3,150Lily's Son
Title and summary familiar? It should be, it's being entirely re-written, there's a copy if you don't have one on my Facebook group if you'd like it. I know quite a few of you will be pleased by this decision, there likely won't be any pairing in this, except maybe in an epilogue? I don't even remember the original plot for this story lol it was before I begun saving everything on Documents 😊 you live and learn right? 😉
Chapter 1
"What are we going to do Petunia?" asked Vernon his chins wobbling. Staring at the letter, as if he was fearing it would someone jump up and kill them or worse infect them. They'd been preparing for this moment for an entire decade, they'd known this letter would arrive soon. He didn't fear magic so much anymore, but it still scared the bejesus out of him.
"We let him go," Petunia sighed, he didn't trust that crackpot old fool not to be up to something. "It's time to explain everything."
"But what about the blood wards!?" spluttered Vernon his chins wobbling more. "It's meant to be the entire reason he's stayed here." They don't love their nephew, they couldn't, but they owed him, he owed Harry his life.
"The summer must be enough," said Petunia nearly growling in frustration, irritated that Dumbledore had forced a magical child on them when it hadn't needed to be the case. Dumbledore in his letter had expressed the importance of her taking Harry in and protecting him. How he needed to remain at Privet Drive. Like a fool she'd believed it. "Or his time in the house has been enough."
"I suppose," said Vernon concentrating. "How do we tell Dudley?"
"We tell him together once we've informed Harry," Petunia conceded, Harry had saved her husband's life with his freakish magic. It had been the turning point for their behaviour towards the child. He wasn't loved, not like Dudley, they were far better towards him than they used to be. Less chores, a bedroom, and not treated quite disdainfully and the neighbour's thought Harry was a quiet unassuming child and Dudley was loud and rambunctious.
"Potter!" snapped Vernon, "Come here!" it was better than boy or freak that he used to call him. There were times where he referred to him as Harry, but it wasn't often. "Here, read this." Handing over the Hogwarts letter.
"I want to read that letter too!" Dudley demanded, an amused gleam in his eye.
"No Dudley! Let's go and get the computer game I ordered for you, isn't it wonderful that it finally arrived?" Petunia suggested, knowing it would suitably distract their son.
"Yes!" Dudley cheered, before rushing up the stairs, when his father had a heart attack after almost choking to death things had changed in the Dursley's household. It had been hard in the beginning; his parents might think was stupid and ignorant but he really wasn't. He'd heard them talking, he knew why his parents had called Harry freak and why they'd changed their attitude so suddenly. Magic. He let them believe he was stupid enough not to realise what was going on. It got him more gifts in the long run, like today.
Grabbing his trainers from his bed, not even remotely out of breath. With all the rabbit food his mum insisted they all eat because of dad made him lose a significant amount of weight. It was much better, he was able to run, play and keep up with his friends. He wasn't tired all the time; he still liked his food though.
"Ready?" she asked smiling when he was back down. It was a genuine smile, she no longer let bitterness dictate her life, she hadn't realized just how heavily it had affected her.
"Yeah!" the eleven-year-old eagerly declared, "Can we go get a McDonalds after? Please?!" he hadn't had one this year yet.
"Just this once," Petunia caved, "Burger or nuggets?" she asked Harry just before they set out to leave.
"Burger please," Harry said politely, he could remember how the Dursley's used to be and was always polite due to that. He didn't want things to go back to the way they used to be. He was slightly bemused as they left only Dudley shouting a 'Goodbye Potter!' over his shoulder as they left the house.
Harry opened the letter in the quietness of the house, and suddenly everything clicked into place. He finally understood what he was, and had a vivid imagination of what his life could be like in future.
"Is it true?" Harry asked his eyes wide. "Is it?" he'd waited until they got in and settled, Dudley had chosen to play his new computer game at his friends with his share of the McDonalds of course.
"Yes, it is Harry," Petunia said, sighing, it was easy to hate the boy, and to not want to get attached. That…that freakish world had cost her dearly. Her sister had died as a result of that world, then he'd been lumped with her son…she would not get attached again and made to feel as if she wasn't important enough to stick around for!
"That's what made the weird things happen around me," Harry said shaking his head in utter disbelief.
"Your parents would be so proud of you Harry, and I'm sorry we didn't give you a better childhood. We resented you because the headmaster of that school forced you onto us. If we had been given a choice different decision might have been made." Petunia admitted, she knew this to be the truth. Moving around, she plucked something out of a secret compartment in the kitchen. Turning back to Harry she slid the aged parchment over to Harry, letting him read it himself.
Harry nodded, "That's okay, Aunt Petunia, I forgive you." He'd never forget though; he would do his level best to be the best at everything at Hogwarts.
"How do I get all those things Aunt? I mean they don't sell cauldrons at Tesco's" said Harry five seconds later. He had been thinking on this list since he'd read the letter. He didn't think for a second it was a joke, no he knew deep in his heart it was where he was meant to go.
"There's a magical place for you to shop, you'll get all the things you need there. Would you like to go for your things now?" Petunia enquired.
"Yes, please!" Harry enthusiastically nodded, determination thrumming through him. He understood that he was at a very great disadvantage compared to likely a lot of people who knew. If there were a magical place to stop, you'd bet there were people who knew all their lives.
