Chapter 1: Letters
To all outward appearances, the residents of Number 4 Privet Drive looked very normal, but the Dursley's had a secret that they didn't want to get out. There's a wizard and witch in the house, the wizard was currently awake in the cellar. But Robert Potter only knew it as his bedroom, it's been his for years, ever since his Aunt and Uncle realized two children couldn't live in a cupboard. Well, it wasn't entirely his, he did have to share with his twin brother Harry. Currently he sat with his back against a concrete wall book in his lap as he pass the time until he needed to get up. Harry currently was curled up on the other side of the bed. 'Honestly, two boys one bed. What were the Dursley's thinking? Wait they never think.'
Currently Robert traced the old paper with finger as he read. The book was old, older than him, but it was still his favorite. He was torn from his book by a rapping sound on the door and Petunia's shrill voice came through the door, "GET UP!" she said shrilley. Harry groaned and began his morning wake up ritual, which happened to be lay around until Petunia dragged him out of bed. Harry did straighten his legs and knocked Roberts book to the floor.
"OI! Careful, the bindings delicate," Robert said in protest. Harry just ignored him pushing his face into the mattress trying to sleep more.
He opened the old wooden wardrobe and pulled out the cleanest and best fitting clothes he owned, Petunia would have a fit if he wore dirty clothes on her precious Dudley's birthday. After he dressed he looked into the cracked mirror and frowned, his best clothes were still dirty and about 3 sizes too large.
He turned and headed towards the stairs that lead out of the cellar, "Hurry up Harry or Petunia will have a fit," Robert called as he climbed the stairs, Harry groaned and made a rude hand gesture at him. Robert chuckled before exiting the cellar and entered the kitchen, moving to the stove to help cook breakfast. A few minutes later Harry stumbled in still bleary eyed and helped Robert at the stove. Vernon Dursley then entered the room, he took a glance at Harry and Robert and shouted, "Comb your hair!" as way of greeting.
Robert ignored the walrus-man and continued cooking the bacon, trying not to burn it, no reason to piss them off for no reason. Dudley entered the room right as the twins finished cooking breakfast. Robert took the plates over to the table and then faced his greatest challenge of the day, where to put the food when there were so many presents? After finding a place to set the food down he turned to go help Harry with the dishes when Dudley decided to have a screaming fit.
"36! LAST YEAR I GOT 37!" Dudley screamed. Harry rolled his eyes, Robert though was fuming. 'The brat got 36 presents, yet we barely get acknowledged,' Robert thought bitterly before turning toward the dishes, dead set on ignoring the Dursley's.
Robert hated it living with the Dursleys, being made a slave to their whims, while their son got spoiled. Vernon was harsh on them punishing them for the slightest mistake, or even the smallest question. Rule number one to life at the Dursley's was 'Don't ask questions,' The rule was hard to follow in Robert's opinion. He was naturally curious, and always had a question to ask. One time he was locked in the cellar just for asking about types of cars, seriously what was wrong with them. Robert had long since given up considering them relatives in anyway. The worst punishments Vernon Dursley would give his nephew's was locking them in their room, and restricted meals. Robert had long since figured out how to break out of the cellar.
Robert liked to think he was perfectly normal, thank you very much. But he could never ignore the strange occurrences that happened around him and Harry, like the time Harry ended up on the roof of the school, or the time when Dudley and his gang were beating up Robert in the school library books flew off the shelves and attacked the bully's. These strange occurrences always plagued Robert, he didn't like not knowing why he was followed by weird events. It didn't help that the Dursley's always blamed Robert and Harry for everything. Robert hated the Dursley's and their unfair punishments and accusations, but over time he started caring less and less about them.
The phone rang and Petunia answered it, Robert lingered being deliberately slow in moving around the kitchen trying to overhear. He was a particularly nosy child, not like the Dursley's kept him particularly informed. Petunia irritably shooed him out of the kitchen to the table, Robert sat down and snuck a piece of bacon away from Dudley. He munched on it thoughtfully, he wondered if Mrs Figg was going to show them the same cat pictures or if she got any new cats. Harry didn't enjoy time at Mrs. Figgs but Robert liked cats, most animals really.
He was drawn out of his pondering when Petunia hung up the phone and stalked over to the table.
"Bad news Vernon, that was Mrs Figg she broke her leg, she can't take them," Petunia said jerking her head at the Potters as if they were something unpleasant she found under the floorboards. 'Maybe that's why they keep us in the cellar. Because then we're under the floorboards'. He snapped back to reality, Vernon and Petunia were discussing possible options, Dudley was about to have another 'fit', and Harry was looking optimistic, and Robert was feeling pessimistic. Robert doubted that a trip to the zoo would end well for the Potter twins.
