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"So, who wants to read next?" Lily giggled looking into James' eyes. He was still staring down at her incredulously, after seven years she finally agreed to go on a date with him; all it took was a book about the future.

Remus and Sirius watch this exchange but decided not to interrupt; they looked too much like a holiday card for even Sirius to interrupt. They were still pretty shocked that this was a book about the future, even more so their future. They had to change it , James was like their brother and from the looks of things they were going to get a lot closer with Lily. Sirius decided that it was time to interrupt as the atmosphere in the room was getting uncomfortable for him and judging by the look on Remus' face it was for him too.

"Oh Remmi-poo you have the most beautiful eyes did you know?"

"Why Siri-wiri, thank you oh so much for saying so?"

"I know that you two are trying to take a jab at us but frankly, I'm just disturbed that you have pet names for each other."

"And that you're so comfortable in using them. I'm really proud of you two, finally coming out of the closet. Be loud and be proud!" Lily continued. Both boys in question flushed and turned away from each other.

"Wow Lily never knew you had it in you to be this mean."

"Well I guess you never knew me that well did you." Sirius stuck his tongue out at her childishly and sat back down moodily.

"MOONY. READ. NOW!"

Remus chuckled at his friends child like antics, grabbed the book and sat down to read.

"Yes dear."

"Moony, not funny."

"Yes dear."

"Just read!"

Remus snickered but started to read none the less.

THE VANISHING GLASS.

"The vanishing glass? What's the vanishing glass?" Sirius asked immediately. Apparently forgetting all his previous irritation with his friends.

"I don't know? A piece of glass that vanished? I'm just spit balling here."

"Oh, shut up!"

"In all seriousness – don't say it Sirius" Lily said noticing him open his mouth to make a remark. "It sounds like his accidental magic."

"To make something vanish he must be pretty powerful."

"Well what do you expect Moony, he is my son."

Lily rolled her eyes and muttered "conceited prick" under her mouth which no one but Remus picked up on. He smirked and continued to read.

Nearly ten years had passed since the Dursleys had woken up to find their nephew on the front step, but Privet Drive had hardly changed at all.

"Well, shocker there." Lily snorted. The three boys turned to look at her with puzzled expressions. "Well Petunia is very particular, she likes things how she likes things. She would most likely never redecorate that house unless she's forced to. Or unless it's my room, in which case she redecorates my room and reorganises my stuff every term so that when I get home, I can't find a thing"

By the time she was done her mini rant that three boys were looking at her with very odd expressions on their faces. "Is she really that bad to you?"

"Oh, she's got better. She used to throw my stuff out, until my parents caught on. Look, forget it, Remus just continue."

The sun rose on the same tidy front gardens and lit up the brass number four on the Dursleys' front door; it crept into their living room, which was almost exactly the same as it had been on the night when Mr. Dursley had seen that fateful news report about the owls. Only the photographs on the mantelpiece really showed how much time had passed.

"I'd place money on the fact that there are no photos of Harry" James spat bitterly.

Ten years ago, there had been lots of pictures of what looked like a large pink beach ball wearing different-colored bonnets - but Dudley Dursley

"Tehe."

"Padfoot, did you just tehe?"

"What Prongs? You cannot tell me that you don't think that is a funny name?" James just turned around and ignored him. He couldn't argue that and Sirius knew it.

"Continue Remus." Remus just rolled his eyes at his idiotic friends.

was no longer a baby, and now the photographs showed a large blond boy riding his first bicycle, on a carousel at the fair, playing a computer game with his father, being hugged and kissed by his mother.

"Something tells me he's a spoilt brat." Sirius interrupted bitterly.

"What makes you think that?"

"Well, there are obviously lots of pictures of him, many include him and his parents "bonding" I recognise the signs, Reg was the same."

The other three teens in the room shared awkward glances, they all knew that Sirius had a terrible relationship with his family. They also knew that there was nothing they could say or do to make him feel better; he would snap himself out of it eventually and this being Sirius it would be pretty soon. He was just too happy a person to stay sad for too long.

The room held no sign at all that another boy lived in the house, too.

"I wish there wasn't."

Yet Harry Potter was still there, asleep at the moment, but not for long. His Aunt Petunia was awake and it was her shrill voice that made the first noise of the day.

"Up! Get up! Now!" Harry woke with a start. His aunt rapped on the door again.

"Oh, my poor boy. That's how she wakes me up during the holidays. I would not wish that on my worst enemy." Lily said shuddering

"Really? Recon you could record it next time you're home and we could play it loudly in the Slytherin dorms early in the morning?" Sirius asked hopefully feeling a prank coming on.

"Or we could set off fireworks in their common room at like five in the morning." James countered, they hadn't pulled a prank so far these holidays because there were even less people than usual staying behind for Christmas this year, Peter went home as well this year, his mother wanted him to spend the holidays with her. something he was not all together thrilled about.

