July 30th, 1987

'Twas not the warm and humid air that brought chills up HARRY POTTER's spine. No, it was a foreboding feeling- one that promised nothing but took everything. Thankfully, his precious garden was safe from the evil, white fuzzy things that fell from the sky.

Tomorrow was his birthday -and Uncle Vernon probably got him a gift! he thought excitedly as he gave his babies a final wave, watching as they drooped further -a few vines of the Grape Vine making their way to wrap around his wrist, "Oh! You know I can't stay for long!" he told them quietly as they went limp in his hands and backed away obediently. Making a run for the house, Harry felt his breath increase as he ran faster. Oh, he never felt luckier!

"Harreeee!" his aunt wheezed as he made his way in, "How are the g-" hiccup, "-rapes?" she gave him a woozy smile as he informed her of their perfect health. "Good, good," she smiled at the wall behind him as she lazily swung the bottle of Wine he made a few months ago- as the markings had indicated. "Harry," she said, sounding strangely sober for the entirety of the one second, "Do you know magic is real?" Only for that one second.

"Because it is," she dragged on as she patted towards the seat in front of her -where he sat down immediately and without thought, "My sister was a witch!" she seemed insistent in keeping up this ploy, drunk or not. "I loved her so much! Then- then one day, she turned some bud into a daisy! It was so beautiful- it- it- was magical! I was sooo jealous!
Then," she suddenly snarled, "That-that boy showed up. Ruined everything, I tell you! Anything and Everything!"

"Who was he?" Harry asked with a soft sigh, ready to indulge her in her tale.

"Sev," she stated with vindictive hatred as the sheen of madness gleamed in her eyes, a sheen that normally lay untraced by everyone but him. However, the strain of concentration was too much for his drunk aunt as she went limp on the couch, a woozy promise about a falling tree on her lips.

Harry shrugged it off as he made his way to the kitchen, pulling out the ingredients he would need. He wanted to make something simple today: Grilled Chicken, mashed potatoes and some Asparagus. He made a beeline for the fridge, pulling out some plain yoghurt and marinating the chicken in it, adding his choice of spices at random.

OoO

DUDLEY DURSLEY had arranged the table as Harry put the steaming hot dish in the middle of the round dining table. It was as he dried his hands when he heard the bell ring. "I'll get it!"

Rushing towards the door, or more accurately waddling, Dudley smiled happily at the sight of his walrus-sized father. "Dad!" he yelled happily as he made room for Vernon Dursley to enter, "Harry's made Grilled Chicken!" the excitement could be heard in his voice from a mile away. Vernon licked his lips as he walked as fast as his legs could take him with the weight he put down. He almost forgot about the package in his hand; almost.

"Harry!" Vernon yelled as he made his way towards the kitchen, with Dudley following on his heels, "Happy birthday!"

His brother turned around to his father, looking surprised, "Oh? I must've forgotten!" Dudley didn't know how, but he could just tell that Harry was joking. And he was right, as Harry smiled happily and made grabby hands for his present from his place near the sink as he continued to walk and sat down on one of the cushions.

Tearing open the wrapping paper Harry gasped as a hundred-pound note sat innocently in the middle of the box. His father turned back to look at his mother before settling his gaze on Harry, "Your hard work pays most of the bills in the house, Harry," he explained nervously, "I thought you could go out and by yourself something nice after our trip to the zoo,"

"Uncle Vernon..." His little brother's voice trailed off as he stared at the money in his hands, "This is amazing!" he finally looked up, giving them a dazzling smile as he made his way to give them all hugs- even the unconscious Petunia Dursley.

"Glad you liked it, boy!"

OoO

June 5th, 1991

The rain poured on heavily as HARRY POTTER heaved out yet another sigh. His babies were growing well, and if it weren't for the greenhouse in their backyard, they would have washed and withered away ages ago.

He opened the back door, and walked outside, wearing a pair of yellow wellies and holding his umbrella tightly. He hop-skipped his way to the greenhouse and watched on with merriment as the fruits started to move along and follow him with obvious excitement.

