Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to any of the parts of this story affiliated with the Harry Potter series written by J.K. Rowling. As such, I do not receive any payment for publishing these works.

Chapter 2: The Boys on the Wall

Genre: AU/Family/Hurt/Comfort

Word Count: 2,066

Content Rating: PG-13

Italics: 'Thoughts' or "letters" or stressed words

Bold: Important information

Underline: Titles

"" - Character speaking

Horizontal lines: A break in time or scene

It had been several years since Harry had been left at the Dursley's doorstep - despite this nothing much had changed. Petunia preferred to work around him, Dudley continued to poke and pester him, and Vernon could hardly stand the sight of him. However, Hazel had grown fond of her cousin as she found him much more pleasing to talk to over her idiot of a brother or her nosy mother.

The atmosphere of the house didn't allow them much time during the day to talk, but at night they were thick as thieves. The topics would rang from what Harry had done today, what Hazel had done today, what freakish accident had happened, the newest cartoons, and the latest games. Not that Harry was allowed to see the other two - unless Hazel smuggled them down - which she did quite often. However, some time after Harry's sixth birthday the topics of Hazel and Harry's conversations changed quite drastically.

"Hazel," Petunia said interrupting the young girl from her reading.

"Yes, Mum?" Hazel replied curiously.

"Pest control is coming tomorrow to deal with our mouse problem. I need you to help me tidy up the attic." Petunia requested of her only daughter.

Internally, Hazel rolled her eyes - of course Mum would never ask Dudley to help around the house.

'At least its me and not Harry.' Hazel thought as she followed Petunia to the attic, 'She probably thinks he'll break something.'

Upstairs the attic was covered in layers of dust and filled with boxes. Hazel looked around curiously - this was certainly more than she had thought.

"Mum," Hazel began, "Why do you have so much stuff up here?"

Petunia idly went through the boxes as she thought about Hazel's question.

"Well, when I married your father he bought me everything I needed. So I kept most of my things up here. Plus, the things my parents left me when they passed." Petunia replied sounding annoyed.

Hazel, knowing her mother would send her away if she asked much more, began to work. Most of the boxes held mundane things - such as sun dresses and winter coats. After a few hours, one box caught Hazel's attention. It held several photo albums and a beaten up journal engraved with the letters 'L.E'.

"Mum," Hazel said innocently.

"Yes?"

"I found a box with some of your old toys, may I have them?" Hazel lied and placed a few of the dolls she had found on top of the photo albums and journal. Petunia looked over at the box and nodded.

"We're almost done here, if you can manage a few more minutes I will help you carry it down."

Hazel nodded and continued to work. True to her word Petunia carried the box down - unaware of its true contents. While her mother cleaned the kitchen and Dudley slept she managed to peek into the album.

On the front cover there was a family of two older people and two young girls. She slid out the photo - in neat script it read: "Evans' Family - Petunia, Henry, Rose, and Lily." Hazel gasped - she knew her mum had a sister, as there would be no Harry if she didn't, but to put a name with a face was shocking. Her aunt was a few years older than Hazel was now, but she realized they looked very similar - the red hair, the green eyes, the pale skin, even her nose. She flipped through a few more pages and saw Lily beside a much older woman who shared their red hair and green eyes. She slipped that photo out as well: "Mum and Lily".

'So, I must get the hair and eyes from my great-grandmother - assuming this was written by Grandma Rose. I wonder if Mum would have ever shown this to me.' Hazel grimaced, 'Probably not.'

Hazel was forced to stop looking through the album as her mother could be heard heading up the stairs - she couldn't wait to tell Harry tonight!

Harry's day was much different then his cousins'. He woke up at six to the rapping of his Aunt's knuckles upon the door.

"Get up! You need to fix breakfast." She demanded and stalked away.

Harry couldn't help but groan. Aunt Petunia had started him cooking this summer and he did not enjoy the task. He usually ended up messing something up - much to his Uncle's pleasure and annoyance. While it gave him a reason to punish Harry, it also made him get thrown off schedule. Harry couldn't remember the last morning he had been allowed breakfast since being forced to cook.

Either way he couldn't avoid his Aunt forever and headed out of his cupboard. As he headed to the kitchen Petunia pointed him to the eggs and bacon that laid out on the counter.

'At least its not too complicated today,' Harry thought, 'Maybe I'll get to eat.'

Halfway through cooking Harry realized his original optimism had been misplaced. The bacon had cooked well enough, but the crackling fat burned his hand. He tried to do the eggs, but his hand was trembling from the burn and kept breaking the yolk.

"You wasteful boy!" Petunia shouted, noticing two extra eggs had been used.

Of course, Petunia told Vernon who then became the charming shade of purple he always did whenever Harry messed anything up.

"We cloth you and feed you - even give you a roof over your head for nothing." Vernon began venomously, "You dare waste our food with your clumsy freakish hands?"

Harry felt his anger and shame building - why couldn't he just do it right?

"You're just like your parents, you are!" Vernon said with a pointed fat finger, "Useless and lazy!"

Harry could feel himself tremble. He knew his parents weren't bad people, but every time his Uncle said something awful about them he couldn't help getting angry.