"Up!" she screeched. Harry heard her walking toward the kitchen and then the sound of the frying pan being put on the stove. He rolled onto his back and tried to remember the dream he had been having. It had been a good one. There had been a flying motorcycle in it. He had a funny feeling he'd had the same dream before.

"He's remembering my bike! You didn't dream about it, you were actually on it. Merlin I love that bike!"

"Sirius you don't own that bike yet."

"Doesn't matter, it's still mine. MY BIKE! MINE!"

"Please Lils don't get him started. He can argue any point and make you agree with him."

"That may work with you weak minded people but I can be terribly stubborn."

"Merlin do I know it."

His aunt was back outside the door.

"Are you up yet." she demanded.

"Nearly," said Harry.

"Well, get a move on, I want you to look after the bacon. And don't you dare let it burn, I want everything perfect on Duddy's birthday." Harry groaned.

"Cook? SHE'S MAKING MY 10 YEAR OLD COOK!"

"That can't ba safe can it, I mean we still don't let Padfoot cook."

"Ye – wait – Moony!" Remus snickered at his friend then turned to look at James who was rubbing circles on Lily's back, trying to calm her down. She on the other hand was muttering about neglect and child labour.

"What did you say." his aunt snapped through the door.

"NOTHING!" the four teens shouted simultaneously then shared looks and burst out laughing.

"Nothing, nothing..." Dudley's birthday - how could he have forgotten. Harry got slowly out of bed and started looking for socks. He found a pair under his bed and, after pulling a spider off one of them,

James shuddered "What don't tell me the infamous James Potter afraid of spiders?"

"I may have had a run in with one of Hagrid's pets."

Lily moved so that she was even closer, put her arms around him and snuggled into his side "Don't worry James, I'll protect you from the big bad spiders"

James fake glared at her but he couldn't keep the grin from his proximity to Lily off his face. "Ugh, keep the couplely things to yourself. Me no want to see that." Sirius stated pointedly looking in the opposite direction.

put them on. Harry was used to spiders, because the cupboard under the stairs was full of them, and that was where he slept.

"WHAT! THEY'RE MAKING MY BABY SLEEP UNDER THE STAIRS! I'M GOING TO KILL PETUNIA!"

"THAT HORRID WOMAN AND THE WHALE HAVE MY SON SLEEPING WHERE! LILY I'M GOING TO KILL YOUR SISTER!"

James and Lily shouted at the same time as Remus and Sirius jumped up and started shouting curses at the book. This continued for 5 minutes until they had all vented their frustration.

When they had all calmed down Remus continued.

When he was dressed he went down the hall into the kitchen. The table was almost hidden beneath all Dudley's birthday presents.

"I never thought I'd see the day where a child got more presents than Reg.

It looked as though Dudley had gotten the new computer he wanted, not to mention the second television and the racing bike.

"A bike? Wouldn't that require doing exercise?"

Exactly why Dudley wanted a racing bike was a mystery to Harry, as Dudley was very fat and hated exercise - unless of course it involved punching somebody.

"He better not punch Harry!"

Dudley's favourite punching bag was Harry, but he couldn't often catch him. Harry didn't look it, but he was very fast.

James swore and Sirius laughed "Just like his father." James laughed, "Quick reflexes good for Quidditch."

Lily laughed Humourlessly "Unless he has my Quidditch skills." James turned to her suddenly "Don't even joke about that. Moony continue."

"Starting to feel like a tape player. Honestly; pause – start – pause –start."

Perhaps it had something to do with living in a dark cupboard,

The Marauders growled at this.

but Harry had always been small and skinny for his age. He looked even smaller and skinnier than he really was because all he had to wear were old clothes of Dudley's, and Dudley was about four times bigger than he was.

"They don't even buy him his own clothes" Lily hissed.

Harry had a thin face, knobbly knees, black hair,

"He's a mini prongs, he's a , a, a, PRONGSLET!"

"Prongslet?"

"Yup" Sirius said popping the "p"

and bright green eyes.

"He has Lily's eyes" James said dreamily looking at Lily with a love sick look on his face. Lily flushed but didn't break eye contact. Slowly they leaned in and their lips met. What started out tender gradually heated up more and more.

"Oi! None of that. I'm not into that form of entertainment!" Sirius started, waving his hands dramatically in a theatrical attempt to shield his eyes. Remus snickered as James and Lily broke apart flushing. James shot a murderess look at his two best friends while Lily giggled.

"Start tape player!"

Remus snickered but read none the less.

He wore round glasses held together with a lot of Scotch tape because of all the times Dudley had punched him on the nose.

"I can't kill him, he's just a kid. I can't kill him, he's just a kid." James chanted.

The only thing Harry liked about his own appearance was a very thin scar on his forehead that was shaped like a bolt of lightning. He had had it as long as he could remember, and the first question he could ever remember asking his Aunt Petunia was how he had gotten it.

