Petunia and Vernon woke when the doorbell rang abruptly. "Bloody pranksters," Vernon muttered to himself, sitting up, slipping his fat feet into a pair of slippers. He stomped all the way to the door, with his horse faced wife Petunia following, he flicked on the hallway lamp, waking up Dudley, their child, who began to cry loudly, Petunia turned, making her way up the stairs to sooth him.
Vernon opened the door and looked around the dark street with his tired eyes, he couldn't see anyone and was beginning to grow mad, "these bloody kids I-" he started trying his hardest not to yell, his face was turning a bright red.
Vernon's rage was interrupted by a meow from his feet, he looked down at the tabby cat in anger, he hated cats, he kicked it away, causing it to give a loud hiss. It was only then that Vernon saw the child, I tiny baby on the doorstep, at least he was tiny compared to Vernon's chubby kid, Dudley.
Vernon could not think of any reason a child would be laying on his doorstep, he called for his wife, still staring at the child.
"Petunia!" It was only then that Vernon saw the letter that was resting on Harry, he picked it up and began to read it, as soon as he saw the words 'Harry Potter' he dropped the note in shock, looking as though he was about to explode.
"PETUNIA!" he wailed, causing his wife to run to the door. He hadn't met Petunia's Horrid sister Lily, however he'd certainly heard about her, he was sure he didn't want any of her nonsense anywhere near him, and there it was, Lily's son sitting on his doorstep.
"What is it dear?" Petunia asked Vernon in a soft tone, she was used to Vernon being angry. Petunia fell stiff the instant she saw Harry, nearly dropping baby Dudley. Vernon twisted his fat neck to look at his wife, his face was as red as a tomato, his bushy, black mustache twitched with the most fury he had ever felt. Vernon looked as though he was trying to speak, he wished to scream about Lily potter and her disgusting husband's unbelievable stupidity, however he couldn't, it was as if a lump the size of a tennis ball was stuck down his throat, preventing him from talking.
Once Petunia gained back the control of her body, she advised Vernon to go back inside, handing Dudley to him and promising a nice cup of tea. Petunia was almost as outraged as Vernon, however she was a lot better at hiding it. Reluctantly picking up Harry, along with the note, Petunia closed the door behind her as she went inside the house.
-0-
Vernon had been nothing but a ball of fury over the past few days, He didn't even know Lily or James, and his wife didn't seem to care at all about their passing, in fact you would almost say she was happy.
Vernon and Petunia had locked Harry in the cupboard under the stairs, only giving him an old blanket to lie on and a cup of milk two or three times a day. Petunia had seen what her sister, Lily, (who was a witch) could do with magic, if the boy she kept in the cupboard was let out, Petunia was sure he turn the house to hell.
The only reason Petunia bothered shoving Harry a cup of milk every so often, was because she thought best to keep him alive, she did not want to end up in jail, although Harry did have a hard time drinking the milk.
"We have to get rid of him Petunia" Vernon blurted out of the blue. Harry hadn't bothered either of them since he arrived, he hadn't made a noise, despite being neglected and practically starved.
"Vernon, we can't send him to an orphanage, when he makes another kid's head explode they'll come straight back to us and we'll be questioned. They'll think we're nutters, straight to the psych ward!" Petunia looked quite irritated, she didn't want to keep Harry any more than Vernon did, but it was important to her that her family appeared normal to everyone else, if something happened at an orphanage with Harry, her name would be in the papers and she'd look quite the opposite of normal and put together.
Vernon let out a grunt, he wanted to appear as normal as Petunia did, if not more. Besides, a better thought had crossed his mind, he could use Harry, almost as a slave and make sure no one knew about it, he wouldn't have to do a chore again.
-0-
Minerva McGonagall sat in her office at Hogwarts, which was a small circular room that had a desk, chairs and many books. Minerva was too lost in her thoughts get any work done, school hadn't started yet but she still had a few papers to sort through.
Minerva slouched in her chair and fixed her eyes on the door, she was daydreaming about Harry. Minerva had treated Lily as her own daughter ever since she arrived at Hogwarts, it only seemed fit that she looked after what she would call, well, her grandson. She couldn't possibly see how those disgusting muggles she had watched could be even slightly more qualified to look after the child.
Minerva was pulled out of her daydream when the door she had been watching suddenly creaked open. She had not expected Albus to visit her, as Albus entered Minerva fixed her posture, sitting upright in her chair.
"Albus" she acknowledged the headmaster of Hogwarts,
"How are you doing, Min?" Albus asked in a friendly manner.
There was a few seconds of silence before Minerva answered, slouching again slightly, she obviously wasn't doing very well.
"I've been visiting, Albus," she admitted, referring to the house Harry was staying in with his only relatives, the Dursleys.
"They're honestly the worst muggles you could imagine," she started "you know if I could just-" Minerva stopped when she saw Albus raising his hand a little. Minerva felt childish and regretted talking in such a manner instantly.
Taking a seat on the opposite side of the desk, Albus replied,
"He is going to be okay there, they will keep him safe and give him everything he needs before he can come here."
Albus tilted his head down and looked at Minerva worryingly over his half-moon glasses, Minerva almost looked as though she was going to cry, a strand of black hair falling from her tight bun onto her cloaked shoulder. Minerva looked up at Albus, she felt ridiculously childish, as though she was being scolded, Minerva and Albus usually treated each other equally, as friends.
"You can visit every so often over the next few years, Min, however if you go too many times the muggles will grow suspicious, the muggles can't know about us, you must remember that."
Albus watched Minerva's face intently, he could tell she wasn't agreeing with what he was saying at all and decided that better leave her alone, she had just lost a love one after all.
Dumbledore rose from the chair and walked over to Minerva, he loved Minerva deeply, as one would a wife, he bent over and hugged her around the shoulders.
"You know I'm here for you Min, you can talk to me anytime" he reassured her. Of course Minerva already knew this, she'd hate to think how long the two had been friends.
"Good-bye, Albus" she whispered as the old man left her office.
Minerva corrected her posture once again, which usually wasn't something she had to think about, she knew what she was going to do. Dumbledore couldn't control her, especially when they weren't working, she knew what she was going to do, the next day she was going to rescue Harry Potter.