Finally the Dursleys decided that they had no option other than take their nephews to the zoo. After piling the family into the car Robert zoned out, watching the traffic flow by while thinking of a dream he had the previous night. The dream that kept returning, the dream filled the cruel laugh, he couldn't make heads or tails out of it. He was drawn from his thoughts when Vernon slammed on the brakes sending Robert face first into the seat in front of him.
He rubbed his nose where his glasses had pressed painfully, while tuning out Dudley's and his friend Piers laughing.
"MOTORCYCLE'S DON'T FLY!" Vernon yelled at Harry, spit flying from his mouth.
"I know they don't," Harry muttered. But Vernon wasn't listening as he began driving down the freeway again.
When they arrived at the zoo Robert tried to convince Harry to sneak away and spend the day away from the Dursleys, but Harry didn't want to be possibly left behind, not that neither the Dursleys or Robert would've minded very much. So Robert and Harry stayed within sight of the Dursleys. as Robert leaned up against a railing looking at a particularly fat chimpanzee, 'Now that's just cruel and unusual punishment, no creature should look like Dudley'.
After an interesting but mainly uneventful day the family entered the Reptile House. Robert followed reluctantly behind Harry, not really wanting to look at the lizards and snakes. He didn't like how they moved.
The Dursleys moved around the large room, and Robert and Harry found themselves standing in front of a very large Brazilian Boa Constrictor. Robert shuddered at the thought of the large snake crushing him, it would not be a pleasant way to go. He was shocked when the snake woke up and raised its head to eye level with Harry.
And Harry had a conversation with it. A CONVERSATION WITH A SNAKE!
'Yep my brother is insane.'
Robert was still looking between Harry and snake in a confused manner when Dudley and Piers ran over(well in Dudley's case it was more of a waddle) and elbowed Harry and Robert to the floor, pressing their faces against the glass. Harry glared at their cousin, when suddenly the glass disappeared letting the snake out. It slithered out of its cage and landed on the ground next to Robert, who let out a yelp and scrambled backwards knocking Piers over in the process. People around the reptile house started screaming and panicking, the Reptile House manger was still stuttering half an hour later.
"But the glass, wh... where did it go?"
Petunia was in hysterics and Vernon was beside himself in rage. Dudley and Piers were telling greatly exaggerated stories, ones that no-one sane would believe. So naturally the Dursley's were eating it up. When the oh so happy family returned home Vernon made sure Piers was sent home before turning on the twins.
"GO... CELLAR... NO MEALS" He was frothing at the mouth and was red with rage. With mild concern that his 'Uncle' was going rabid Robert retired to the cellar.
One day over summer vacation some letters appeared addressed to Robert and Harry. Harry had found them when he was told to get the mail. Harry 'dunderhead' Potter promptly let the letters get seen by Vernon Dursley, leading to Harry, Robert and Dudley being forced in the hall. A quick brawl took place leaving Dudley victorious with his ear pressed against the lock and Harry pressed against the floor trying to hear. Robert gave up, sat back and thought.
'What are the Dursleys hiding? Vernon and Petunia won't even tell Dudley and they give Dudley everything he wants. Spoiled brat, anyway what could it be? They're angry and scared. Angry might mean then that it could have something to do with our 'unnaturalness', that usually makes Vernon mad. But scared? They've never been scared when unusual things happened, at least not this scared. Maybe it's some other family we have. That might explain it, people they don't want Dudley around. But it's been ten years why are they reaching out now if they're family?'
It was with an uneasy mind that Robert returned to his room. He was still thinking when Vernon squeezed himself through the door into the cellar.
"Where's our letters?" Harry demanded, his temper flaring.
"Destroyed, they were sent here by mistake." Vernon stated simply, Robert could smell the lie from a mile away.
"It wasn't by mistake, it had our cellar on it!" Harry said angrily.
"QUIET!" Vernon snapped before taking a deep breath, "about the cellar, your Aunt and I think its become too small for the both of you, so decide which one wants to move to Dudley's second room." He said before turning and leaving the small stone cellar.
A quiet but furious game of Rock, Paper, Scissors occurred and ended with Harry victorious. Harry gathered up his thing before heading up stairs.
Robert sprawled on the one bed, "Ah finally a bed to myself." He sighed, stretching his back.
The next morning the Tension at the so thick you could cut it with a knife. Vernon grumbled darkly as he buttered a bagel, Dudley munched his bacon while looking suspiciously between Harry and Robert(no doubt trying to figure out which of them tricked his parents into taking away his second bedroom), and Harry was glaring at Vernon. All in all it was a very cheerful breakfast that morning on Number 4 Privet Drive.