Lily sighed "She won't tell him the truth."

"Why not?"

"It would mean telling him about the wizarding world."

"In the car crash when your parents died," she had said.

"A car crash? A bloody car crash? She told him we died in a car crash? Not even that we were murdered by a muggle killer! I'm going to kill her!"

"And don't ask questions." Don't ask questions - that was the first rule for a quiet life with the Dursleys.

"What a boring life! No questions, I'd die."

"Yes Paddy, we know you would be even more stupid!"

"I take offence"

"Good for you Pads."

Uncle Vernon entered the kitchen as Harry was turning over the bacon.

"Comb your hair!" he barked, by way of a morning greeting.

"Not going to work!" James sang. "It grows that way" He said matter – of – factly, while nodding his head.

"What?" Lily asked incredulously, but Sirius was the one that that answered "It's the curse of the Potter hair, James' dads hair is the exact same."

"Oh my poor boy, you just can't fight genetics" Lily teased.

About once a week, Uncle Vernon looked over the top of his newspaper and shouted that Harry needed a haircut. Harry must have had more haircuts than the rest of the boys in his class put together, but it made no difference, his hair simply grew that way - all over the place.

"Like I said. They should just accept it, it will save them a lot of time and my son a lot of heart ache"

Harry was frying eggs by the time Dudley arrived in the kitchen with his mother. Dudley looked a lot like Uncle Vernon. He had a large pink face, not much neck, small, watery blue eyes, and thick blond hair that lay smoothly on his thick, fat head.

"Attractive I'm sure." Moony scoffed.

Aunt Petunia often said that Dudley looked like a baby angel - Harry often said that Dudley looked like a pig in a wig.

The four teens nearly fell off their seats laughing and clutching their sides. "Okay, your son has the best of both your sense of humours and I love him for it." Sirius choked out.

"That's my boy." James said proudly.

Harry put the plates of egg and bacon on the table, which was difficult as there wasn't much room. Dudley, meanwhile, was counting his presents.

"He counts them" Remus asked awestruck.

"Brat"

His face fell.

"Oh Merlin"

"Thirty-six," he said, looking up at his mother and father. "That's two less than last year."

"Oh the poor deprived child." James taunted, then added bitterly "Bet Harry doesn't get anything."

"Darling, you haven't counted Auntie Marge's present, see, it's here under this big one from Mommy and Daddy." "All right, thirty-seven then," said Dudley, going red in the face.

"I can't believe their not reprimanding him for acting this way, they're going to turn their child into a monster."

"If I'm not mistaken he already is Petal."

Harry, who could see a huge Dudley tantrum coming on, began wolfing down his bacon as fast as possible in case Dudley turned the table over.

"Smart kid, be careful of the food. A boy after my own heart."

"He's going to throw a tantrum because he got 37 presents? Seriously?" she then turned to Sirius "Don't."

Aunt Petunia obviously scented danger, too, because she said quickly, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin. Two more presents. Is that all right''

"Don't encourage him!" Lily chastised

"Lily, you are reprimanding a book. You're not really in a position to talk."

"Oh shut up Remus, I thought you were the nice one!"

"Hey! What am I then?" James mocked offended.

"The sexy one." Lily countered innocently. James chuckled,

"Merlin Yea!"

"And me?" Sirius asked bouncing on his chair.

"The annoying one" she deadpanned causing the other two to break out into manly giggles. Sirius just pouted in response.

Dudley thought for a moment. It looked like hard work. Finally he said slowly, "So I'll have thirty ... thirty..."

"He's even worse at maths than me!"

"And that's saying something" James muttered only allowing Lily to hear who giggled in response.

"Thirty-nine, sweetums," said Aunt Petunia.

"UGH, ENOUGH WITH THE NICKNAMES PETUNIA!"

"Oh." Dudley sat down heavily and grabbed the nearest parcel.

"Then tossed it aside and opened the next." Remus scoffed

"All right then." Uncle Vernon chuckled. "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" He ruffled Dudley's hair.

"This is actually making me sick; they're encouraging their child to be a snotty little brat." Lily complained.

"Yea, he's going to grow up to take everything for granted." James continued.

"And that's coming from James. The rich boy who gets everything he wants from mummy and daddy." Sirius mocked.

"I don't get EVERYTHING I want." James defended himself, then added sheepishly "I never got the solid gold caldron"

Lily sat forward so that she could look him in the eye. "Just how rich are you James?"

James avoided her gaze, "Well, you see, we ummm - I will never run out of money and neither will Harry ... and perhaps his children as well and a very comfortable life at that."

"Wow, that's just wow." Lily didn't know what to say 'wow I mean I knew he was rich but this is a whole other level!'

"And then there is the second vault with the heirlooms, portraits and furniture" Remus also mocked and Lily quirked an eyebrow at him questioningly.

"Well I guess that's true too." He turned to Lily "Why if you had known that, would you have went out with me sooner?" He teased.