"You'll probably end up a drunk like them as well. We can only hope you get into another car accident that will get you killed before maturity." Vernon said spitefully and Dudley snickered.

Hazel just looked at her cousin worriedly. Whenever something like this happened Harry would lose his temper - resulting in something strange happening. Last time it had been a rattling table, which Hazel had been able to hide by kicking it. She hoped they would be as lucky.

"My parents were not useless drunks!" The window pane behind him shattered as Harry yelled.

Hazel winced, but before her father could turn an even darker shade of purple she interfered. With the most dramatic sigh she could manage she spoke,

"I can't believe those rotten boys! No respect for others."

"What are you talking about, pumpkin?" Petunia asked as the whole table turned towards her.

"You didn't see them? It was those Russell boys. I outsmarted them on a test last week. I knew they were mad, but I never thought they would throw a rock at someone's window like that!" Hazel lied.

"I didn't see anyone." Vernon said, visibly calmer. As Hazel and Harry had learned long ago, rule number one in the Dursley house was everything that ever happened, especially involving Harry, had to be explained - the more normal the reason the better.

"They popped over that wall for just a moment." The fates were on her side as both boys did appear on the wall although they looked rather confused. Harry and Hazel shared a look that translated to 'we will be talking about this later'. Vernon didn't catch the exchange as he stomped out to yell at the boys - better them then Harry.

The rest of Harry's day had consisted of various chores - weeding the garden, taking out the rubbish bin, cleaning the hallway, and ironing clothes. After cleaning up dinner Harry laid inside his cupboard waiting for Hazel - they had much to talk about.

"Hey there, bolty." Hazel whispered through the door and Harry let her in with a grin.

He glanced at the books in her hand, but ignored them - for now.

"So window pane incident first? Before I get to these." Hazel said and Harry nodded.

"I'm sorry, Hazel. You know how mad I get when they talk about my parents like that." Harry said looking guilty.

"I understand, but you need to be sneakier about it." Hazel replied with an assuring smile, "Do something they can't pin on you. I can't always get away with covering for you like that."

"They would probably still blame it on me. Why do I have to be so different?" Harry said somberly. Hazel hugged her cousin.

"Hey, its okay to be different. I'm sure one day we'll find out why we can do strange things sometimes. Plus, if we were normal then the rest of the Dursleys might actually like us - how boring would that be?" Hazel teased.

"They like you more then they like me." Harry said with a cheeky grin, "So, did you really see those boys there?"

Hazel shook her head. "Nope. I just knew you had to get out of trouble somehow and it was the first thing I came up with."

"You do know they live almost six streets away?" Harry said and Hazel laughed.

"I didn't know that. It explains why they looked so confused though."

"So, books?"

"Oh yeah!" Hazel exclaimed. "Mum had me help her clean the closet today - something about exterminators coming about mice - you'll probably be sent to Mrs. Figgs. In any case, I found these in a old box of stuff and look." She pointed to Lily on the front cover, "Thats your mum!"

Harry held the album on his lap and stared in awe. Other than the odd nightmare with a flash of green light and his mother's voice - he really couldn't remember her. It made him feel warm inside.

"I haven't got to look through it all and thought it could be something we could do together."

Harry nodded and they flipped through the pages. All of a sudden Hazel gasped and Harry looked up confused. Hazel pointed to a picture of an older Lily holding a little black haired baby, but the picture was moving. Lily beamed and waved at them. Harry stared awestruck and Hazel removed the picture.

"Harry James Potter birth with Lily" Hazel read, "Grandma wrote a small note at the bottom too. I can't read it though, can you?"

Harry squinted at the small script, but had to do a double take. "It says I was born on July 31, 1980 at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries. Does that mean what I think it means?"

Hazel looked dumbstruck, but nodded. "I think it means your magical or at least your mum was, but judging by what we've seen over the years.. I would say its likely you are as well."

"B-but, magic isn't real is it?" Harry stumbled.

"Anything can be real, Harry. We have no reason not to believe the album. Grandma Rose didn't look like much of a joker." Hazel said thoughtfully.

"It's just hard to believe you know?" Hazel nodded and took out another book.

"This was with the albums - it has 'L.E' on it. I think it might've been your mum's. I didn't open it - I thought you should." Hazel said and handed him the beat up powder blue book. Harry gulped and cracked open the cover with a gasp.

A/N: Thank you all so much for the wonderful reviews and subscriptions. I hope they keep coming!

A few issues I want to address before we cross that bridge - this story is AU. Harry will not be the all powerful, brash wizard we tend to see in the books. While I don't plan on sorting him into Slytherin some of his cousin's quick thinking and cunning will rub off. As such, opinions of certain characters may change perhaps not extremely, but enough to make a difference. Once Harry gets to Hogwarts - there will not be a large focus on him. He will be there and will help, but he will be doing his own thing as well while I center on Hazel. I really don't want to re-tell you guys the stories with a few changes and expect you to like it - I prefer to give something new and fresh from a much different perspective. Let me know what you think!

Everyone who is waiting on Snape and McGonagall to make an appearance - I assure you they will soon! Perhaps in the next chapter or two.