A/N: This is a non-magical alternate universe-ish fanfic based around few thought about the lies and opinions that the Dursleys told Harry in canon.
A few of those lies and opinions(in case anyone has forgotten): Lily and James died in a car crash. James didn't have a job. James was a drunk. Lily was a freak, but her parents were proud of her.
So. I haven't been able to get this out of my mind and thus I wrote this. Obviously, since this is an AU fanfic, the timeline will not be the same as canon.
# indicates that there is another character's POV coming up
Enjoy!
Petunia is ten when she realizes that something is off with her little sister. Lily is eight and all over the place, she can't sit still and read with Petunia, nor can she play calmly with other children. Lily also keeps talking about things that Petunia knows isn't real; unicorns and dragons and magic, as if it exists outside of books. It's okay, though, since Lily is still a little kid; she can be childish for a bit longer, Petunia reasons.
When she's fifteen, Petunia knows that Lily is plain different. Her younger sister has mood swings raging from extremely happy go lucky, to dark depressing madness. She still mentions weird things, and mostly keeps to herself when home. Petunia overhears her parents talking one night; they speak of mental disorders, special schools, and letting Lily use her potential.
It's raining the day Petunia sees her younger sister leave on the train to Hogwarts Academy, a special boarding school that takes students from ages fifteen to eighteen. Petunia has been told that Lily has e few mental problem and need medication and that a special school will be good. Silently, Petunia wonders how it ca be good to send an obviously not normal child away. But, she herself is seventeen and truly isn't that interested in the ways of her parents reasonings, so she accepts it as one of those parents knows best things.
Petunia writes Lily letters, as promised, as the years drag on. Lily responds with short notes and colourful little drawings of her still very much present alternate reality of magic and things that she sees but that no one else does.
Their parents are proud of Lily, Petunia gathers as much during the years. She both gets and doesn't get it; of course they're proud that Lily can handle herself at a school – with medication, but still – and of course they're proud that she seems to be more grounded during her time home with them. On the other hand, Petunia does not get why their parent's don't seem to be proud of her. She's also doing really, really well, but they seldom comment on it like they do with Lily, they don't give Petunia encouraging talks and long hugs, the just tell to keep at it.
Petunia choses to study to become a nurse, it's a long education period that'll see her done by the time she is twenty five. Her parents merely nod. lily, on the other hand, happily jumps up and down with Petunia's hand in hers just like she did when they were tiny kids. Petunia feels seen, and it's a good feeling.
She's twenty-two when she meets Vernon Dursley. He's sturdy and has both feet on earth, a no nonsense type of young man. Petunia likes him after one, two, three dates and flat out asks him if they can be exclusive on their fourth date, and Vernon blushes and smiles and nods at her, mumbling something about not wanting to rush. Petunia doesn't mind this sort of rushing.
At twenty-five, Petunia is done with her education. She hangs her diploma on her wall in the little kitchen in the tiny flat she hires, and she sees it at first glance whenever she enters the little kitchen. It makes her happy. And still, her parents aren't proud of her. They are busy with Lily; Lily who still lives at home but is also on her way to find a small apartment – and that together with her fiancé James Potter, who went to Hogwarts Academy as well. Petunia doesn't mind that her sister gets dotted on, because Lily needs it, but it'd still be nice to here a we're proud of you, Petunia just one time. Alas, wishes are for dreamers, and Petunia is a realist.
#
Lily braids her hair, feels the baby inside her kick, and it's a glorious morning and outside the bedroom window she sees spirits of the four winds play in the early morning sun. Lily waves at them, tells little baby Harry all about them, ties off her braid with a golden ribbon Petunia once gave her and bounces out from the bedroom to the kitchen. James, who by the way does not see what she sees but he's still amazing, is making his famous bread with mushroom stew on top. A perfectly delightful breakfast!
She isn't scared, not really, but the surprise of going into labour a few days early made Lily forget her medication this morning, and she can feel the overactive mind taking charge, making her ramble and stress about in the room at the maternity ward, so it's really no wonder that the midwifes think she's a nervous wreck of a first time mother. Oh well, Lily is sure that she shadows in the corners will help her through this, since James for odd reasons isn't allowed in with her. Honestly, it's not as if he hasn't seen her naked or sweaty and super stressed out before!
Baby Harry is perfect. Tiny and cute with hints of hair that will dark as James's. but he has her eyes. and it makes Lily happy, for maybe he will see the world as she does. After all, she's the only one in her family with emerald-green eyes. She has always believed this to be why she sees so many different things. Lily smiles tiredly at her parents who has just been allowed in. they're proud of her, they say, and in the corner of the room, Lily sees her sister crumble, and she remembers that they did not say that to Petunia when she had Dudley. Lily catches her sister's eyes and, when her parents are cooing over baby Harry, mouths I am proud of you, and Petunia lights up a little, steps closer and asks to hold baby Harry, and the little new-born boy grasps at Petunia's long blond hair and coos in new-born speak. Lily knows that, if her mental illness should one day undo her, as some doctors say, her son will have the very best aunt in the whole wide world.
#
Harry Evans knows a few things about his parents. His mum was ill, but not throw up ill, she was ill inside her head, and some say she was a freak. Aunt Petunia never says that, though. She tells him about Lily Evans every night when she puts him to bed. Some night she talks about his father, James Potter, too. Harry loves to here about both parents, but he thinks he loves hearing about his mum a teeny tiny bit more. It's almost as if he can see her outside the window – he never closes the curtains – dancing with the spirits of the fours winds, her red hair in a braid adorned with a golden ribbon.