"Is that really what you think of me? I mean do you think I'm that shallow? That I would just go out with you because you are rich? Maybe I made a mistake agreeing to go with you." Lily sat down at the opposite end of the couch from him tearing up a bit.

James shared bewildered looks with the others before turning to Lily. "Lils of course I don't think that I was just teasing you, I know you could care less about how much money I have and that's one of the things I love most about you. I don't believe you would go out with me for my money. I honestly didn't mean it love." James begged.

"I know." Lily said with a big smile on her face. "you're so cute when you're worried"

"YOU WERE JOKING? WHY? THATS MEAN!" James cried while Remus and sirius burst out laughing.

"Yes, what you can joke and I can't? COME ON! That was funny!"

At that moment the telephone rang and Aunt Petunia went to answer it while Harry and Uncle Vernon watched Dudley unwrap the racing bike, a video camera, a remote control airplane, sixteen new computer games, and a VCR.

"Something tells me these aren't cheap are they" Remus asked, Lily just shook her head in responce.

"Brat"

He was ripping the paper off a gold wristwatch when Aunt Petunia came back from the telephone looking both angry and worried.

"Bad news, Vernon," she said. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction.

"You know Petunia I did give my son a name." Lily scolded. James moved closer to her and put his arm around her.

"Sorry love but that would mean acknowledging that he's a person and on an equal standing with her pig of a son." He spat bitterly.

Dudley's mouth fell open in horror, but Harry's heart gave a leap. Every year on Dudley's birthday, his parents took him and a friend out for the day, to adventure parks, hamburger restaurants, or the movies.

"What about Harry?"

Every year, Harry was left behind with Mrs. Figg, a mad old lady who lived two streets away. Harry hated it there. The whole house smelled of cabbage and Mrs. Figg made him look at photographs of all the cats she'd ever owned.

"That sounds like fun." Sirius snickered.

"Yea, but if he had a good time they likely wouldn't have let him go."

"What do ya mean? Of course they'd let him go, they'll just let him go."

"But they want him to be miserable and I think that outweighs their desire to get rid of him."

"But why?"

"He's my son and he's going to be a wizard. That's why." Lily stated matter-of-factly. The boys gave her sympathetic looks before continuing.

"Now what." said Aunt Petunia, looking furiously at Harry as though he'd planned this.

"Oh yes he purposefully injured an elderly lady to get out of spending time with her. HE'S NOT YOUR SON!"

Harry knew he ought to feel sorry that Mrs. Figg had broken her leg, but it wasn't easy when he reminded himself it would be a whole year before he had to look at Tibbles, Snowy, Mr. Paws, and Tufty again.

"Harry!" Lily chastised.

"At least he knows he should be sorry." James reasoned.

"You're just saying that because he's just like you!"

"We could phone Marge," Uncle Vernon suggested.

"No, she's worse than Vermin!"

"Who is she?"

"Vermin's sister Talks to me like I'm dirt."

"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy." The Dursleys often spoke about Harry like this, as though he wasn't there - or rather, as though he was something very nasty that couldn't understand them, like a slug.

"I really love your sister and her family, in case I forget to tell you later." Sirius muttered to lily sarcastically.

"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne." "On vacation in Majorca," snapped Aunt Petunia.

"You could just leave me here," Harry put in hopefully (he'd be able to watch what he wanted on television for a change and maybe even have a go on Dudley's computer).

"Sorry mate I don't think that's going to happen."

Aunt Petunia looked as though she'd just swallowed a lemon.

"So her usual facial expression." Lily quipped; the boys shot each other looks that were half amused half sad; they had no idea that her relationship with her sister was so bad.

"And come back and find the house in ruins." she snarled.

"I won't blow up the house," said Harry, but they weren't listening.

"You should."

"I suppose we could take him to the zoo," said Aunt Petunia slowly, "...and leave him in the car..."

"He's not a dog Petunia!"

"HEY! There is nothing wrong with dogs."

"I know Sirius, I didn't mean to offend you."

"Sorry?"

"What? You didn't know I knew?"

"NO!" The three boys shouted in sync.

"Well then ... Surprise!"

"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone..." Dudley began to cry loudly.

In fact, he wasn't really crying - it had been years since he'd really cried - but he knew that if he screwed up his face and wailed, his mother would give him anything he wanted.

"Delightful, that boy is"

"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she cried, flinging her arms around him.

There was silence for all of a second before they all fell to the ground laughing. When they had all calmed down they thought the heard snickering. But by the time they realised that is wasn't one of them it had stopped.

James and Sirius jumped up and pointed their wands in the general direction of the noise. "Who's there?"

When they got no reply they slowly sat back down but kept their wand in their hands, still convinced that they had heard something. "Keep reading Moony."

"I... don't... want... him... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, pretend sobs. "He always sp- spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms.

"That pompous, arrogant little prick!" Sirius spat.

