Disclaimer 1: This is fanfic. That means I do not own any of it. I just borrow it to play with for a little while and let people see the pathetic results if they really want to.
Disclaimer 2: I'm not making any money from it. It's just for fun.
Disclaimer 3: What isn't borrowed is all made up. None of this is real or most likely at all realistic. Please don't trust any of the information in here. Most likely you know more about whatever I'm writing about than I do.
Disclaimer 4: Attitudes, views and opinions expressed by the characters or in the story are not necessarily those of the author. Even when writing Science Fiction or Fantasy I do not tend to attempt to create perfect/better worlds in which everybody gets a happy end ... or whatever is best for them. Please accept that some characters will have a bad ending or be unhappy.
Disclaimer 5: I intend no insult to anyone. If I offend anyone I'm very sorry. Please understand that it was an accident as I tend to be very clumsy in these things.
Notes: And Harry no. 5 is back ... or well, at least his aunt Petunia is.
Chapter 1: Owl Post
Petunia Dursley-Evans was bored. She'd spent almost the whole day watching the holovision because she didn't dare to set foot outside her flat until that ruddy owl from Hogwarts Secondary Institute arrived. In fact, she couldn't go out even then, because Vernon had spread a story about her having a terrible headache and wanting to spend the day in bed.
Maybe she should have done just that. At least time passes faster when one is asleep.
She considered lying down now, but then turned on the computer instead to check the news. Perhaps she would find something interesting there that would give her and Vernon something to talk about that evening. After all she'd have no events from work to tell him and he didn't like to discuss Harry.
Vernon wasn't even all that fond of talking about Dudley and Harry was no blood relation of his at all.
She clicked through a few business articles some of which Vernon would probably have found of passing interest. They bored her too much, though. Petunia always preferred sensational or emotionally stirring news.
Ah, here was something: An escaped convict, armed and dangerous. The population was asked to be on the lookout and report any sightings, but not to approach him under any circumstances.
Petunia regarded the picture of the man thoughtfully. He didn't look particularly strong or clever and she found it hard to imagine that he was as dangerous as the article said, but then again, how could he still be at large despite the authorities knowing where he had escaped from and what he looked like? How had he managed to hide from all the security cameras in the streets?
Something about him stirred her memory, but just then there was a fluttering sound and the long awaited owl landed on the windowsill.
It took some self-control to untie the report letter from the bird's leg. Petunia had always been afraid of animals. They were such strange, wild creatures and completely unpredictable after all. But she knew that she had to do this or else the owl might decide to fly on to Vernon and get him to accept the letter and then somebody was likely to see and might remember the last owl incident. People would start to talk about it and wonder.
That mustn't happen. And besides Petunia was curious how her nephew was doing. Unlike Vernon she was interested in children and thought that one report per year really wasn't all that much.
She steeled herself and undid the ribbon, then hastily retreated clutching the letter to her chest. The owl hooted once, shook her feathers, which caused Petunia to flinch, and then flew away.
Petunia breathed a sigh of relief and sat down to read the letter.
First she looked at the usual birthday picture. It showed a very similar scene to the one from the year before - a group of children in black robes laughing and eating cake. Petunia went to fetch the other picture and laid them side by side on the table. Yes, the red-haired boy and frizzy-haired girl had been in that one, too. The blond boy with the snake crest on his robe however was new. Or, she thought, more likely he'd been just outside the picture last year. Why should Harry have had only two friends at that party, after all? More likely there had been others that hadn't been photographed.
They had all grown nicely, she saw, and Harry looked healthy and cute, though not particularly neat with his wild hair. Petunia decided that his looks were satisfactory.
His medical report also pleased her. There had been only two medical incidents, one a sports accident that required an overnight stay in the hospital wing and the other mostly the result of the fright he'd had when some horrible dark wizard had abducted a younger child. Brave little Harry had heroically followed them into the sewers and led the teachers to the criminal's lair so the girl had been rescued much more quickly than would have been the case otherwise.
There might be some emotional trauma, but Petunia was sure that the institute staff would know exactly how to deal with it and surely the knowledge that he had helped to save somebody would help him overcome it. Petunia felt quite proud of her nephew.
The next sheet showed his grades. They weren't stellar, but he had passed all his subjects except for one called Defense against the Dark Arts. The teacher for that had apparently suffered an accident shortly before the exam day and since they had been unable to get a replacement on short notice the exam had had to be cancelled.
Petunia shrugged it off. She had no idea how important the subject might be, but Harry had after all been taught it and this was far from his final year. Surely this missing grade would not affect his chances at employment when he left the institute.
The behaviour report wasn't as satisfactory. Apparently Harry was too curious for his own good sometimes flaunting the instructions given for his own safety. However it went on to say that this appeared to be due more to forgetfulness or bad understanding than a wish to provoke, as he was generally meek and obedient while under direct supervision of an adult and always followed direct orders promptly.
He had never been caught in a malicious act - which was more than Petunia could say of Dudley whose report had told of an incident where he'd punched a smaller boy that had attacked him. However Dudley had been contrite after a detention and a good talking-to and it was hoped that he had learned better from the incident.
This letter, too, expressed the hope that Harry would grow more mindful as he matured.
Petunia also found a note that said that Harry had disappointed his teachers by apparently basing his choice of electives on that of his best friend, or at least on what subjects were easiest rather than most useful. 'This behaviour,' it continued. 'Is however not entirely unique in a boy like him. Harry is noticeably behind in his intellectual development and it is therefore not surprising that he should feel overwhelmed by the task. We expect that he will catch up over the years and with careful guidance will be able to make a more reasonable choice by the time he reaches OWL level.'
After reading this Petunia was glad that she had sent Harry a Mathematics self-study program for his birthday. If he didn't achieve the right qualifications for a good magical job, she would talk Vernon into offering him a minor position in the accounting department of Grunnings. That way he would be well provided for and even be where she could see him from time to time. Petunia missed having parents and a sister.