A/N So this is my first piece of writing in a long time, if you spot any mistakes, please do point them out in a review, constructive criticism is, as always, welcome.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognise from the potter universe.

Enjoy!

Prologue

Mr and Mrs Dursley were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. So on November 1st 1981 when they opened the door to find a tabby cat curled around a baby on their doorstep, they were horrified.

What would the neighbours think?

The day only became more abnormal from there. After trying to shoo the sleepy cat away with minimal success (and receiving a rather odd look from it for their efforts, but then... cats cannot glare sternly at people), Mrs Dursley picked up the child and immediately brought him inside.

There was a letter from one Professor Dumbledore amongst the child's blankets, more of a missive really informing Petunia that her sister... Lily Potter nee Evans, had died in a fight that brought down the Dark Lord whom had been terrorising Britain, leaving behind her son as an orphan.

Dumbledore had asked her to take in the boy and love him as her own, for there may be Death Eaters who would seek revenge against the child, and only by placing him with the Dursleys would some powerful blood wards be activated.

Vernon had to take the day off of work, claiming a bout of the flu, while they discussed the matter in hushed tones over the dining room table. Little Harry Potter slept on, exhausted from the magical drain he had suffered the night before, and the cat who had found a spot on their outside windowsill from which to watch the boy had yet to leave.

"Surely the boy would be better off with... their sort? If he somehow defeated a Dark Lord, who knows what he's capable of?" Petunia hissed in panicked tones, focusing on that aspect of the problem, conveniently ignoring the sorrow she felt at her sister's death.

"We could take him to an orphanage a few towns over... there'd be no reason for anyone to suspect anything, and if any you-know-what happens while he's there, surely his lot will deal with it. I don't want him around our Dudley." Vernon muttered, coming up with a plan.

Before he could continue however, there was a knock at the door. He shuffled suspiciously towards it and peered through the frosted window next to the door, trying to see who it was. Then he opened the door onto a most unusual, severe looking woman in emerald robes.

"Good day Mr Dursley, I'm here to talk to you about young Harry, may I come in?"

Minerva had not left with the others the night before, wanting to make sure Harry didn't get cold in the night, or to leave him vulnerable to anyone who had tracked Hagrid to the Dursleys.

That was another thing, she wasn't even sure she trusted the Dursleys with the boy, after observing them the previous day, and listening in on their discussions since they had taken the boy indoors, she decided to intervene.

She entered the ridiculously clean domain and was nearly flattened by Petunia dashing upstairs to tend to her child, who had begun crying from his crib. Dudley, she thought the name was.

Not long after, Petunia and the rather large baby Dudley were bustling around the kitchen as Minerva and Vernon sat at the table.

"Thank you for inviting me in, my name is Minerva McGonagall, a friend of the Potters. Now, I realise it must be quite a shock to have received your nephew in this way," She began, "But this is truly the best place for him, I trust Dumbledore's judgement, even if you may not. Now then, I would like to offer my assistance over the next year as he settles into your home, I will check in once a month and try to help in any way I can. It's the least I can do after Lily..."

Minerva became quiet, the Dursleys exchanged wary glances.

"A generous offer, however we have our hands quite full with Dudley, let alone if we took on a child like the boy. Surely one of his own kind would be a better guardian, even yourself." Petunia tried to convince Minerva.

"Unfortunately I am a Professor and deputy Headmistress at Hogwarts and as such my time is very limited for anything other than teaching and attending my duties. It is not safe at the moment in the wizarding world for young Harry until all of the known followers of you-know-who have been caught." She explained. The Dursleys scowled and Petunia returned to fussing over Dudley for a moment as he cried and reached out for the food that had been prepared for him while the adults had been talking.

"Very well," Vernon eventually grumbled, "We'll have the boy until all of your nonsense has been dealt with, but the boy's needs will be costly, babies go through nappies and clothes like water."

Petunia nodded quickly, "Yes, since you have offered, will you bring supplies for the boy on your visits?"

Minerva looked at them shrewdly, not liking their attitude but not having much other option.

"I will consult with others who knew the Potters and see what can be arranged, perhaps a fund or allowance can be arranged."

Vernon and Petunia exchanged smiles.

"Thank god that woman has finally gone, now where is the little runt?" Vernon asked his wife as she settled Dudley for his afternoon nap.

"I put him in Dudder's spare cot in the lounge darling, I'm not surprised he's still asleep – probably a lazy layabout just like his father." Petunia scowled.

Vernon found the boy, just waking up from his long slumber, and winced at the smell of the boy as he picked him up.

"Petunia, love, I think he needs changing..."

It had been two weeks since Harry Potter had come to live with the Dursleys and much had changed since then.

The boy cried whenever they tried to take him upstairs, so they had converted the cupboard under the stairs into a temporary nursery, Dudley's old cot fit in there quite nicely and Harry always fell to sleep easiest once in there.

They had yet to receive any money for the boy's needs, but Petunia was keeping track to see if the payment the witch, McGonagall, had promised would actually cover everything or not.

Luckily, little Harry had yet to show any signs of magic, he was a quiet boy and only cried when left alone with Dudley, who didn't like any of his mother's attention taken away from him – Thus a cycle of pinching and poking whenever the adults weren't looking began.

On a particularly busy day, Petunia was struggling to do her shopping and watch the children at once, as December and Christmas approached and the town was very busy. She fought with another woman over some products and the children went unnoticed for a moment.

Dudley, in all of his wisdom, decided at that moment to poke Harry rather viciously, and Harry cried out. A passing stranger hushed the boy and Harry looked in fascination at the man who had knelt before him.

"It's okay Harry, you don't have to stay here any more." He said in an undertone, and with a spark that went unnoticed by the muggles, Harry and the man vanished.

Another two weeks passed and the Dursleys were talking furiously, the witch was due to visit today and they had yet to find the boy. They had even gone to the police to report the absence but nothing had turned up.

A knock at the door had Petunia jumping and knocking her cup of tea to the floor.

She grit her teeth and put on her best false smile.

"Ah, Minerva was it? Do come in, I have some news that may be rather delicate..."

A few minutes later their neighbours would shake their heads at the rather loud shout that came from number four.

A/N I hope to get another chapter out today, and then I'll write when I can, as a uni student with many deadlines it may be difficult until semester ends, after that, it's all down to writer's block XD Review?

~Riddle