"We will go first thing tomorrow, it's much too late to go now," Petunia said, glancing at the kitchen clock. It would take too long to get to London. It would take an hour and a half at least, that's in light traffic, and she had no idea when the shopping district closed. Her husband had the day off, which allowed her free use of the car.
As promised Petunia Dursley had travelled from Surry to London so that Harry could gather his school supplies. She'd given him two hundred pounds; she hoped it would be enough to cover all his supplies. "Keep the change and be out here in four hours."
"I will," Harry nodded, safely putting the money in his wallet.
"They don't accept pounds; you need to go to the bank to have it converted." Petunia added as Harry climbed out of the car. "Ask for help if you need it, keep your head down and don't give anyone your last name if you can help it." Knowing that Harry could easily be overwhelmed by that world, but unable to go anywhere near the magical world.
"Okay, I'll see you later Aunt Petunia!" Harry said, closing the door to the car, giving her a quick wave before disappearing into the Leaky Cauldron, where his new adventure awaited.
Petunia idled outside of the Leaky Cauldron for a few more moments, recalling what had happened three years ago that changed their lives forever. She'd very nearly became a widow; her husband had nearly died due to their awful lifestyle. Now Vernon was literally half the man he used to be, that wake-up call had changed a lot. Including their love life, Petunia thought, pressing a hand against her stomach, it was time to get a few tests to confirm whether she was right or not. With that she drove off, she had four hours to kill after all.
Naturally nobody paid any attention to a student making his way through Diagon Alley. He'd been quick to go to the bank like his aunt suggested, and had his money converted to Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. He'd asked for a converter so he knew the equivalent.
His lightening scar was hidden, behind his baseball cap. His long shoulder length red hair was poked through the back of the cap. It was more of a fresh blood red than ginger. It hadn't stopped Ollivander from knowing who he was, which had frankly freaked Harry out.
He'd dealt with everything on the list, except an animal, he wasn't sure if he had enough funds left to get one. There was only one way to find out, Harry made his way towards Eeylops Owl Emporium, he didn't want to purchase a frog or a cat. One he had no interest in and the other? Would likely require more money to purchase food for. That and he didn't like them. His old babysitter had well and truly made sure of that, they smelt horrid.
Harry almost bumped into someone, he apologised as he gaped at the snake tank, only instead of hissing like he expected…he could understand them. How very peculiar, was this all part of magic? Could he understand all animals?
"Of course!" a haughty voice declared, "Red hair and hand me down robes, you must be a Weasley!"
"A what?" Harry turned to face the person who spoke, a boy with blonde hair slicked back, confusion most prominently displayed. He wasn't even wearing a robe, so he didn't understand what the boy was talking about.
"Can I help you, young man? Hogwarts students?" gazing at both of them, the Malfoy heir slid away and peered in at his snake, he frequently bought him here to the store. He couldn't afford an assistant, so ran the store himself. Most avoided his snake; this one was going to be a Slytherin for sure. Then again, Malfoy's do tend to end up in Slytherin, they were rather an ambitious family.
"I am not sure I have enough to get an owl," Harry told the wizard, entirely forgetting his encounter with the strange wizard.
In the end he actually had more than enough to get a snowy white female owl called Hedwig (from Eeylops) and a male black cat named Heath. He had not wanted to get a cat, not at all, but he'd felt so drawn to the cat that it felt impossible to leave without him.
His aunt had been less than pleased, but ultimately, gave in, it would only be in her home a few months out of the year.
The few professors who remained at Hogwarts during the entire summer, or part of the summer sat down for breakfast. Pouring themselves cups of coffee's as they struggled to wake up. The smell of the strong coffee certainly perked them up. The House-elves were wonderfully good at making the best brews. The cream they made as well, was downright decadent.
"You may stop worrying now, Mr. Potter has replied to his letter," Minerva informed the headmaster. He had come to her twice to see if he had replied to his letter.
Albus stared at Minerva for a few seconds before nodding, sounding ever so pleased, "Good! Good!" serving himself his food, wondering what was going on. Petunia wouldn't have told the boy surely? He had made it more than clear he didn't want the boy to know anything.
"I am going to suggest Hagrid go for Harry, he is doing me a favour that day, it will ease the burden" Albus told her, as if he wasn't responsible for the burdens on Minerva's shoulders.
"No, need, he's already been to Diagon Alley for his supplies," Minerva informed Albus, smiling at the specially made black pudding that was at the table directly in front of her. Entirely missing the look that came across Albus' features, the unguarded, unmitigated anger. This was not how it was meant to go; he'd had it all planned down to the last. Now he had to figure out a new way to get the Potter boy's curiosity roused.
"I see, very well, very well," Albus said cheerfully, his near impenetrable masks back up as if the slip had never occurred. Cautions now, the Dursley's weren't supposed to want Harry to go to Hogwarts. He was supposed to be 'saved' now how to fix this hiccup.
A/N – Holy hell I used to be really good at getting to the point, didn't I? no wonder my stories were so short back in the day 😊 despite that I couldn't go back to doing that, I love to give a full well-rounded summary of everything that is happening 😉 the spelling errors made my eyes bleed 😊 well anyway, here we go! Ready-set-go! A lot of this will be a little Out Of Character especially the Malfoy's if I'm remembering correctly R&R please and stay safe!