Chapter 1:

Vernon Dursley was a realistic man. He expected everything and everyone to follow facts; instead of this wishy, washy way of them following their feelings. It was pure ludicrousness to follow `feelings'!

He had woken that morning ready for the big order of drills that he knew was coming in. Looking in the mirror while tying his tie he saw a large man with a small neck and a very respectable mustache. While he finished getting ready for work he could hear his wife and son downstairs.

There was a crash and wailing ensued. Figuring it was just one of those mornings he gathered his things and went down for his breakfast. What he saw was his slender and blonde wife trying to get their sixteen-month-old son Dudley to eat his porridge. And his son was throwing a royal fit about it too.

Having finished eating and after giving his wife a kiss Vernon left for work. The weather did not look good, and so grabbing an umbrella just in case went to the car.

It was there that the strange things started to happen and Mr. Dursley became one of those 'feelings' people. There was an owl sitting on his car roof with a letter in its beak.

Walking slowly up to his car; he slowly took the umbrella and was about to poke it when it took off and flew over the house.

Sighing in relief he continued on his way. But things were going to get even stranger. For on the corner there was a cat reading a map.

Seeing this Vernon muttered, "What on earth is going on?"

Looking back once he had passed, he now saw that there was no map. The tabby just stared at him as he passed.

This deeply disturbed him. For he remembered a conversation he had once had with his brother-in-law James Potter. James had been telling him about animangi. Apparently some wizards could turn into animals at will. Thinking about the conversation disturbed him; but Vernon, decided that the strange actions of the cat just proved the strangeness of the animals themselves.

Muttering to himself about strange animals and the drill order he was hoping to get. Vernon did not realize when he had reached the edge of town. And there he got even more disturbed. For there were people with cloaks on everywhere, and he knew what they were. Wizards.

Having wizards out and about like this worried him even more than the owl or the cat. For something big must have happened for them to act so rashly in the muggle world. Add to the fact that some were whispering excitedly over something set Vernon on edge.

Once in The Grunnings parking lot his mind was back on drills. His office had a big window in the back. It was unfortunate that his desk faced away from it. Or he would have seen all the owls fly by. After having closed a few deals and yelling at his poor secretary a few times. Mr. Dursley felt that his day was going quite well despite the morning's happenings.

Around lunch having decided to stretch his legs he went across the street to the bakers to buy a bun. He had forgotten about all the wizards around until he passed a group next to the bakers. Seeing them made him uneasy. They were whispering excitedly as well. It was on his way back that he heard a few words.

"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"

"Yes, their son Harry-"

Hearing these words filled him with fear. He hurried back across the road to his office. Only stopping to tell his secretary he was not to be disturbed. He seized his phone and had almost finished dialing when he hung up. Sitting down and stroking his mustache, as was his habit when worried. He thought of what he had heard.

Did they really say Potters? Did they mean a different name, like Porters? No He knew they meant the Potters. And that was what worried him.

Petunia and he had not heard from them in a while. In fact it had been a week at most since they last heard from them. They knew why they went of course; Lilly and James had told them. A Dark Wizard was after them. Petunia would be devastated if anything had happened to her sister.

They had just made up a few months before they had gone. And Vernon had grown to like his prank inclined Brother-in-law.

"Oh James, what have you gotten into." said Vernon worriedly

He then decided to wait to tell his wife. He did not want to worry her and he did not know what was going on himself. And so he worried anxiously though the afternoon.

It was later that he got another piece of the puzzle. While walking back to his car after work he was so worried that his hands were shaking and he could not think straight.

It was in this frame of mind that he walked straight into someone.

"Sorry," He grunted as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell.

It was a few seconds before he recognized the violet cloak the man was wearing and knew he was a wizard. The old man did not seem upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary his face split into a huge grin and in a squeaky voice making passers-by stare said:

"Don't be sorry my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating this happy, happy day!"

With his face now white Vernon barley felt the diminutive man hug him around his middle and saunter off. It was in this phase that he got into the car and drove home.

He was just pulling into Number four Privet drive when he noticed the cat.

It was the same one as this morning with the same square markings around its eyes. It was now sitting on his garden wall. Very disturbed and worried by now Mr. Dursley told the cat:

"Shoo" Making shooing motions with his hands.

When the cat just gave him a stern look he knew that his family was being watched. But why? And by whom?

Pulling himself out of his worried state He went into the house determined not to mention anything to his wife till later this evening.