Robert was drying the dishes when he heard the swish and click of the mail. He excused himself quickly from the kitchen into the hall, hurrying towards the door when he heard behind him, "Get the mail Dudley".
He didn't have long until Dudley entered the hall, he raced quietly towards the mail. There he found four letters two addressed to him, and two addressed to Harry. He shoved one of each into his pocket and dropped the rest of the letters with the mail on the floor, before racing quickly into the nearest bathroom, trying to prevent Dudley from being suspicious. He pressed his ear to the door, listened as Dudley stomped passed the door.
'3... 2... 1...'
"There's two more! Mr H. Potter the Smallest Bedroom, 4 Privet Drive -" Dudley yelled.
From the kitchen there came a strangled cry and then the loud thumbs that could only be Vernon running down the hall. Robert heard a loud tussel commence in the hall. Robert could tell not only by Vernon, Harry and Dudley grunting a lot, but the telltale thwacks of Dudley's Smeltings Stick. Once it all calmed down, he heard Vernon tell Harry to go to his room, and Dudley to leave. Once the hall emptied, Robert stepped out and snuck up the stairs. He entered what he knew was Harry's new room.
There he found Harry pacing back and forth with his face contorted in anger. When he noticed Robert enter he whirled around.
"And where were you?" He hissed, "You left the kitchen, when you could have helped get the letters from Uncle Vernon."
Robert snorted, "it's a good thing I left the kitchen early, cause I was able to grab these." he held up the two letters. Harry's face went from angry to delighted in an instant. Robert handed over Harry's letter, "Let's see what the Dursley's are hiding shall we?"
Harry began tearing into his letter. But Robert was much more patient he read the address on the front.
'Mr R. Potter
The Cellar
4 Privet Drive Little Whinging Surrey'
Without waiting for another moment Robert tore his letter open, it read:
'HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Mr Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely, Minerva McGonagall Deputy Headmistress'*
As he looked at the letter Robert had many questions, but he only voiced one: "What the bloody hell is a Mugwump?"
Harry snorted at his comment, "Really that's your first question."
"Well I think it's a valid question." Robert defended.
"Tell me do you have any other valid questions?"
"Plenty: What's the Order of Merlin, the International Confederation of Wizards, what does Chief Warlock and Grand Sorcerer mean, and those are just titles."
"What do they mean they await your owl?" Harry asked.
"Another valid question, my dear brother." Robert stated, "Perhaps we should write a letter, and see if an owl appears."
Harry looked at him, "You really think we should?"
Robert shrugged, "It seems like the best option we have."
After finding a piece of paper and a pen the two brothers stood by the desk. Robert took the pen and began writing. An hour and many pieces of paper later they had a finished letter on the desk.
'Dear Deputy Headmistress McGonagall,
While pleased that we have been offered a spot at your school, I am afraid we have some more questions that need to be answered before we can agree to attend. As there are simply too many questions to ask that we can fit in this letter. If at your earlier convenience please could you send a representative of your school to answer our questions and tell us where to buy our school supplies. We don't believe there is a store in London that would sell us magic wands and robes.
Yours Sincerely Harry and Robert Potter'
Robert folded it up and put it gently in his pocket. Together the twins left Harry's room and entered the kitchen. Vernon was still fuming in the living room watching the TV. Robert snuck an envelope from a drawer and together they snuck into the backyard. He fit the letter into the envelope and addressed it to the Deputy Headmistress. Then he and Harry looked around, and were disappointed that there were no owls in their backyard. Though that isn't surprising, the Dursleys hated anything unusual, and an owl in broad daylight was unusual.
Then suddenly an owl flew down and perched itself on his shoulder. The two boys stared in shock at the owl, for neither could ever remember seeing an owl this close before. Tentatively Robert reached out a hand and stroked the owl, it hooted softly in approval.
"Hey there, could you help us out?" Harry asked, the owl looked at him and hooted an affirmative, at least Robert assumed was an affirmative.
"This is for a Mrs McGonagall, can you deliver it?" Robert said as he held up the letter, the owl took it in its beak before taking off. "Thanks little guy, we owe you one," Robert muttered softly as he watched the owl fly off to the north.
* This letter is copy and pasted from chapter four 'The Keeper of Keys' from 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'.
Authors Note: Hello dear readers, if your reading this again after I rewrote it. Welcome to weeks of contemplating and on and off effort, and in the end a much better story. If you're new WELCOME! I always like having new readers. I hope you stick around, and I hope I don't abandon this story.