He couldn't believe it, it really made no sense. But there had been clues leading up to this point.

"How could I be so stupid? Just assuming Petunia was a common name. The signs have been there, right in front of me, and I was too blind to see them." Harry shouted at an empty room. "Not even one day with my family and I've already ruined it."

Petunia was about to ask Harry if he wanted any food when she heard the last part of Harry's rant and her heart broke for him. He thought the divorce was his fault. She knocked on his door and it opened to reveal Harry looking nervous.

"I'm sorry, Aunt Petunia, I'll get out of your hair and just go back to where I came from." Just as he was about to say more he was snatched into a warm embrace. Once the hug was over and they separated, Petunia got down on one knee, so she and Harry were on the same level.

"Please don't. It's not your fault, none of it. This has been coming for a long time. I told you earlier how much I've regretted abandoning you at that Orphanage, however Vernon decided it was for the best. Looking back on it, I realise just how many actions in my life have been influenced by him. I want to be Petunia Evans again, I want that connection with Lily back. It just so happened that while my thoughts were constantly shifting to Lily, as they have in the months since Christmas, that you turned up. My own nephew and my last blood relative, save for some particular odious 3rd cousins whose names I don't even know." She rose to her full height and placed a hand on Harry's shoulders.

"My point is that I've just gotten you back, I'm not going to kick you out the second you've returned to me. Now, let's get some food." She smiled at him.

Harry smiled sadly and nodded before following her downstairs, the entire time his mind was spinning and shifting from emotional extreme to emotional extreme.

"Is this what family feels like? If I'm her last link to my mother, then why did she throw me away? This divorce is all your fault…" The thoughts were rapidly firing within his mind as he sat at the table with his aunt and cousin.

Dudley hadn't spoken to Harry much since he had arrived earlier in the week, he was keeping to himself as he processed his turn of fate, so when Harry knocked on his door and came in to talk, Dudley was more than happy to oblige.

"Sorry, I've been spending so much time with your mom. It's just… I have family now. It's a weird experience, and I've had a lot of them."

Harry began staring at his feet at this point.

"You're my cousin, that's weird to say, and it feels awkward. Like everything we know about each other has been made a lie, as weird as that sounds." Dudley took a moment to think about what Harry was saying before he stood up suddenly and put his hand out.

"I'm Dudley Dursley, pleased to meet you." They shook hands at that and the absurdity of it all made Harry laugh, which thoroughly broke the tension.

"You're a good friend, Dudley. Hopefully we can be even better cousins."

July was coming to an end and with it came Harry's birthday, which he had mentioned to nobody recently. He was currently sleeping in later than he normally would, to avoid confronting the world on such a bleak day. So determined was he to sleep in that, when it reached one o'clock and he still hadn't come down for breakfast, which was the latest he had ever stayed in bed here, Aunt Petunia had to come up and ask him to come down. Sighing and resigning himself to his fate, after all he couldn't avoid it all day, he went with her downstairs where he was met with the sight of presents and a very excited Dudley.

"W-what is all…" Harry tried to ask before he was cut off.

"It's your birthday today so you can't complain about being spoiled, it's the least we can do." Petunia beamed at him and, when his face split into a grin and the childish wonder of birthdays and presents overcame him, pulled out a camera and took pictures of Harry opening his presents.

"How many are there?" Harry asked with an ear to ear smile still plastering his face.

"Thirty-six, Dudley and I picked them all out, unfortunately I don't know too much about you yet, so I got you things I thought you'd find useful and a few things that I do know you'd want. Dudley however has known you longer and probably knows what you want a bit better." Petunia thought the pure joy on Harry's face was adorable.

"Thirty-six? But surely that's too many presents. Last year I got a peach." He finished simply with a monotone voice.

Harry opened presents for the next hour, enlisting Dudley's help to unwrap them. He had received some pyjamas and winter clothes, as well as other miscellaneous clothing from Petunia. However it was the last present he got from her that meant the most. It was a framed picture of his mother and father on their wedding day, surrounded by friends and so full of love. Upon seeing this Harry froze for a moment, staring at the picture and memorising every single detail on it, every face and even the number of flowers in the picture. Wanting to absorb every little piece of knowledge on his parents that he could gleam from the picture. After a solid ten minutes of Harry's attention being fully absorbed by the picture, he hadn't heard his name being called, he finally looked away and tears were streaming down his face. He hugged his aunt and, after some time had passed, went on to open the rest of the presents.

After many hours of tears and laughter, the residents of Privet Drive were settling down to watch a movie. They were watching Terminator 2: Judgement Day, something that Petunia normally wouldn't have watched and Vernon wouldn't have allowed. While it did take her some time, mainly to suspend her disbelief, she eventually came around and started to enjoy herself. During the final fight in the steel mill the doorbell went off and Petunia opened it to reveal Vernon who was there to collect a few things. He was living in Marge's house and taking care of her, he looked as if he wasn't eating properly and had lost some weight.

She let him in and he went upstairs without comment, glaring at the pair of freaks, and they went back to watching the movie. Just as it ended Harry bolted upstairs to use the toilet, he'd been holding it the entire length of the movie, and as he left to return downstairs he heard a voice quietly talking to him. Vernon stood in the doorway to his old bedroom, staring directly at him.

"This time a year ago I was an incredibly happy man. I had a wife and son who loved me, an amazing sister who I would have done anything for, and my dream home. Because of freaks like you I no longer have any of those things. My son is one of you, my wife is divorcing me thanks to you specifically, my sister doesn't even remember who I am anymore, and this is no longer my home. Rest assured that I will personally dedicate as much of my life as I can to the downfall of your world. You freaks have to hide, so what would happen if you were exposed, you're massively outnumbered by normal folk like me. It may not be soon but one day…" He pointed a finger at Harry and trailed off as he heard the sound of someone coming up the stairs. Harry went into his room and, somehow, wandlessly locked his door.

He was furious,

"How dare that muggle filth think he can threaten The Dark Lord… I'm Harry, not The Dark Lord… you know what you are, Harry…" this was becoming more of an issue as time went on, his thoughts turning against him. This just made him angrier, thinking about how much horrendous stuff had happened to him. He hated Vernon, more so than anyone right now. His eye twitched and his pupils went from green to dark red and then something snapped and this was no longer Harry Potter. Voldemort was now in the driving seat. He would kill that filthy muggle before he could become a threat.