Normal

Sequel to: A Letter From Lily

Petunia and Vernon Dursley were completely normal. They lived on a normal street in a normal neighborhood in a normal house. They had a normal garden, a normal car, a normal life. Every morning, they would do the normal morning routine: Petunia would wake up, shower, dress, and make a normal breakfast for her normal husband. Then she would wake up her own normal, tiny baby, feed him, and go get the normal mail. She would go outside, get the normal newspaper and she would lay the normal newspaper next to Vernon who would be downstairs, eating his breakfast. Then she would finally eat her normal breakfast. Then, when Vernon was done, he would get ready for his normal work. When he was done getting ready, she too would be done eating her normal breakfast. They would walk to the door, she kissing him on the cheek and he would get into his normal car and go off to his normal office.

On November first, 1981, they weren't normal. The morning started out normal: Wake up, shower, dress, and make breakfast, wake up Dudley and feed him. When she went to get the mail and newspaper, it started to get very un-normal. Sitting on her doorstep, as if waiting for her and only her, was a tiny baby. He already had a head full of untidy jet black hair and bright emerald eyes. He was awake, staring up at Petunia. Just by looking at him, Petunia knew this was Lily's baby, Harry. The only odd thing was the bright red lighting shaped scar on his forehead. There was a note tucked inside of Harry's blanket with her name on it.

The handwriting wasn't familiar to her but she knew that she had seen the slanted writing before in her life. Unlike the letter that Lily had sent her a while ago, the writing didn't disappear and it didn't change. Not knowing what to do, she sat down on the doorstep and stared at little Harry. It was an obvious fact that he was Lily's child. He had her eyes, the same bright emerald and almond shape. Even though Petunia had seen James less than ten times, she could instantly see him and Harry. As a baby, Harry still had James' hair and face. The only thing that could link Harry to Lily was the eyes.

Finally, she reached over and took the letter. Harry had fallen back asleep and she tried not to wake him. Silently, she opened the letter and began to read. She wasn't even on the first sentence when she heard Vernon calling her name. She quickly popped her head back in the door and told him that she would only be a minute. Sighing quietly, she picked up Harry and cradled him in her arms. Not knowing exactly what she was doing, she stepped back inside with Harry and hurried up the stairs. After placing him gently in Dudley's crib, Petunia picked up the letter and pocketed it.

Going back down the stairs with Dudley in her arms, she thought about what she had just done. Vernon, of course, would not like having a freak baby in the house; Petunia didn't know how much she liked it herself. All she wanted to do was to have a while to read the letter and decide what to do with the baby.

After finishing breakfast and seeing Vernon off to work, she went back upstairs to the nursery. Thankfully, Harry was a quiet baby and didn't make much noise. Vernon had no idea that Harry was in their house. She sat with Dudley in the rocking chair and got the letter out. This time, she got past the first sentence.

Dear Mrs. Dursley,

You may not remember me, as we have never met. You, however, have contacted me before. You may not remember that either. You were only thirteen when you wrote to me, asking why Lily was a witch and why you weren't. That brings me to my point in writing. I am very sorry to let you know that Lily and her husband, James, have passed. They didn't make it through the war, but as you can see, Harry did.

I don't expect you to want to do anything with Harry. I know that Lily wrote to you a while ago telling you about Harry. I also know that Lily told you about Harry's godfather, Sirius. She said that he would do everything with Harry but he is not able to do that. You and Vernon will have to care for Harry and give him a home. You might not care for him or Lily anymore, but you need to protect Harry.

You might notice the lightning bolt shape scar on his forehead. A Dark wizard killed James and Lily. When Lily was killed, she protected Harry with her love for him. I am only guessing now, but I suspect that love was what saved Harry and destroyed the Dark wizard. Until he is seventeen, he will need to be protected by you and your husband. You will need to give him a home and care for him as you do your son. I expect you to do this, Petunia, Harry and Lily's memory need you to do this, If you don't, I will know.

Sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore

Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Petunia was still quiet when she finished reading the letter. Lily was dead. The stupid freak got herself killed and expected Petunia to care for the baby. What happened to his godfather? He must want to care for Harry. She didn't want to care for Harry; Dudley shouldn't have a freak baby around him. As if reading her thought, Harry started to cry. She stood up, put Dudley in his crib and picked up Harry. She feed him a bottle and watched him eat.

She was having mixed feelings about this boy. Part of her was saying to bring the boy to an orphanage and leave him there. But another was thinking about what she would want Lily to do with Dudley if something would happen to her or Vernon. Of course, of something were to happen to either of them, Dudley would go to Vernon's sister, Marge. But she would still want someone to treat Dudley like one of their own.

