Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or anything in their magical world. These characters and their world belong to the talented J.K. Rowling and Warner Bros.

Please note the AU warning is because Harry's arrival is slightly off from what happened in canon and Vernon is unaware of Lily's "strangeness".

---

Plagued by exhaustion, Petunia Dursley collapsed on the living room sofa. She loved her son more than anything in the world, but he certainly could be a handful. When she was pregnant, people often told her that she should enjoy regular sleeping hours while she still could. She hadn’t taken them seriously. Never had she imagined that a child would demand so much time and energy.

But in the end, she didn’t care. She had her Dudley and that was what mattered. She didn’t mind being tired. He was worth it. And he was normal. Her whole family was blissfully normal. She was exhausted, but it was the exhaustion of a woman who was happy with her life.

Her eyes began to fall shut. She felt that there was no way to hold them opened, but it didn’t matter. She no longer needed to be awake. Dudley was down for the night. A nap wouldn’t hurt her.

However, before sleep could come to her, rough lips brushed against her neck. Forcing her eyes opened, she smiled over at her husband. Once her sister had asked her what she saw in this man. Lily had actually had the audacity to compare him to a grizzly bear. What did she know? She was too busy casting spells, going to freak school and marrying a man with the mental capacity of a high school student. Lily was wrong about Vernon. He was a good man, and that was something her sister was clearly incapable of recognizing.

“Is something wrong?� Vernon asked her.

“No, dear,� she replied. “I’m just tired. Dudley still refuses to sleep through the night.�

“Are you sure that’s all it is? You looked a million miles away.�

“I was just thinking about my sister,� she said carefully, not wanting to go into great detail. She still hadn’t told her husband the sordid details of her sister’s life. He was far too sensible to be subjected to such foolishness.

“Perhaps you should invite her to the house. I know that she is less than fond of me. I’m sure she would have preferred you married some rock star. Your sister truly isn’t very practical, but she is still your sister. I’m certain that you miss her. She hasn’t even meant her nephew, and you haven’t laid eyes on her son either,� Vernon went on.

If only he knew just how impractical Lily was. He wouldn’t be inviting her over or encouraging Petunia to spend time with her. It was unlikely that he would even let Dudley within a hundred feet of her.

“Lily and I are from different worlds, now,� she told him, which was not simply a figure of speech. “It’s better if we live our own lives.�

She moved close to her husband and rested her head on his chest, not wishing to discuss Lily any further. All she wanted was to fall asleep in her perfect husband’s arms. Then she would wake up in her perfect world and, once again, her sister would be gone from her thoughts. She wondered what caused her to think of Lily in the first place. It must have just been the exhaustion.

However, it was not a night where Petunia Evans was going to get anything she wanted. Just as she closed her eyes and began to drowse a loud noise erupted through the house. Both she and Vernon jumped at the sound. It sounded like thunder, but there was no storm.

Vernon jumped to his feet and ran to the window. However, somehow, Petunia knew that he would see nothing in the backyard. A dark feeling overcame her. She was certain that something horrible had happened. Perhaps she was about to learn what had truly caused her to think of her sister.

Before she could decide what to do next there was a new sound. Something was banging against the kitchen door. She and Vernon rushed towards it. Throwing the door opened, she gasped when a large barn owl bolted into her kitchen.

So distracted by the dirty beast, and what it meant, Petunia did not notice that it was not the only living thing waiting for her outside the door. Vernon, on the other hand, noticed straight away.

While she was shooing the bird, attempting to ignore the parchment tied to its leg, her husband was retrieving something from outside.

“What is the meaning of this?� he demanded.

Finally, Petunia turned, as he sat a large wicker basket on their kitchen table. She gasped as she realized that there was an infant inside. She had heard of neglectful teenagers leaving their children on the doorsteps of strangers, but she knew this wasn’t the case. A neglectful teenager would not send an owl.

Seeing no other alternative, she stopped fighting the owl, and unrolled the parchment attached to its foot. As soon as it was freed of the letter, the owl flew through the opened door. Petunia wished she could join it.

“Did you just accept mail from a bird?� Vernon demanded, watching the feathered beast disappear in the night. “And what about that child? We have to call the police. They’ll send it to child services.�

“Wait,� Petunia cried, as her eyes feverishly scanned the letter.

Her stomach became ill. The words weren’t making sense. They couldn’t be true. Her sister couldn’t be dead. Lily was fool hearted, but she wouldn’t let herself become a target during some war. She had a son to think about. This was ridiculous. As she read on, the scenario only became more unbelievable. Her sister had sacrificed herself for her son, and now his only means of protection lied in her. This was not only ridiculous, it was utterly insane. If this was Lily’s idea of a joke, she vowed that her sister would be truly sorry.

“Petunia?� Vernon’s voice was full of concern, but she ignored him.

Glancing, at the baby on her kitchen table, she debated what to do. Could that child possibly be her nephew? Was there a chance that her sister was truly dead? Could it all be true?