"Little?"

"Good point Moony."

Just then, the doorbell rang - "Oh, good Lord, they're here!" said Aunt Petunia frantically - and a moment later, Dudley's best friend, Piers Polkiss,

"What is with the names of these kids!"

"Moony, I never!" James teased.

"Well come on! I mean Dudley Dursley and Piers Polkiss, their parents really like alliteration don't they!"

"Wow Moony who knew you were such a grammar nerd." Sirius mocked.

"I – not- just." He just gave up and decided to keep reading. James and Sirius shared triumphant smirks.

walked in with his mother. Piers was a scrawny boy with a face like a rat. He was usually the one who held people's arms behind their backs while Dudley hit them.

"Hate him as well then."

"James you cant hate a child that's not born yet."

"Oh yes I can."

Dudley stopped pretending to cry at once.

"I bet he did, can't let his friends see him cry."

Half an hour later, Harry, who couldn't believe his luck, was sitting in the back of the Dursleys' car with Piers and Dudley, on the way to the zoo for the first time in his life.

"The first time? My baby was never brought to the zoo? Every child should get to go to the zoo and we should be the ones to bring him James! It's not fair, it's not." James stood up to catch Lily in her pacing, pulling her into his chest and wrapping his arms tightly around her tiny frame, whispering reassurances to her while she kept muttering "It's not, it's not."

Sirius and Remus looked at the couple, though they liked Lily they had never understood why James was so determined but looking at them know they could see it. It was natural, they were perfect for each other, they didn't have to work at it. And even though James had been pursuing her for years it wouldn't have worked till now, James had changed this year – he wasn't as big headed as he was in the past. When James had finally got Lily to calm down somewhat, he sat down and pulled Lily onto his lap. She buried her face in his chest and he motioned for Remus to continue.

His aunt and uncle hadn't been able to think of anything else to do with him, but before they'd left, Uncle Vernon had taken Harry aside.

"I'm warning you," he had said, putting his large purple face right up close to Harry's,

"Poor boy, imagine having something that ugly, that close to your face."

"I'm warning you now, boy - any funny business, anything at all - and you'll be in that cupboard from now until Christmas."

"He's not being serious is he? He wouldn't really lock him in the closet till Christmas would he?" Sirius said (excuse the pun) seriously.

"I'm not going to do anything," said Harry, "honestly..

"He's not going to believe you."

But Uncle Vernon didn't believe him. No one ever did.

"Told ya."

The problem was, strange things often happened around Harry and it was just no good telling the Dursleys he didn't make them happen.

"So, would that be accidental magic?"

"Must be, we would be what ten – eleven? He should be showing signs of accidental magic right?"

"Yes, I guess that's right, I hope nothing dangerous happens to him."

Once, Aunt Petunia, tired of Harry coming back from the barbers looking as though he hadn't been at all, had taken a pair of kitchen scissors and cut his hair so short he was almost bald except for his bangs, which she left "to hide that horrible scar."

"WHAT! HOW DARE SHE TOUCH THE HAIR! IT'S A FAMILY TRAIT." James bellowed.

Dudley had laughed himself silly at Harry, who spent a sleepless night imagining school the next day, where he was already laughed at for his baggy clothes and taped glasses.

"Brat,"

"I really, really hate that kid"

Next morning, however, he had gotten up to find his hair exactly as it had been before Aunt Petunia had sheared it off.

"Haha can't mess with the hair."

"He's right it's like a life force of its own" James muttered.

"That means I'll never be able to do anything with it?" Lily asked desperately.

"Nope." James chuckled.

He had been given a week in his cupboard for this, even though he had tried to explain that he couldn't explain how it had grown back so quickly.

"That's not fair. Petunia saw me do accidental magic! She knows that at that age you can't control it! She's gonna get dead."

"Yea she really is a monster, thank Merlin you got the nice genes Petal."

Another time, Aunt Petunia had been trying to force him into a revolting old sweater of Dudley's (brown with orange puff balls) –

"Sounds – there isn't even a word strong enough."

- The harder she tried to pull it over his head, the smaller it seemed to become, until finally it might have fitted a hand puppet, but certainly wouldn't fit Harry.

"Good boy don't let her walk all over you."

"You know what son; I give you permission to blow up my sister's precious house."

"Lily are you sure you're okay? It isn't like you to be so .. vengeful.

"Whatever she treats my son like dirt, I'm allowed to be pissed off."

"Did Lily Evans, head girl, goody goody and strict rule enforcer just not only encourage vandalism and pranking but also curse."

"Put a sock in it Sirius."

Aunt Petunia had decided it must have shrunk in the wash and, to his great relief, Harry wasn't punished.

"Thank God."

On the other hand, he'd gotten into terrible trouble for being found on the roof of the school kitchens.

"We've never done that, we've never got up onto the roof. Why haven't we been on the roof?" Sirius asked incredulously.

