This story takes place whitin the 1st Book/Movie. More or less a few scenes after Hermione comes back from her winter-break.

Please, enjoy.

Co-writen with DSCWin

FAMILY

It was a lazy Saturday afternoon at Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry, which meant no classes, but the students had decided to spend most of their time walking around the grounds or getting there schoolwork ready for Monday. Despite it being almost the middle of spring, the weather was hot and 11 year old Harry Potter was tempted to take a quick swim in the lark black lake that surrounded the school. But he had his mind "changed" by a small unpleasant chat with the potions master Severus Snape. Snape simply told Harry that, if his intention was to be eaten alive by the creatures that lived inside it's depths then he should be more the happy to do what he pleased. Harry wisely changed his mind as he didn't want Snape to find his mangled corpse on the shore and then sneer and celebrate in his death.

So as he continued to stare at the small waves lapping at the shoreline, from the shade of large trees, his mind started to spin around with strange and wondrous thoughts. Thoughts of his mother and father. Thoughts of them being there instead of being killed when he was just a baby. He wondered if his life would been a lot better knowing that he had a family that loved him. Instead of despised him like his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and cousin Dudley. He closed his eyes and began to dream of a life of love and joy before getting his Hogwarts letter. Before coming to this place which became his home.

As he drifted towards his afternoon nap a Hufflepuff girl's voice broke his train of thought and woke him up. "My parents were so excited when I got my letter." she squealed. "They went completely knockers."

Would my parents be excited with my letter; Harry thought and remembered when he had gotten the letter the first time and the look of fear on his Aunt and Uncle's faces. He closed his eyes again and pictured the woman he had seen in the Mirror during Christmas and imagined the excitement in her eyes as her son Harry received the letter. "He's got it, James." His mother Lily would exclaim giving Harry hugs and kisses instead of dark looks.

"My boy's going to Hogwarts, where he would be one of the greatest!" James would say proudly patting him on the back instead of locking him inside the dark spider infested cupboard. He would most likely never have met his Aunt and Uncle but would be familiar by the stories his mother would tell him.

Clearly his life would have been different. Of course in that scenario he would have known everything there was to know about Hogwarts. About magic, about the different houses Hogwarts had. Everything as Lily and James Potter would be excited to tell him. He wouldn't be kept in the a dark about it while he grew up in a cupboard under the stairs. Being forced to pretend to be nothing more of a ghost. He would have been brought to Diagon Alley with his parents. He would have been fawned over by his mother as he would try on his robes. His father will most likely jump for joy when he got his wand.

I wonder if I'll have some younger siblings; he would think as he could picture a younger brother or sister perhaps waiting anxiously to hear about his exciting adventures at the school. He could be like Ron's twin brothers Fred and George who often teased their brother about the sorting hat ceremony, classes, stories about the forest that lay surrounding the great school and about the array of ghosts that stalked the halls, classrooms and even the great hall.

But he tried to make his daydream more realistic. He knew he would be scolded and punished for scaring his younger siblings. But he would be filled with joy about leaving to head home during the holidays. Seeing his mother making roast chicken, fruit tarts, mash potatoes, and many different cakes. But as he kept daydreaming about his life with his mother, father and siblings, things will also change. He will not have met Hagrid, a large half giant with beetle eyes hidden beneath shaggy hair. He would mostly likely not have been happy for he would be living in fear of the dark wizard that took his parent's life.

He felt like he had been cheated at the most menial things. He didn't have a mother who would send him packages full of sweets or other gifts. He didn't have a dad who would show up cheer him on as he would play quidditch. He didn't have siblings that would listen to him.

"I miss you Mom and Dad." Harry whispered as he watched a bird fly away from a branch that was above him. He watched it slowly disappear when another voice called for him.

"Harry! Harry!" Harry turned around to see his friend Hermione and friend Ron coming towards him. Ron was carrying a large basket he most like received by Hagrid while Hermione carried a large blanket with the Gryiffindor colors. "We've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Sorry, I was thinking of taking a dive in the black lake but Professor Snape drowned that dream out. So I found this place instead." Harry said and then his wondering mind stopped on the items his friends held. "What have you got there?"

"I wanted to show Ron how Muggles have picnics." Hermione stated matter of fact. "Would you like to join us? I had asked the professors if they could provide some of the food and they gave us plenty."

"Of course I would." Harry said helping Ron carry the basket as it looked quite heavy.

Despite him being an orphan. Never really knowing his real parents or having any siblings, he felt like he was the luckiest boy in the world. He did have a family that loved him. That wanted him to succeed. He just had to see it in another perspective. It was strange for him to remember something that had happened to him on the night he first arrived in Hogwarts.

"Your house will be like your family." Professor McGonagall's voice echoed.

My family; Harry thought as he helped Hermione set out the blanket and food next to the black lake. Yes. This is my family. The best family in the whole world.