Petunia had a nice, normal day. She explained how she had chatted with Mrs. Next door and her problems with her daughter, how Dudley learned a new word [Shan't]. She glossed over Dudley throwing a tantrum for sweets thinking it not important, only saying to Vernon not to give in to such things.

Once Dudley was in bed the couple went into the living room to catch the evening news:

"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern."

The newsreader allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"

"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain that I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."

Vernon froze; shooting stars all over Britain, Owls out in the day time, wizards out and about. And a whisper about the Potters and the supposed death of their Dark Lord.

Petunia came in with two cups of tea. It was time, he would have to tell her his suspicions. So carefully he queried his wife:

"P-Petunia, dear- you haven't heard from Lilly lately, have you?"

Curious she answered, "Vernon, you know we heard from them last week on the mirror!"

"Why?" She asked

"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls…shooting stars…and there were a few wizards in town today…"

He had decided to go against saying anything about the whisper, because he hoped that he would be wrong.

"So" Mrs. Dursley snapped

"Well I thought maybe…. That. Something had happened. Something to do with why they were hiding!'

Drinking her tea through pursed lips Mrs. Dursley thought. She was not stupid she had noticed the inflection her husband had used when saying why. She had also noticed his worried look and sweaty hands. A sign that things were not well. But deciding that he would tell her when he was ready said good night and went off to bed, hoping that all was well with her sister and family.

While the Dursley's were drifting off uneasily, the cat was still sitting on the wall, looking at the end of the road, waiting. It was near midnight before the cat moved, its tail twitching and eyes narrowing, for what it had been waiting for had finally arrived.

For in his arrogance Albus Dumbledore did not think that anyone would be watching him. With his long White hair and beard reflecting the lamps light started rummaging in his cloak. Looking up he saw to his irritation that McGonagall was there watching him. With an unheard growl, he continued his search. After finding the Diluminator, and making the street dark did he walk over to the stiff cat.

He may be irate with her presence, but with his mind whirling smiling an evil smile, and with a twinkle in his eye leaned over to the cat and said:

"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."

Turning to the cat and seeing instead the distinctly ruffled woman gave Dumbledore great amusement. He knew that the woman would try and talk him out of his plan. Oh yes he would give her some excuse as letting the child grow up without his Celebrity status. Oh no that would instead go to Dumbledore in his absence. And when he returned for school thanks to all the charms and compulsions he had layered into the letter. He would be ready for molding into the perfect Savior, ready to ask his Mentor (Dumbledore of course) for help.

He was pleased with McGonagall's reaction to Lilly and James' deaths. Oh of course he knew about whom Voldemort would choose and so had helped the process along. A few suggestions there. Hints and whispers in his spy's ears made sure that this would be the outcome. For with the Potter brat he could take him and place him where he wanted. That was not so with the Longbottom child. Hmm….. He was going to have to do something about that as well. Maybe get rid of the parents. The Grandmother trusted him fully so she would be easy to sway to certain matters. Yes, that would do wonderfully.

Tuning back into the conversation he had been having with his Professor he realized that Hagrid was almost here. Oh and yes he was very talented, to be thinking so deeply and yet, have a conversation. Yes he did pride himself on that.

When Hagrid mentioned Sirius Black, he realized there was one part of his plan that would need to be taken care of as well tonight. Mr. Black was going to find himself a host to one Albus Dumbledore, before the night was through.

Turning back into the conversation once more he heard Hagrid say:

"No, sir – house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He was asleep when I got there sir."

Chuckling at this Dumbledore did not think much of it. For what is there to worry about a child sleeping?

He was even more pleased to see the curse scar. Oh yes, Voldemort had done the job right. He rebuffed McGonagall's question of getting rid of the thing.

He was fuming inside. Of course not you stupid woman, what would the point of getting rid of it do! Nothing! Besides make my plan even harder to complete.

Though these thoughts and more went through his head Dumbledore said not a word.

Walking to front door and carefully laying the sleeping child down, he whispered:

"I am sorry Harry, but it is for the greater good!"

And with that left his charmed letter and walked back towards the others. Hagrid then left to return the bike, McGonagall transformed and slinked off. While he Dumbledore left to start the next step in his plan. Not realizing that Harry would take hold of the letter and in his sleep nullify all the spells he had carefully placed on it.

Young Harry now exhausted from yet again doing magic fell into a deeper sleep only to be wakened with his Aunts scream, and would sit next to his curious cousin watching her cry. He did not know that all across Britain wizards were toasting the Boy-Who-Lived.


Author's Note:

Edited 4/17/2018