The Violet Effect
By Kyranae Avalon
Disclaimer: I am not insane or eccentric in any which way. I swear. Really.
Prolouge
"Ahhhh…. I'm going to kill you Vernon!!"
"Yes, Sweet Pea…"
"Don't you ever touch me again!!! You HEAR ME!!!"
"Perfectly m'love."
"Mrs. Dursley, you need to push…"
"I'LL PUSH WHEN I DAMN WELL WANT TO!!!"
"Waahhhh…."
"Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Dursley… it's a boy."
"A great big strapping lad then! Just like his da, give him here! We'll call him Dudley after his grandfer, what do you say Pet?"
"Ahhh….!!!"
"Waaahhhh….."
"Oh my goodness! Congratulations again Mr. and Mrs. Dursley… You also have a daughter! Twins!!"
"A daughter?" Petunia whispered weakly. "I have a daughter? Violet… Violet Liliana… let me hold her please."
"Twins!" Vernon stood gob smacked, holding Dudley in his pudgy arms. "No one said we were having twins! Who's in charge here!?!"
"Vernon SHUT IT! Our daughter's asleep!" Petunia hissed furiously from the bed, where she cradled little Violet in her arms.
"Erm… yes Pet," he glanced down at his son, who was greedily sucking away on a formula bottle. "Well, looks like it's you and me then Dudders."
November 1st 1981
Now Vernon Dursley was not a suspicious man by nature, he was the sort that liked to take things as they were and that was that. He had met his lovely wife of three years now at a wonderful social party held by Widowed Mrs. Number 11 of Darling St. and, as he liked to brag to his co-workers, they had been inseparable ever since. Petunia was all Vernon could ask for in a wife, willing to stay at home and mind the house while her strapping husband went off to win the bread. But ever since the twins had been born… Vernon had a sneaking suspicion that something wasn't quite right in the Dursley household.
It was little things, things that most people wouldn't notice unless you lived in the house yourself, but it did seem that Petunia always seemed nervous around Vernon. As though she were hiding something from him… but that was preposterous! Pet was a wonderful wife and they had two beautiful, if one unexpected, children. Dudley was truly shaping up after his good old Dad with a head of blonde hair and bright blue eyes that squinted out of a pudgy face. Vernon did admit that Dudley ate a bit more than his share, but he was a growing boy! Growing boys needed their food!
Violet, on the other hand, was a bit quieter than her brother and Petunia doted on her even more than she did Dudley. The little girl's hair had started off as blonde as her mother's, but was slowly darkening to a lovely strawberry color. Her eyes were also a darker blue with a few hints of green around the iris. Petunia liked to say they were mirrors of the ocean since they tended to look grey on cloudy days. Dudley's eyes just stayed blue no matter what he was wearing or the weather outside and Vernon couldn't really see what was so special about color-changing eyes, but Petunia was thrilled so he just agreed with her to keep her happy.
He sighed and looked at the clock in his office again, the time always seemed to move so slowly when he just wanted to get home to a nice supper. Vernon had been putting in a lot of extra hours at Grunnings to make up for the extra mouth to feed. His co-workers had helped out a good deal the first few months by putting together a surprise late baby shower for him at work. They said it was a baby shower to keep Vernon from feeling like they were giving him handouts, but he knew and despite his pride… didn't quite mind as much as he would have.
The clothes were necessary after all, Violet needed something to wear and they had only bought things for one baby. The crib that his boss and brought in was the true godsend, even though it had belonged to his niece already and had a bit of paint chipped off. Violet needed somewhere to sleep after all, she couldn't bunk up with Dudley… the boy needed room to grow! Ah well, the twins were going to get big enough for trainer beds soon anyways, maybe then they could afford to get her a new bed. After all, Vernon had been working almost fifty hours a week for the past year and they were managing alright. Why just last week he had been given a promotion for all his hard work! Yes, life was looking up for the Dursleys.
That Night
"Albus… are you sure you should leave him here? With these muggles?" Minerva whispered to the older wizard standing next to her. "The boy is dreadful! He was kicking his sister the whole way down the street and whining to get a piece of candy! And Petunia! She didn't even notice! She was only walking a few feet away… it wasn't until Arabella stopped her that she even turned to look! The boy didn't even get punished Albus, she just sighed and picked the girl up out of reach!"
"Now now Minerva…" Albus chuckled. "I'm sure it's not as bad as all that, she was probably just distracted. From what Lily told me, rest her soul, her sister was in a way for money after the twins were born. The little girl was a bit unexpected you see."