"Never thought of it. Why didn't we think of it? Maybe this book will give us new ideas. We have hit a dry spell and the Slytherins have started moving in packs so we can't even prove them properly, it's getting embarrassing but with the books we can change that." James stated in a tone that was more suited to talking about the weather.

Remus gasped "with the roof we could..."

"And make it so that everyone"

"But do it when the rest of the school"

"Yea maximum impact." Lily watched this exchange with wide eyes, the fact that they could communicate so easily and in a way that no one else would understand spoke to the strength of their friendship. It really was astounding they were more like brothers than friends, which wasn't surprising considering.

James was an only child so his best friends turned into his sera get siblings, Remus though his parents still loved him they were slightly scared of him due to his lycanthropy and were a little distant and Sirius, well he had been an outcast from his family since he was old enough to from his own opinions, he was as good as a person could come (though she would never admit it too his face) and his family, well they were not.

Dudley's gang had been chasing him as usual when, as much to Harry's surprise as anyone else's, there he was sitting on the chimney.

"He flew."

"Apparated"

"Flew"

"Apparated"

"Flew"

"GIVE OVER WHAT DOES IT MATTER HOW HE GOT THERE! HE IS THERE."

"Wow Remus, I thought I was the one with the anger problems. But no matter wither he apparated or flew that's pretty strong accidental magic."

The Dursleys had received a very angry letter from Harry's headmistress telling them Harry had been climbing school buildings. But all he'd tried to do (as he shouted at Uncle Vernon through the locked door of his cupboard) was jump behind the big trash cans outside the kitchen doors. Harry supposed that the wind must have caught him in mid- jump.

"Yea that's likely."

But today, nothing was going to go wrong. It was even worth being with Dudley and Piers to be spending the day somewhere that wasn't school, his cupboard, or Mrs. Figg's cabbage-smelling living room.

"He has never been anywhere that wasn't school, the cupboard or 's. Oh my poor baby, he never had a childhood. We should have been there James we should have brought him to the zoo, to the fair, the beach. It's not fair; he never did anything to disserve this."

"I know love, this is not going to happen now. We will bring him to the zoo, the beach and the fair, I promise. Harry will grow up happy and loved, okay?" She gave him a watery smile and he motioned for Remus to continue.

While he drove, Uncle Vernon complained to Aunt Petunia.

"Something tells me he does this a lot."

He liked to complain about things: people at work, Harry, the council, Harry, the bank, and Harry were just a few of his favorite subjects.

"Gee, he really seems to really like Harry doesn't he."

This morning, it was motorcycles.

"HEY! Motorcycles rock!"

"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums," he said, as a motorcycle overtook them.

"Hoodlums, I'm not a hoodlum and I own a motorcycle in the future."

"Sirius?"

"Yes?"

"Shut up!"

"Shutting up."

I had a dream about a motorcycle," said Harry, remembering suddenly. "It was flying."

"Bad idea kid, he certainly got his father's brains."

"Oi!"

Uncle Vernon nearly crashed into the car in front. He turned right around in his seat and yelled at Harry, his face like a gigantic beet with a moustache:

"Attractive mental image."

"MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!" Dudley and Piers sniggered.

"Shut up ya gits"

I know they don't," said Harry.

"Mine does." Sirius sang

"It was only a dream."

"No it wasn't" he continued in the same tone.

But he wished he hadn't said anything. If there was one thing the Dursleys hated even more than his asking questions, it was his talking about anything acting in a way it shouldn't,

"Gits!"

no matter if it was in a dream or even a cartoon - they seemed to think he might get dangerous ideas.

"Dangerous ideas? From cartoons? Is she insane millions and millions of muggle children watch cartoons and please I remember before we knew I was a witch me and her used to pretend we were magic. The stinking hypocrite." This chapter was very difficult for Lily to read as it showed her just how much her sister hated her that she would take it out on an innocent child just because he was her son.

It was a very sunny Saturday and the zoo was crowded with families. The Dursleys bought Dudley and Piers large chocolate ice creams at the entrance and then, because the smiling lady in the van had asked Harry what he wanted before they could hurry him away, they bought him a cheap lemon ice pop.

"They're not that bad actually."

It wasn't bad, either,

Lily smiled at that, maybe her son did take after her in some ways.

Harry thought, licking it as they watched a gorilla scratching its head who looked remarkably like Dudley, except that it wasn't blond.

"Hahahaha I love you child, that is gold. Lily's brains and your sense of humour Prongs and the kid is unstoppable."

Harry had the best morning he'd had in a long time.

Everyone looked saddened at this.

He was careful to walk a little way apart from the Dursleys so that Dudley and Piers, who were starting to get bored with the animals by lunchtime, wouldn't fall back on their favorite hobby of hitting him.

"Delightful, delightful boys."

They ate in the zoo restaurant, and when Dudley had a tantrum because his knickerbocker glory didn't have enough ice cream on top,

"Brat!"

