I don't own Harry Potter or any other Harry Potter affiliated groups
Quiet reigned on the street known as Privet Drive. The people were all tucked in their homes, snuggled in their beds, oblivious to what was going on just outside. A crack sounded, somehow not disturbing the sleeping people. An old man stood on the street, watching a house that was still awake, the lights on as the people living their were enjoying their normality. The old man waited for a few moments, studying the home. As he watched the house, a small tabby cat walked up to him.
"Hello Minerva.", the old man spoke to the cat. The cat in question seemed to ripple for a moment before disappearing, replaced with an older woman wrapped in green Wizarding robes and a witch's hat cocked just so.
"Dumbledore. We cannae leave the child here! These muggles are of the worst sort!", she exclaimed, trying desperately to get Dumbledore to change his mind. Dumb-as-a-door chuckled, brushing off Minerva's vocal disagreements.
"Minerva my dear, they are his family. They wouldn't turn him away.".
As they spoke, a rumbling began to sound on the street. They both looked up to see Rubeus Hagrid on a motorcycle, a basket secured to the back, holding the most precious of cargoes. He touched down, making sure the landing wouldn't disturb the sleeping child.
"Hello Hagrid.". McGonagall spoke, having always had a soft spot for the half-giant. Hagrid handed the basket to Dumbledore as gently as possible, not wanting to disturb the sleeping child inside. Dumbledore was just as gentle with the babe, setting the child on the stoop, tucking the note into the blanket and casting a twenty-four hour warming charm on the basket. McGonagall sighed, knowing that she wouldn't be able to change Dumbledore's mind about the situation, so she decided to give the baby something very important. Around her neck was a small charm, holding the crest of her family and their birthstones along the bottom. She quickly cast a spell, using her blood to strengthen it. Though she was a transfigurations mistress, she was also a mistress in runic spellwork. She carved the rune of protection into the necklace along with casting a spell of protection. She leaned over, pretending to tuck the blanket around the sleeping infant, though she was really putting the necklace around the baby's neck. She moved back to where Albus was before apparating away. Hagrid left as well, having heard a tidbit about an interesting animal lurking in the woods. Only Dumbledore remained, but he left, apparating out of the neighborhood, his final words floating on the breeze.
"Good luck Chrysanthemum Potter.".
Time passed, specifically a few hours, before the door to Number 4 opened. The lone female in the house, a woman known as Petunia Dursley, looked down to find the slowly waking baby on her step. She recognized just whose child she was, especially when she opened her eyes. The baby shared the piercing green eyes that her sister had inherited from their grandmother Lillian Evans. She also remembered what her sister was and that filled her with hate. She jerked the basket up and daintily closed the door behind her, placing the baby in the basket on the table none too gently. She picked up the note and read it, pacing back and forth across the floor. Growling, she crumpled the piece of paper in her hand and threw it to the ground. She gave the basket a withering glare and called her husband. Vernon, an extremely large man, waddled down the stairs to see what his wife wanted.
"What is it Tuney dear?", he asked, the disgust and anger in her voice giving him pause.
"Those..those freaks! Left my sisters little brat for me to take care of.", she shrieked, banging her hand on the table. Vernon snarled, knowing exactly what his wife was talking about.
"They expect us to take care of the little wretch? They want me to spend our hard earned money to feed and clothe the miserable snot? And what about our lives? We are normal people, none of that freakishness has ever been any of our business. And what about Dudders? I won't have that disgusting thing near my boy.".
As the adults argued, the little baby in the basket began to wake up. They stopped for a moment and turned to the baby. Petunia sneered at the baby, internally angry that, once again, Lily had something that she didn't. A beautiful daughter, one who apparently shared her mothers natural beauty. Petunia was filled with an unholy rage, so she decided on the perfect plan, which she shared with her husband.
"Why don't we make the little chit work for us? We'll have someone to cook and clean for us. Take care of the garden, do all the work that we don't enjoy.".
Vernon smirked, nodding his agreement, making his many chins jiggle.
"But what about when she's not doing anything? We can't let our neighbors see her.".
Petunia thought for a moment before her eyes landed on the cupboard under the stairs. A grin spread across her face as another idea came to her.
"We can put her in the cupboard. Little freak doesn't deserve a room, now does she?".
Vernon readily agreed, opening the tiny dust filled space. He moved the boxes to the side and cleared a space. He looked up and found spiders in the space near his face, which he brushed away.
"There. A space for keeping things hidden.".
This was the start of the worst seven years of Chrysanthemum Potter's life.