Hello everyone :)
This is the rewrite of my first ever fanfiction "A Little Rose". I wished to rewrite it because I started to write it back when I was 15 and has just started writing. I couldn't continue the original because I felt I had outgrown it so to speak. I believe that my writing style has evolved too much to be able to continue the original version. I have changed some things. For one this story is no longer called "A Little Rose" I have decided to change it to "Keely Potter, A Rose with Thorns". I didn't want to Keep calling this story "A little Rose because I feel like it's going to go in a different direction that "A Little Rose". Another change that some of my old readers may have noticed is that I have changed her name from Lillian Rose Potter to Keely Rose Potter. I felt like Lillian was too close to Lily.
Well enough of this. The original version will still be up for those of you who feel brave enough to venture into reading my horrendous writing.
Please enjoy :)
IMORTANT- This story is unbeta'd. If anyone knows of a good beta I would really apreciate it :)
It was an early December morning, only 6 or 7 o'clock. Petunia Dursley, a thin blonde woman with a long neck and an equally long and pointy face was getting breakfast ready for her husband and son who would be up in another hour or two.
She had been cooking for an hour when her three year old overweight, blond son Dudley came thundering down the stairs. Petunia felt saddened at the sight of her overweight son. Ever since the death of her baby girl she had indulged him too much, letting him get away with extra pudding, extra snacks and leaving his vegetables on his plate.
"Mummy! I want breakfast!" he screamed, resembling is father Vernon with his red face. Petunia sighed, knowing that Dudley was on the verge of throwing a tantrum..
"It's almost ready Popkins. I just need to fetch the milk." She finished plating the bacon and sausage, making sure to put the plates where Dudley couldn't reach them and went to the front door to pick up the milk.
When She opened the door what she found certainly wasn't milk. There, on the door step, tightly bundled, lying fast asleep with a thumb in its mouth was a small baby barely five months old. Petunia was shocked. Slowly and carefully she picked the baby up and cradled it to her chest.
She couldn't believe how much the infant resembled her baby girl. The only differences were that this baby had wisps of ginger hair and a small birth mark below the outer corner of her right eye.
Petunia didn't know how long she stood there staring at the infant. After a few moments the baby started to stir. Slowly the baby's eyes opened to reveal bright green, emerald orbs. Petunia nearly dropped the child. She could have sworn that those were her sister, Lily's eyes.
Petunia decided to look and see if there was a note and sure enough, after searching through the blankets, she found what she was looking for. She automatically recognized her sister curly handwriting. Carefully adjusting the once again sleeping baby so she could open the letter.
Dear Petunia,
This is my daughter Keely Rose Potter. She and her twin brother were born on July 31st of this year. Because of certain events we couldn't possibly take care of both her and her brother so we hope that you can take her in. We believe she is a squib (non-magical) so you shouldn't worry about "freakish behaviour"
Love,
Lily Potter
Petunia stared at the short letter. This was Lily's child. The child that Lily had apparently abandoned on her doorstep. She never thought that Lily would ever abandon a child, never mind on a freezing cold december night. She would have to talk with Vernon but she already knew that she would keep Keely. Keely was exactly what she needed to help her get over her baby girls death.
Vernon wouldn't be down for another hour so Petunia decided to head inside and make a bottle for Keely, thankfully she still hadn't gotten around to getting rid of all the things she had bought for her baby girl and they still hadn't turned the pink and white nursery back into a guest room.
As she passed by Dudley she heard that he was still having a tantrum.
"Hush Dudley, you could wake the baby." she scolded him. Dudley almost couldn't believe that his mummy had used such a harsh tone of voice on him. For the last few months his mummy had given him what he wanted and let him do what he wanted.
Petunia quickly entered the kitchen and prepared Keelys bottle. Once the bottle was ready Petunia went into the living room and sat down on the couch. By this time Keely had woken again and was starting to get fussy. Petunia couldn't blame her, who knows how long the poor thing had been left out there. As soon as the nipple of the bottle brushed the baby's lip she started hungrily suck down the milk.
Keely was halfway finished with her bottle when Vernon came lumbering down the stairs. He was just about to enquire as why there was no breakfast on the table when he saw Petunia on the couch with a small infant in her arms. For a slight second he thought that perhaps the last few months has been a dream, that his baby girl was alive and in his wife's arms. That thought was scratched when he saw the babes colouring. The babe had wisps of ginger hair while his stillborn daughter had been blonde.
"Petunia, who is that?" he asked.
"Her name is Keely." Petunia look up at him. "She's Lily's daughter."
"What is Lily's kid doing here?" he asked confused.
"Lily left her on our doorstep" Petunia said, her anger towards her sister seeping through into her voice. " She abandoned her on a cold, December night with nothing more than a blanket and a letter." once again adjusting the still feeding infant in her arms Petunia handed Vernon the letter. He quickly looked through it, confusion and anger flashing on his face.
"Of all the irresponsible things that sister of yours could have done!" He vented, his face turning a lovely shade a red. " to leave a 5 month old baby out in the freezing cold is the worst! Did she want to kill the thing!"
Apparently the baby didn't appreciate his yelling because she screwed up her nose and started crying. Petunia immediately started rocking her, trying to calm her down.
"Now look at what you've done!" She said. Vernon immediately calmed down, feeling slightly guilty at having caused the poor babe to cry.
"Well, what are we going to do with her?" he asked, not completely sure if she would want to keep her.
"Well raise her of course!" said Petunia immediately. Vernon nodded, before a thought crossed through his head.
"What if they're wrong?" he asked.
"wrong about what?" Petunia asked, only paying half attention while she rocked the now sleeping baby.
"About her being non-magical?" he asked. "The letter only said that they think she's normal. What if they're wrong. She's not even half a year old! how can they be sure?"
Petunia thought for a moment.
"We'll just have to raise her right and properly then." she said "My parents always spoiled my sister rotten and look where it got her. Married to a magical hooligan and incapable of raising both her children." Petunia stopped to think for a moment. "Come to think of it we may have indulged Dudley too much."
Vernon thought it over for a moment. "You may be right. He's been having too many sweets and seems to be getting into the thought that a tantrum can get him what he wants. We'll have to put a stop to that."
"Well then. We've agreed then. They'll both be raised good and proper and not spoiled. We don't want them to end up like my sister and her worthless husband."
Petunia smiled down at the little girl. She was her second chance. She knew that Keely could never replace her baby girl but she would ease the pain she still felt inside. She would enjoy the time she would have with her and if on her 11th birthday it turns out that she really is a witch then they would deal with it then. For now they would enjoy her.
Well, there you have it. The Rewritten version of my old Prologue. Tell me in the comments what you think and where you think I could improve. Feel free to leave comments as to what you would like to see. Also could anyone PM about 90s fashion?
Thanks for reading. The next chapter should be up tomorrow :)