She sighed and put Harry back in the crib, picking up Dudley. With Dudley in her arms, she went back downstairs and started to clean. Cleaning had always cleared her mind and she really needed to figure out what to do.

At half past one, Petunia had decided that she would come straight out and tell Vernon about her nephew. He would come home from work and they would eat. She would ask about work and he would tell her about his day and then he would ask her about her day. She decided that she would start with the letter that Lily had sent her a while back. That seemed like a good place to start with.

…

It was seven thirty when Vernon came home, just like every other normal day. He came inside, greeted Petunia with a peck on the cheek, laid his normal briefcase on the table, and picked Dudley up. Dudley laughed and tried to grab Vernon's hair. He ducked and Petunia set the table. She served the food and they sat down to eat.

"How was your day, dear?" Petunia asked her husband.

"Oh, it was fine. That meeting I told you about was canceled; Bill's wife was in labor when it was due to start. It's rescheduled for next Tuesday."

"Really? Do you know what they had?"

"Hmm, a boy, named Archie, after her grandfather. How was your day?"

She exhaled quickly and looked at Vernon, "You remember Lily and James don't you?"

Vernon looked sharply at her, "The freaks?"

"Yes, well, about a year and a half ago, Lily wrote to me about her baby."

"She wants us to take care of a freak?" The last word was spat from his mouth.

"Well, that's the thing, Vernon. Lily and James died last night. Harry survived and he has nowhere to go. His godfather cannot care for him for some reason or another, I don't know."

Vernon looked outraged, "I cannot believe that you want to care for this freak!"

"No, no, no, Vernon. I don't want to care for Harry." She paused when Vernon didn't look like he believed her, "Here, read the letter I got this morning." Petunia got up and crossed the room. She picked up the letter and handed it to Vernon.

She waited until he was done reading the letter to speak. It only took a few minutes but she could tell that he was rereading the letter. When he was done reading, he placed the letter delicately on the table. Both Petunia and Vernon were quiet for the next few minutes, Dudley making the only noises in the dining room.

Vernon spoke first.

"Who's this- this," He paused, looking back at the letter, "Dumbledore?"

Petunia shrugged, "I remember Lily mentioning him a couple times, but I've never met him."

"But you wrote to him? At this freak school?" Vernon's fury was not settling down.

Petunia sighed, "I was a child, Vernon. All I wanted to know was why Lily was chosen and not me. That's all, I swear."

"Where is this boy, then?"

"He's upstairs in Dudley's room. Vernon, he can't help who his parents were. I think we need to care for him. I'm not saying we have to give him everything in the world. We just have to feed him and care for him, okay?"

Vernon was quiet again, thinking. He would do anything for Petunia. But he certainly didn't want Dudley or Petunia around that freak baby.

"Fine," Vernon sighed, "But we don't have to let him do anything with Dudley. We can act like he isn't here. The neighbors don't have to know anything about him."

Petunia nodded and the two finished their dinner. While Vernon retired to the den, Petunia cleaned the plates and utensils. When she was done, she took a bottle from Dudley's collection. She filled it with milk and took another jar of baby food. Picking up Dudley with one arm and holding the food with the other, she went up the stairs and into Dudley's nursery. Harry was sleeping, curled up into a tiny ball in the crib.

Petunia put the food on the table aside the crib and put Dudley on his blanket on the floor. She picked up Harry, waking him up, causing him to start whining. She cradled him in her arms and gave him the bottle, just as she had done earlier in the day. He drank quickly, most of the bottle gone when he was finished. She then fed him the mashed peas. Harry didn't like then, only eating half, the other half on his shirt. She cleaned him up and laid him back down in the crib.

She picked up Dudley and sat back in the rocking chair. She studied him, thinking again about Lily. Petunia knew that Lily would have forgiven her and taken care of Dudley if anything were ever to happen to her or Vernon. Lily could always forgive Petunia; she was the one who wanted to go on as best friends and sisters when she got her letter. But Lily was gone now and nothing was going to happen to her or Vernon. Petunia could feel her eyes start to water.

She suddenly wished she could have set things right with Lily. They had been friends since birth, sticking together and barely ever fighting. There were only the things Lily had ever asked of her. She had always wanted to still be friends and she wanted Petunia to take care of Harry if anything happened to her and James. And Lily and James were gone.

Vernon didn't like the idea of Harry living with them. But it didn't matter; Petunia had already made up her mind. Harry was going to live with them and they were going to protect and care for him. It was what Lily wanted.

I know it's not exactly like the discription in the book, but I like this idea a little better. Keep on the lookout for a maybe threquel? Is that the word? I don;t know. It would be the third and final part to the Petunia Dursley series.