He filled his watering can with some tap water, ("Remember dear: Never take water from the rain, it's polluted.") sprinkling some on his beautiful plants. He felt bad for his flowers, which were probably getting washed up and soaked over in the rain as the soil near would turn into mush!
(Maybe he could get another greenhouse for them...)

"Oh! I have to leave," he told the jittery vines, "I'm spoiling you lot too much as it is!" he insisted, carefully extracting the vines holding tightly around his arms.

He made his way inside, whistling a happy tune as he pushed the door open, conveniently forgetting to alert the people inside of his return. He didn't think they'd mind if he would eavesdrop seconds later.

OoO

"I've been telling him for years, Vernon!" PETUNIA DURSLEY wailed as she pointed towards a random place, "Now look! His letter's arrived and he doesn't even know,"
Petunia was a troubled flower, always had been. Favoured for her beautiful sister, hated by her classmates and constantly challenged by her competitive neighbours.

She had grown up dreaming of a handsome man, who would marry her and she would never have to worry about working ever again. and so, had decided school was a waste of time and didn't go to college. She had taken a major in psychology, a subject she had no liking for and had tried her level best to get a husband.
(Sadly, she wasn't "pretty enough" to catch someone who would marry her, she had asked her sister to help her out multiple times with her voodoo magic, but was rejected in its place.)

After the first few years had passed, she had lost hope and had got a job as a waitress at a coffee shop, to pay for her expenses. It was there, where she met Mr and Mrs Dursley, who had complained to themselves about being unable to get their son a wife. Sadly, she had grown desperate by the time and asked for Vernon Dursley's hand the first chance she got.

Thankfully, the Dursleys were also desperate and had agreed. Their wedding was a small affair, but not nearly as enchanting as her sister's. She had never been more jealous of her younger sister until she saw their wedding. Lily had everything- the brains, the beauty, the magic and now, the perfect husband! She had burst out at their wedding and had made a huge scene, but she couldn't bring herself to care all that much.

She and Vernon had a child not long after. She had been overjoyed, and always thought that the nine months of sluggishness and vomiting would be worth having a child around the house. Of course, that was until Dudley turned out to be high maintenance and Vernon was losing a lot of money.

Vernon worked for a drilling company, called "Grunnings". While he wasn't overly passionate about his job, he needed to earn money some way or another. While his position was well-respected and earned him a pretty penny, babies were expensive -Dudley even more so. So, when her nephew was left on her doorstep in the November cold, Petunia was quick to freak out.

OoO

"I know, pet," VERNON DURSLEY soothed his wife, "We'll tell him again, show the letter as proof- maybe get him one of those teachers to come and show,"

"What about the other letters?"

"We'll ask them to come on other days- nothing but the best for our nephew," he stated proudly

"...Very well," his wife sighed. God, sometimes he couldn't imagine what he'd do without her.

The Evans Family were quite well off. With Marigold Evans being a botanist and Richard Evans being an Engineer, the couple were able to set up a few funds- two for their daughters and one for themselves. After their death in 1979, Petunia had inherited her parent's funds, whereas Lily inherited their house. It had been it those funds, that they had bought No. 4, Privet Drive. The rest they had put away for Dudley.

When Harry had been dropped off at their doorstep, they had been furious. They did everything they could to get rid of the baby, but they just kept bringing him back. They had finally given up and had shoved him in the cupboard under the stairs. That had been their life for three years. By the time Harry turned four, he had started gardening on Petunia's orders. He turned out to be quite efficient in the art. However, it wasn't until his Aunt tried one of the fruits he grew, did she understand how important Harry really was.

They had taken him out of his cupboard, given him Dudley's second room, and bought him a Greenhouse. Harry had continued to grow and harvest his plants, and Petunia and Vernon would sell them off. The most sold one would be his wine, even after a few months, there would always be that little kick to it that just made you ask for more.

They started to love their little nephew, and it wasn't long 'till they sent him off to school. Dudley was asked to protect Harry from bullies and after a while, Dudley and Harry came to respect each other too. Their new life was different from their previous one, but they loved it like that.

Until Lily's Last Letter, that is.