Uncle Vernon bought him another one and Harry was allowed to finish the first.

"Well at least something good came from a Dudley tantrum."

Harry felt, afterward, that he should have known it was all too good to last.

"Oh Merlin."

After lunch they went to the reptile house. It was cool and dark in there,

"Reminds me of the Slytherin common room."

"You've been in the Slytherin common room?"

"Continue reading Moony."

with lit windows all along the walls. Behind the glass, all sorts of lizards and snakes were crawling and slithering over bits of wood and stone. Dudley and Piers wanted to see huge, poisonous cobras and thick, man-crushing pythons.

"Hope it crushes them."

Dudley quickly found the largest snake in the place.

"Maybe they will bond, you know both being the largest of their kind and all." Remus joked.

It could have wrapped its body twice around Uncle Vernon's car and crushed it into a trash can –

"Big snake."

- but at the moment it didn't look in the mood. In fact, it was fast asleep.

Dudley stood with his nose pressed against the glass, staring at the glistening brown coils.

"Poor glass."

"Make it move," he whined at his father. Uncle Vernon tapped on the glass, but the snake didn't budge.

"Do it again," Dudley ordered. Uncle Vernon rapped the glass smartly with his knuckles, but the snake just snoozed on.

"This is boring," Dudley moaned. He shuffled away.

"So fat, he can't even walk properly."

Harry moved in front of the tank and looked intently at the snake. He wouldn't have been surprised if it had died of boredom itself - no company except stupid people drumming their fingers on the glass trying to disturb it all day long. It was worse than having a cupboard as a bedroom, where the only visitor was Aunt Petunia hammering on the door to wake you up; at least he got to visit the rest of the house.

"It's so sad that the only thing he relate to is a snake."

"Can you imagine, that would be such a sad life."

"My son will not grow up like that, I will not allow that." James muttered darkly.

The snake suddenly opened its beady eyes. Slowly, very slowly, it raised its head until its eyes were on a level with Harry's.

It winked.

"Is that normal snake behaviour."

Harry stared. Then he looked quickly around to see if anyone was watching. They weren't. He looked back at the snake and winked, too.

"Don't wink back!" Lily screeched.

The snake jerked its head toward Uncle Vernon and Dudley, then raised its eyes to the ceiling. It gave Harry a look that said quite plainly: "I get that all the time."

"He has to just be guessing right? I mean there is no way he can interpret a snakes body language, can he?"

"I know," Harry murmured through the glass, though he wasn't sure the snake could hear him. "It must be really annoying."

"Don't talk to it!"

The snake nodded vigorously.

"It understands him!"

"He's a parselmouth? How can he be, no one in my family is – where did he get it from." James was panicking.

"It'll be okay, so long as no one at Hogwarts finds out."

"Yea because if they do find out they'll think he's the hair of Slytherin."

"Where do you come from, anyway." Harry asked.

"Oh I think I'm going to cry!"

"James! Stop being so bloody dramatic!"

The snake jabbed its tail at a little sign next to the glass. Harry peered at it.

Boa Constrictor, Brazil.

"Was it nice there." The boa constrictor jabbed its tail at the sign again and Harry read on: This specimen was bred in the zoo. "Oh, I see - so you've never been to Brazil." As the snake shook its head, a deafening shout behind Harry made both of them jump.

"What? What happened?"

"If you would let me continue reading Padfoot, we would be able to find out."

"DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!" Dudley came waddling toward them as fast as he could.

"So it took him like 20 minutes to get there?"

"People were probably running around screaming EARTHQUAKE!"

"Really Padfoot? Fat jokes?"

"Yes sireee"

"Out of the way, you," he said, punching Harry in the ribs.

"Oi!" Everyone in the room shouted.

Caught by surprise, Harry fell hard on the concrete floor.

"No offence Lily but I kind of want to kill your sister and Dursley just so they can never reproduce."

"Oh, please do."

What came next happened so fast no one saw how it happened –

"Oh, this should be good."

- one second, Piers and Dudley were leaning right up close to the glass, the next, they had leapt back with howls of horror.

"What, what happened?"

"Sirius!"

"Sorry."

Harry sat up and gasped; the glass front of the boa constrictor's tank had vanished.

"Wicked, I love that."

"Best accidental magic ever!"

"Serves that prick right."

"That's my son, he must be really powerful to be able to make something disappear completely."

"That's our boy." James laughed.

The great snake was uncoiling itself rapidly, slithering out onto the floor. People throughout the reptile house screamed and started running for the exits.

"A rational reaction, I feel like doing that whenever I see the Slytherins."

As the snake slid swiftly past him, Harry could have sworn a low, hissing voice said, "Brazil, here I come... Thanksss, amigo."

"Well that's just creepy."

The keeper of the reptile house was in shock.

"I bet he was."

"But the glass," he kept saying, "where did the glass go."