She stared at the signature on the letter and dread filled her. Albus Dumbledore, she knew the name. Her sister spoke of him highly. When she was at the freak school, he had been the headmaster. After school, he led the army, which Lily fought in. Lily had told her they were fighting against an evil wizard.

Perhaps it was true. Tears began to sting her eyes. Could her baby sister really be gone? Lily drove her crazy, but she never wanted anything to happen to her. In her own way, Petunia had always loved her sister.

Softly, the baby cooed. Turning her attention to the child, Petunia gasped. The child looked at her with bright green eyes—Lily’s eyes. She could feel her body shaking, but could do nothing to stop it. This was her nephew. The letter must be the truth. Her sister was dead.

She could feel her husband’s arms wrap around her shoulders.

“What is going on?� he asked urgently.

“H-he,� she stammered, but said nothing more.

“That’s it,� Vernon cried. “I’m calling the police. This is upsetting you. They’ll know what to do with him.�

“No,� Petunia cried, grabbing his arm. “You can’t. He’s my nephew.�

“What?�

“T-the letter, it was from my sister,� she lied. “It was to be given to me in the event of her death. Something happened to her. We have to raise Harry.�

Vernon stared at his wife in disbelief. It was clear that none of this was making sense to him. Why would his wife be receiving letters from her dead sister, delivered by an owl? And what kind of child care agency would leave an orphaned child on the doorstep of his aunt? These matters involved paperwork.

“T-there’s something I haven’t told you about my sister,� Petunia admitted. “I know how crazy this seems. I-I just don’t want you to hate me. I’m not a freak like her. But I can’t turn her son away. Not with the consequences.�

“What consequences?�

“It’s so complicated, Vernon,� she explained. “I should have told you. You had a right to know. I just couldn’t bear the thought. I didn’t want you to think that I was like her.�

“What is it? What’s wrong with her?�

“I-I can’t do this now. I need to put Harry to bed.�

“We can’t just move him in here. There are laws. This sounds like something that could be deemed as kidnapping. You’ve never even seen this child before. How can you be certain that he’s your nephew? This could all be a ruse.�

“I know my sister’s child, Vernon,� she said calmly.

“This is utter nonsense,� Vernon cried, throwing his hands up in the air. “I’m out of here. If you want to get arrested, that’s your choice. I’m going to Marge’s for a few days. Give me a call when you work this out and you’re willing to tell me what the devil is going on. If you’re not in jail, that is.�

Without another word, he stormed out the front door, not even stopping to gather up his belongings. A scowl clearly etched on his face as he slammed the door behind him.

Again, Petunia could feel tears stinging her eyes as she turned to her tiny nephew. She was surprised by the amount of venom she suddenly felt for the small child. If it hadn’t been for him, her life would have been as perfect as it had been a half hour ago. But this child had cost her her sister and caused her husband to flee her house. He took away her normalcy. How could something so small create such horrible problems for her?

The baby gurgled and reached out to her. Looking down at him, her eyes landed on the lightening bolt scar across her forehead. It had been mentioned in the letter. The mark had been left by the evil wizard. The child would always be marked and he would always be trouble; there was no doubt in her mind. But if the letter spoke the truth, which she believed it did, she could not put him out. He was, after all, Lily’s son.

Sighing, she pulled the child from the basket and held him in her arms. He couldn’t sleep in there. Reasonably, she didn’t have a spare crib lying around, so Dudley would be forced to share. It was probably for the best that Vernon wasn’t there to see that. He didn’t believe that his son should be required to learn the skill of sharing.

She carried the boy up the stairs, without talking to him. Rationally, she knew nothing that had transpired was his fault, but she couldn’t help but feel bitter towards him. She knew Vernon would come home, even after she told him the truth about Lily. But the thought of Lily’s death was still foreign to her. She couldn’t understand that her sister was dead. It just didn’t seem real. How could it be? Lily was younger than her. Why did she have to go off and aggravate the most evil man in her world?

As she approached the crib, she looked down at her own son. He was so beautiful, curled up. She hoped the boys would get along. It would be a major adjustment for both of them. Dudley wasn’t particularly used to other babies and she doubted that Harry was either. This was going to throw her son’s routine completely out of whack. It really wasn’t fair to him, but what else could she do?

Slowly, she lifted the blanket and slid Harry into the crib beside her son. She was pleased to see that the newcomer was starting to look drowsy. Within seconds, he had nodded off to sleep, without waking Dudley.

At least something had worked out in her favor. She turned to leave and heard a slight cry. Looking back, she saw that Dudley had been awakened after all. She reached down for her son.

“You don’t like the intruder, do you?� she asked, lifting her son into her arms. “He’s your cousin, Duders.�

The baby cooed softly and then spit up all over her blouse.

Petunia felt that she would scream. Why wouldn’t anything go right? She had just wanted a quiet night with her husband. She could feel tears welling in her eyes, but instead of sobs, laughter escaped her throat. The situation was so hopeless that she couldn’t help but laugh at it.

“This could only happen to the sister of a witch,� she muttered.