"Then won't Harry just place more of a burden on them?!" Minerva asked frantically, trying to make sense of her mentor's words.
"Of course not Minerva, I arranged for Vernon to get a raise at work and I'm also going to be sending them a monthly stipend for Harry's care," Albus replied cheerfully. "I also left a way for them to contact the Wizarding world if they should need something. Don't worry my dear, it's all in the letter."
"If you say so Albus," she muttered, a loud engine noise cutting off their conversation.
A huge black motorcycle landed with a screech of tires in the middle of the street and halted only inches away from the long bearded wizard. An impossibly huge man stood up from the noisy contraption and removed some goggles so he could see better. Albus merely smiled as though ten foot men dropped out of the sky on motorbikes every day, while Minerva glanced around cautiously to make sure no one had woken up in any of the houses near by.
"Headmaster, I've brought him," the giant man boomed in what he thought was a whisper. "He fell asleep, the little tyke, just as we was flying over Bristol."
"Wonderful Hagrid, let me have him then," Albus replied and held out his arms. Minerva, despite her apprehension about the whole situation, leaned over to look at him. The little boy was fast asleep and there, right on his forehead was the scar that was already becoming legend. She smiled sadly and silently promised herself to try and make this boy's life just a little bit easier whenever she could. Hagrid started blubbering as Albus moved away from them to place the boy on the doorstep of the Dursley household.
"Now now Hagrid, don't cry," Minerva sniffled. "He's not gone forever… we'll see him when he comes to Hogwarts."
"I know, I know," the half-giant muttered and blew into a large hanky. "Jus' don' like leavin' him is all. Well, got to get back to the school… long flight ahead…"
Hagrid slowly got back onto the large black bike and, after a last glance at the child on the doorstep, revved the engine and took off into the night.
"We'd best be going as well Minerva," Albus said quietly and waited for her nod before popping away. Minerva however, remained just a moment longer and watched the little boy grab a hold of the letter that was tucked into his blanket.
"Good luck Harry," she whispered softly. A moment later there was only a small tabby cat making its way into the darkness of the early morning.
A few hours later a very tired Petunia opened the door of her home and started to put the milk bottle down. At the sight of the boy on her doorstep she let out a small shriek and picked him up carefully. He looked the same age as her own children and… Petunia paused as the little boy opened his eyes. She knew those eyes. Petunia stepped quietly into her house and sat down on the sofa, the silent boy watching her every move. She hesitantly picked up the letter he had arrived with and read through it quickly, grief staining her features.
"Gone…" she whispered. "She's gone…like mum and da…"
Petunia took a deep breath and composed herself; just in time it seemed because Vernon came thundering down the stairs and into the living room. Harry, startled by the noise, let out a cry that made Petunia grab him up off the cushions and quickly quiet him down. Vernon stared.
"Who… is this?" he asked thinly, barely concealing the hint of suspicion and anger that swirled through his mind.
"Your nephew," Petunia replied quickly. "Lily and James were killed last night…"
"WHAT!" Vernon shouted in both relief and anger.
"How?" he spluttered. "Why is he here?!"
"He's here…" Petunia thought fast, hoping to diffuse this before Vernon got out of hand. "The lawyer, just left him here… with me, I signed the papers already. We're his only family left Vernon."
"But… even with my promotion," Vernon paled. "We were just getting…"
"I know, don't worry Vernon," Petunia smiled slightly to reassure him. "Lily and James had money, the lawyer is going to send a stipend every month out of his inheritance."
"It isn't… funny money is it?" Vernon's eyes suddenly narrowed in suspicion again. "I won't have that sort of thing in my house!"
"It'll be sent by check Vernon," Petunia replied, lips thinning. "And we're stuck with him anyways, I already signed for him."
"Well, you better ask me next time you sign for any more children!!" Vernon yelled back and stormed into the kitchen having had the final word.
Back in the living room Petunia sighed and looked down at the toddler in her arms. That had been a bit close, but she had been getting pretty good at dodging Vernon's temper ever since they had run low on money. She hadn't mentioned to him the amount being sent, but right now it would be enough to pay for three extra children. Petunia was sure that Harry wouldn't mind if she used a little bit of that money on his cousins, that would really help out as far as finances went… she'd just tell Vernon there was a sale or something whenever she went shopping.
"Well, come on then Harry," she sighed softly. "Time for you to meet your cousins… you can share with Violet for now. She's got less of a temper on her… takes after your mum and me you know."