Disclaimer. I do not own Harry Potter.

Prophecy was never made. The dark lord reigns over Britain. Lily and Harry has to navigate in this new wizarding world as half-breeds. Gray!Harry.


It was Harry's 8th birthday when her mother came back home one day. They made a living by selling potions to a vendor in the Knocturn Alley. They also made a side income by resizing Petunia's clothes and shoes. That side income has exceeded their main income once Petunia started bringing in her neighbour's clothes.

That was when they have moved into a sketchy neighbourhood in London. Her mother said to him now that they have moved into closer to Tom's bar, she did not need to apparate. She also said this place was only 10 minutes bus ride from the bar.

Her mother never apparated. Well, maybe once in a blue moon, she did. When they were out of potion supplies and she was sure there would be no busses available. She did not want to let one day go into waste. However, every time she did apparate, Harry knew her mother would sleep the day off that day. Her mother also knew that. Then Harry would make some potions. Mainly cheap ones, like the hickey potion or giggle-me-not potion. Still her mother said they needed to continue doing this. There was no knowing whether this option to make money, wizarding money, would still be available to them in a few years time. They had to save 400 galleons. Harry needed 400 galleons before he was 17 if he ever dreamed of joining the wizarding world. It took 400 galleons to buy a halfling-choker.

Her mother hated the halfling-chokers. She blamed them for not having enough magic to apparate.

However she was more than happy to let him know that he could now own one before he was 17. For free.

"You can go to Hogwarts, Harry." She said to him. There was disbelief in her voice. None the less, Harry has never seen her mother so hopeful before. "You have to go!"


That was three years ago. Harry still remembered the day he got his choker the next day after her mother has brought him the good news. It was horrible. His magic was abysmal. He could no longer help her mother resize the clothings. He could not understand why she continued to work hard. He got his choker for free. He could still make some potions or at least prepare the ingredients for her. When he asked her if they could move to the wizarding world, she has always refused. They made muggle money by resizing clothes so they could pay for rent and groceries. As much he was concerned, he did not know what her mother had plans to do with the wizarding money other than buying some potions ingredients.

They have asked Petunia to give them a ride this time. Lily wore her midnight-blue robes. Harry had wore the resized expensive brand muggle clothing they got from Dursley's donation pile. Lily was anxious. She even spent time trying to make Harry's hair look tamer. She wore a bit of make up. The red-shade of her lipstick matched the colour of her choker.

"So they are letting you in, huh? I wonder how long it will take this time for them to decide you are not worthy. I honestly don't get your kind, Lily." She said with a happy voice. There was silence for a while.

"Petunia. Please say hi to Cathy for me. She really has lost some weight, has not see? I remember putting some weight on even after I gave birth to Harry. It can be a tough ride." Lily's smiling did not reach her eyes.

"Oh, yes. It is a tough ride for some. Well, I will see you again soon enough. Are you sure you will be okay? I can ask Vernon to pick you up on his way back home if you would like." Petunia's smile did not reach her eyes either.

Harry did not care to listen. He has long gave up on having a conservation with his relatives. He has nodded, smiled and sometimes he made an approving sound.

He could not wait to see Diagon Alley.

As Lily was rushing them inside the bar, she was repeating the same things she has said to him the whole year. Except her voice now was in a whisper.

"I am so sorry, Harry. We might get some things second-hand. I have already got your potion supplies covered. The old hag gave me a good deal on those. I don't know if I should have bought them still. I had some spare cauldrons. Anyways. We will get you a nice wand in Diagon Alley. Then budget. I don't know about the robes… Can we even afford it all? I could probably make you some robes if I tried. It says four robes. I don't think I even needed three robes. I am not sure if you are allowed to wear muggle clothes. Should we get one robe in Diagon Alley? I can tailor some secondhand robes." They were already in the Diagon Alley. Her mother would not stop talking.

"Mom. Please shut up." His eyes were drinking the sight. He would stay there awing at the sight if it was not for...

"I said step aside mudblood," said a wild looking man with a sneer. "Oh, who do we got here..." Her mother rushed him ahead. "Do not look back." She had a stern face. "Go. Now."

Harry looked back. However, he was pretty much running just as her mother did. The man was clearly hostile. The rest of the crowd however reminded him of someone else. They had a similar face expression to Aunt Petunia when she was looking at someone she would gossip behind at their back about gaining weight or loosing weight.

It took some time for Ollivander to find the right wand. It did not help everytime a pureblood came into store that they had to stop and act invisible. Once they have found the right wand, Harry thought Ollivander looked at him with some distaste.

They were out and Lily was back to worrying.

"36 galleons? 36! I can not even fathom. This is bad, Harry. Bad! Ugh... Maybe the old hag will help." Lily held his hands. "We have to go. Let's see her first. Maybe she can get us a discount at the second hand shop too. Thank gods, I kept your father's truck."

Indeed. The old hag did have the books. It was a suspiciously new set of first year books. His mother made him check the second hand bookshop just in case. And even though the hag gave them a price they could not refuse, it still was well over their budget. Seeing how upset her mother was, the hag motioned her to move in closer. Harry could not hear what she whispered. Her mother was even more upset than before. However, she nodded. The hag's smile made her big nose drop even lower. She dropped some gloves and a hat to the pile. The old hag then get up from her stool. She blew a kiss to Harry and then dissapeared in a small alley only an old small frail woman could fit in, or kids.

"That is not too bad." Her mother signed. "At least she does not know there are more books here than in that list we gave to her. Do not show these other books to other students, Harry. The old hag does not find whatever she sells in fair places. Do you remember?"

"Yes. I do not talk unless I am supposed to. I will trust no one. Purebloods can not be trusted. I will study a lot. Being average may mean expulsion. I will not waste my use of magic outside of the class. I promise, mother."