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Harry stared idly up at the roof of his cupboard and wondered when it was going to be unlocked. It had been hours, and it was starting to get stuffy in here.
Outside, he could hear Aunt Petunia starting to cook when the doorbell rang. She grumbled under her breath as she went to get it.
"You!" She gasped, and Harry sat up in interest, "what are you doing here?"
"Hello, Tuney," a woman replied happily, "I've missed you so much!"
Aunt Petunia gargled strangely. Harry wondered if she had something caught in her throat.
"Where is he?" The woman asked.
"Where is who?" Aunt Petunia replied stiffly.
"My son of course," the other woman replied, "Not that it isn't wonderful to see you again, of course, but I've been waiting so long to give my little boy a hug. Now where is Harry?"
Harry was so startled he fell right out of bed with a thump. Everything outside the cupboard went abruptly silent, and swift footsteps approached the cupboard door.
It swung open, and there was a woman there, maybe a little younger than Aunt Petunia, but aged by stress and wearing old, worn out clothes. She was beautiful, though, with short red hair and kind green eyes. The instant she saw Harry, those eyes widened, a thousand emotions flashing through them, before settling on rage.
"Petunia..." She said warningly, and Harry shrank back a bit.
"Oh no no no, I'm not angry with you Harry," she said quickly, "I'm your mother, and I'm here to bring you home, just like I promised."
Harry's forehead furrowed, "but you can't be my mother," he said, "my parents are dead."
Her eyes flew all the way open, then narrowed to slits. She very calmly stood, brushed herself off, and turned to Aunt Petunia.
"How dare you," she hissed, "how dare you! I trusted you, Petunia, I gave you my son, and I come back to THIS?!? My SON, locked in a cupboard, believing me dead, I bet you didn't even tell him.about magic!"
"Of course not," aunt Petunia sniffed, “It was for the little freak’s own good."
"His own good?" The woman (Harry’s mother?) very nearly shrieked, then she visibly calmed herself, shaking her head. "I always knew you could be petty, Petunia, but I never thought you'd stoop to such depths. To take it out on a little boy... I don't think I can even look at you."
She turned to find Harry staring at her with wide eyes.
"Are you really my mum?" He asked.
She nodded, "I am".
"Then why didn't I live with you?" Harry asked.
"That is a very long story," she sighed, "maybe I could buy you some ice cream while I tell it?"
"Really?" Harry said.
"Of course," she smiled, "grab my hand and hold on tight. It's going to be a bumpy ride."
"There will be no freakishness in my house"! Aunt Petunia shrieked.
"You're lucky I don't use my freakishness to bring your house down around your ears!" Harry's mother snarled, "The only reason I won't is because my son is watching. But you're not my sister. No sister of mine would have done this."
Aunt Petunia stiffened and went back into the kitchen without another word. Harry’s mother turned to him with a smile. "Ready to go?"
"Absolutely," Harry replied.
"Then hang on tight." She moved to spin in place, and it felt like something was squeezing Harry, then they were suddenly standing on a busy street full of the strangest people Harry had ever seen.
His mother smiled at him, "Welcome to Diagon Alley, Harry. Come on, if I remember correctly there's an amazing ice cream place right this way."
"How did you do that?" Harry asked in amazement as they walked.
"Magic, of course," his mother winked.
"But Uncle Vernon says magic isn't real."
"Uncle Vernon is a stick in the mud" his mother informed him as they entered the ice cream parlor, "Go ahead and pick whatever you want!"
"Umm..." Harry hesitated a moment, then experimentally pointed at the largest, most elaborate sundae on the menu.
"Oh, you are just like your father," she laughed, "One of those, please, and a chocolate chunk for me," she added to the cashier. They were duly handed over, and Harry's mother led the way over to a table. For a moment, they both ate in silence.
"I know you must have questions," she finally said, staring into her ice cream, "go ahead and ask."
"If you're my mum, why didn't I live with you?" Harry asked, "why am I only meeting you now?"
"That… is a tale," she sighed, "I'm guessing your aunt never told you that you're a wizard?"
"I'm a what?" Harry asked in disbelief.
"A wizard, just like your father and brother, and just like I'm a witch." His mother explained.
"Wait, I have a brother?" Harry questioned, momentarily derailed from the magic question.
"You didn't know?" His mother said in surprise, "Just when I thought she couldn't sink any lower... Yes, you have a brother. His name is Will, and the two of you are twins. He's off catching up with your father right now."
"Really? We're twins?" Harry said, "Where was he living?"
"With me," his mother admitted.
"What?" Harry demanded, "Why?"
"I'm coming to that," she soothed, "You see, around the time you and your brother were born, there was a war among the magical people. A very bad man was trying to take over the government, and your father and I tried to help stop him. Because of that, he tried to kill us several times, and we went into hiding when you and Will were born. We were safe for a while, but when you and your brother were a little over a year old, he found us again, and tried to kill us. Your father and I nearly died, and he was still going after you boys..."
"What happened?" Harry asked, eyes wide.
"I don't know," she admitted, "the last thing I remember about that night was being stunned, then waking up to find the house in ruins and you and your brother crying, but not badly hurt. Later on someone got it into their heads that your brother had defeated that terrorist as a one year old. Everyone started hailing Will as a hero."
"So you kept my brother but not me because he was famous?" Harry asked, hurt.
"No, no, of course not!" She scrambled to reassure him, "never think that, Harry. I love both of you exactly the same."
"Then why did you leave me with the Dursleys?" Harry demanded.
"Sweetheart..." She reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, but thought better of it, "Just because the leader was gone didn't mean there weren't other people who wanted to finish what he started. Some of our very good friends were attacked in their home and nearly killed. We were afraid that they would come after your brother, for revenge. So we went back into hiding, but this time we split up. I took Will and went one place, your father went another. You weren't in as much danger as the rest of us, so I left you with Petunia so that you could have a more stable childhood than you would’ve gotten on the run." Her face crumpled, "It was supposed to protect you, give you a normal childhood and not leave you looking over your shoulder your whole life. But Petunia betrayed me!" She swiped away tears from her cheeks, "I've never regretted anything more than not taking you with me instead of trusting Petunia. I'd give anything to go back and make it right, but I can't. I'm so sorry Harry..."
Harry watched her a moment, hesitantly, but slowly reached out to hug her. "I believe you," he whispered. She gasped a bit, then hugged back, so tightly Harry thought he might burst. They sat like that for a long time.
"I, uh," Harry said eventually, "I think the ice cream melted."
"So it has," his mother smiled, "Oh well. Would you like to go meet your father and brother now?"
"Maybe in a little bit?" Harry asked, "I want..." He trailed off.
"Well, I have been with Will for years," his mother smiled, "I think you and I deserve an afternoon to be with each other."
Harry hugged her again, and in that moment, everything was perfect.