, but I hope we can build a new family. The right way." Vernon's hands white knuckled the counter, almost as though his knees might give out.

There was a long silence in the kitchen and then Harry let go of his father's hand and slowly approached his Uncle. For a brief moment he stood in front of the taller Dursley (who'd stopped breathing) and then he held up his arms.

Vernon exhaled, grinned and drew his nephew up into his arms, hugging him, but not too tightly.

"I love you, Uncle Vernon," Harry whispered very softly into his uncle's ear.

Vernon closed his eyes tightly, smiled into the child's hair, and gave him a slight squeeze before setting him back down on the floor. Vernon sniffed, and declared, "Onions. In the soup."

Severus nodded sagely. He quite understood. Onions were evil.

Harry wound up sharing Dudley's bedroom which allowed the two boys to stay up late talking.

"You like your school, Duds?" asked Harry as he played with his cousin's flashlight.

"It's a lot better than Smeltings. It's just a regular public school so I get to come home at the end of the day. How's your Primary School?"

"It's great," replied Harry. "Miss Molly is really nice and way smart, too. I don't do as well as I'd like on my maths, but I'm really good in everything else. You got a girlfriend still?"

"Yeah. Alison Michaels. She lives across the way." Dudley snorted softly. "You got a girlfriend at your little school?"

"Well, maybe Dani? I think she's tons smart and she's got freckles, and really pretty eyes."

"She sounds cute, Harry," Dudley teased gently.

"I s'pose." Harry yawned.

"Better go to sleep, little cousin," encouraged Dudley.

"Do I hafta put the flashlight away, Duds?" asked Harry amidst another yawn.

"Nope. But turn it off or you'll wear out the batteries."

"Okay." The flashlight flickered off and both cousins were soon fast asleep.

Several hours later Severus was startled awake by a bright beam of light. His wand was in his hand in a heartbeat and his body was shielding Echo. He blinked as the beam of light moved to shine in his face. He was about to cast a Stupefy Spell when he heard his son's voice.

"Daddy?"

"Harry!" he whispered harshly. "What is that light you're casting?"

"It's Dudley's flashlight." The light moved out of Severus' face as Harry crawled up onto his parents bed.

"Harry? Sweetheart, what's wrong?" asked Echo taking the flashlight from her son.

His parents shifted so the little boy was nestled between them. "I dreamt Daddy was hurt in my nightmare so I wanted to make sure he was all right."

"I'm fine, Harry," whispered Severus as he kissed his son's forehead.

After several minutes of leaning against his father, Harry sighed, "Can I sleep in here? Dudley snores."

"Aren't you a little old...?" began Severus. He felt Echo's hand on his forearm.

Echo asked, "Are you sure you want to sleep here, Harry?"

A small part of Harry thought he might be too old to sleep in his parents room, but he was reluctant to leave his father in case his nightmare came true.

Severus slipped out of bed and padded over to where a chair sat and he transfigured it into a bed sized just right to fit Harry. He then transfigured a small figurine into a stuffed dog.

"Come on over here, child," Severus patted the bed.

Harry kissed Echo and then hopped off the bed and trotted over to the transfigured one. Severus had conjured sheets, a blanket, and a pillow. He held the covers back and Harry climbed in the bed. His father then tucked him in and gave him the stuffed dog. Leaning over, Severus smoothed the strands of hair from his son's forehead and then kissed his cheek.

"Night, Daddy. Be safe."

"I'll be fine now that I have you and your mother here, Harry."

"Night, mum," mumbled Harry into the dog.

"Sleep well, sweetheart," replied Echo and Harry smiled, because he knew his mother was smiling as well.

The weekend seemed to fly by very quickly, but the visit was a good one. Harry and Dudley played football, computer games, and watched movies on the telly.

Their last night, the adults were in the living room having tea. Severus finally broached the subject they'd been avoiding all weekend, Petunia.

"State Hospital," stated Vernon dully as he stared into his teacup. "A psychotic break, her psychiatrist said."

"Oh dear," gasped Echo softly.

Vernon let out a huff. "Bound to happen someday. I'm surprised it didn't sooner. Of course, it didn't happen around the boys, so I s'pose that's a blessing of sorts."

"Is she on any medication?" asked Severus.

"Quite a few. They can't say as it'll help her, though." He shrugged, feeling uncomfortable.

"I take it they are pessimistic in regards to Petunia's recovery?" Severus knew he was pushing the man's limit, but he had to know.

Vernon nodded. "She's too far gone. Mutters about her 'evil witch of a sister', and..." Vernon glanced uneasily at the wizard. Severus nodded once, for the man to continue. "Says she's glad her sister is dead. Talks about having buried Harry in the backyard and that's why her roses are so nice." Vernon shook his head sharply and then took a long sip of his tea.

Severus was going to ask another question, but Echo glared at him. She then spoke up, "Dudley mentioned that you might have found someone, Vernon? Is this true?"

Vernon perked up at the change in subject, and even blushed a little. "A widow teacher at Dud's school. Madison Prewett." He smirked, then. "She's a witch."

Echo's eyes rounded, but Severus nearly choked on his tea. Echo took the cup from her husband, and firmly pounded his back.

"A witch? Are you certain?" asked Severus, his voice a bit rough.

Vernon chuckled. "I knew that would surprise you. Yeah, she told me a few weeks back. She's got a cousin in Devon we'll be visiting this Christmas."

"Devon?" queried Severus slowly.

"Ottery St. Catchpole."

"The Weasleys!" Severus bit down on the laugh that was trying to escape him.

"Maddie's never mentioned their last name, but her cousin is named Molly." Vernon scowled softly. "Here now, Snape. You know this Molly?"

Severus nodded. "Harry's teacher, Molly Weasley. Her husband, Arthur, is the Minister of Magic."

"Hmm, important family, then?"

"A good family," Severus asserted. "You'll have an interesting visit, I dare say, Dursley."

Echo elbowed Severus and shoved his half empty teacup at him. She then smiled brightly at Vernon. "If she's told you she is a witch, could this be serious, Vernon?"

"It could be," he said softly, clearly hoping it would be.