This story has been edited by the wonderful GizzieBaako.

Chapter 2

Many years before the time of this story, after a nasty accident involving a misguided potion and the resulting sudden hair loss...

"I don't care what you do, just keep your freaky stuff far from me," Petunia Evans hissed, face twisted into a disgusted sneer. Her words were directed at her younger sister, Lily.

Having gotten the final word in, Petunia stormed out of the living room and up the stairs. Her door slammed, and silence descended on the house. Lily sat down heavily on the couch. In her hands a beautiful blue butterfly hair-clip glittered and shined. She had meant it to be a gift to her sister; a peace offering, really. "I just wanted to apologize, make it up to her, but…" She sighed, sadly. "I just wish she'd listen. Oh, Tuney…" Lily's head fell. Silent tears began to fall on the azure butterfly, which fluttered its wings and gleamed more brightly.

Gladiolus stepped forward wishing she could comfort young Lily. But it wasn't real. With that thought she was pulled out of the scene and opened her eyes. she exhaled heavily and sat up, grabbing the slightly worn journal on her nightstand and began to write.

Gladiolus paused and once again ran through the dream making sure she didn't miss anything. She nodded to herself in confirmation and closed the dream journal finally leaving the comfort of her bed. She planted herself in front of the full body mirror and began to observe herself. She had long, wavy dark red hair, bright green eyes, and pale unblemished skin. If you placed Gladiolus and Lily side by side at the same age you would almost say they were sisters, twins even. It was a strange thing. Gladiolus shook her head, leaving her thoughts, and began to get ready for the day. She slipped into one of her many dresses and combed her hair into a high ponytail. She finally left her bedroom and headed down the stairs and into the kitchen where her cousin was cooking under the sharp eyes of his Aunt Petunia. "Good morning, mother; good morning, Harry." Gladiolus murmured and began to set the table.

"Gladiolus dear, let the bo- Harry do that." Her mother stated.

"It's fine mum. I can do it." Gladiolus spoke through clenched teeth. They had this disagreement almost every morning since Gladiolus and Dudley had begun to help Harry with the housework.

Petunia had pursed her lips in disapproval but let Gladiolus be.

Over the last two months, things had changed drastically in the Dursley household. Gladiolus, with her strange dreams to guide her, had begun to see what was wrong with the Dursley way of life. So she did what she could do. She tried to help Harry with his chores, pulling a reluctant Dudley with her. When her parents questioned them, she excused their actions by explaining that it was teaching them to be responsible (which built character.) Her parents had eaten it up, resulting in the Dursleys establishing an allowance as a reward, Petunia cooing about how good, kind, and responsible her little angels were.

After a particularly upsetting dream about an abused Severus Snape, Gladiolus had convinced Dudley he needed to share his room with Harry. They moved all of Harry's things into Dudley's room (barely anything, and not a single toy, to Dudley's horror). They simply said that they wouldn't want to sleep in the cupboard under the stairs so why should Harry?

Neither Vernon nor Petunia had a good answer for that, so the matter was dropped.

When school began again, Gladiolus and Dudley didn't allow anyone to bully Harry. Despite his weight loss, Dudley still had plenty of strength behind his punches and no one wanted a black eye. So Harry was left be, Harry Hunting was cancelled, and the children found other ways to torment one another.

"Why?" Harry asked Gladiolus and Dudley one day. He was trying on one of the shirts Dudley had gotten him at the store while shopping.

Gladiolus raised an eyebrow, and Dudley grunted in confusion.

"Why are you being so nice? What did I do that made you decide you liked me? I'm not complaining or anything; I just don't understand."

For a moment, Gladiolus was struck with the overwhelming need to tell the two closest people to her about her dreams, but fear held her back. She didn't want them to reject her, or think she was lying. She just didn't know how she could explain it and not sound like a total loon.

"Because I thought, what if I were you? And I didn't like it. I- I- I just don't want to be treated like we've treated you. It's the golden rule, right? Do to others what you want done to you." Dudley muttered awkwardly.

Gladiolus smiled and nodded in agreement. "If there is no one else, you should at least be able to rely on us, right? We're family, and family should look out for each other."

Harry's eyes filled, and he sniffed a bit. After a while, he wiped his eyes. "Y-Yeah, I guess so."

Gladiolus returned to helping Dudley with his Latin homework and that was the last time the matter came up between the trio.

Thanks for reading! And don't worry, the chapter will hopefully be getting A LOT longer her on out. Or at least that is my intention.