"Into none being, which is to say everything."

The zoo director himself made Aunt Petunia a cup of strong, sweet tea while he apologized over and over again.

"Don't bother, she is a nightmare. Hopefully she'll die of shock." Lily spat at the book.

Piers and Dudley could only gibber. As far as Harry had seen, the snake hadn't done anything except snap playfully at their heels as it passed,

"Pity."

but by the time they were all back in Uncle Vernon's car, Dudley was telling them how it had nearly bitten off his leg, while Piers was swearing it had tried to squeeze him to death.

"Wish it had."

But worst of all, for Harry at least, was Piers calming down enough to say, "Harry was talking to it, weren't you, Harry."

"IDIOT"

"shut up"

"Nobody likes you" Lily, James and Sirius shouted at the book.

Uncle Vernon waited until Piers was safely out of the house before starting on Harry. He was so angry he could hardly speak. He managed to say, "Go - cupboard- stay - no meals,"

This time it was James who snapped "He better let my so eat or I swear to Merlin, that man is going to meet a painful end." Lily placed a hand on his arm and snuggled into his side, this had the desired effect as it calmed him down.

before he collapsed into a chair, and Aunt Petunia had to run and get him a large brandy.

"Seriously? He gets stressed and starts drinking. He really is a terrible father."

Harry lay in his dark cupboard much later, wishing he had a watch.

"He doesn't even own a watch? Even my parents bought me a watch when I was a child."

He didn't know what time it was and he couldn't be sure the Dursleys were asleep yet. Until they were, he couldn't risk sneaking to the kitchen for some food.

"Ah a Marauder at heart."

"Oh Merlin, he's just going to be just like his father isn't he."

"Yes he is."

He'd lived with the Dursleys almost ten years, ten miserable years, as long as he could remember,

This made all the teens share sad looks.

ever since he'd been a baby and his parents had died in that car crash.

Sirius swore at the book at that.

He couldn't remember being in the car when his parents had died. Sometimes, when he strained his memory during long hours in his cupboard, he came up with a strange vision: a blinding flash of green light

"Green light?" Remus asked like he couldn't believe what he'd just read.

"The Aveda Kadevera? My baby survived the Aveda kadevera? Oh my poor boy!" Lily started getting weepy. In fact none of the boys looked too good either. All the blood appeared to have left Sirius' face.

"H h he remembers it?"

and a burning pain on his forehead. This, he supposed, was the crash, though he couldn't imagine where all the green light came from.

"It's not a car crash Harry, we didn't die in a car crash."

He couldn't remember his parents at all.

Lily sobbed into James' shoulder at that.

His aunt and uncle never spoke about them, and of course he was forbidden to ask questions. There were no photographs of them in the house.

"He doesn't even know what we look like." Lily said but it came out muffled due to the fact that her face was buried in James' shirt.

When he had been younger, Harry had dreamed and dreamed of some unknown relation coming to take him away,

"Why didn't we?" Remus sighed.

but it had never happened; the Dursleys were his only family.

Lily hissed at this.

Yet sometimes he thought (or maybe hoped) that strangers in the street seemed to know him. Very strange strangers they were, too.

"WIZARDS!"

A tiny man in a violet top hat had bowed to him once while out shopping with Aunt Petunia and Dudley. After asking Harry furiously if he knew the man, Aunt Petunia had rushed them out of the shop without buying anything.

I bet she did, Merlin forbid someone should be show an interest in my son."

A wild-looking old woman dressed all in green had waved merrily at him once on a bus. A bald man in a very long purple coat had actually shaken his hand in the street the other day and then walked away without a word. The weirdest thing about all these people was the way they seemed to vanish the second Harry tried to get a closer look.

"They all wanted a closer look at the famous Harry Potter."

"Yea well, the fact that they annoyed Petunia makes it all the better."

At school, Harry had no one. Everybody knew that Dudley's gang hated that odd Harry Potter in his baggy old clothes and broken glasses, and nobody liked to disagree with Dudley's gang.

"That's the end"

"My poor boy's been through so much, it's not fair. This shouldn't have happened to him, he doesn't deserve this. He is a hero, he saved the world, hell I bet he saved the Dursley's life. You know Voldemort has started attacking Muggles."

They heard a shuffling sound from the same corner as before. This time all of them heard it, they jumped up and pointed their wands in the direction of the sound. "Revealio" James cast.

Suddenly sitting in the alcove by the window was a young woman.

Thank you so much to everyone who reviewed, favourited and tracked. I love you all.

Mikado X Goddess. - Ron and Hermione are 21, Harry is 20 going on 21, Ginny is 19 going on 20. They are all engaged but not married. I think Ginny and Harry get married as Ginny has James when she is 21 where as Hermione has Hugo when she is 25, so that's what I'm going with in my story. ~ thanks for the review – you made my day.

Unkinnh – thank you for the review, I took all your points into concideration.