Chapter 4: A new life

Harry took his broom and flew an enormous distance, wearing his father's cloak the entire way. Before leaving, he had found a small compass in the lost and found. It had been enchanted by one of the students, he was sure. He whispered the safest place he knew for the time being. 4 Privet Drive.

One knock and Harry could hear a familiar voice grumble annoyingly about how he hates to be disturbed when he's watching the telly. The door swung viciously open and there stood a man red faced from exhaustion of having to get up.

"Who the bloody hell are you?" Spoke uncle Vernon annoyingly.

"Uncle Vernon, it's Harry. I've disowned the wizarding world and I want to be normal." The words seared his throat in agony as he'd like nothing more than the opposite.

Uncle Vernon looked confused but beckoned Harry inside. When they sat on the couch uncle Vernon finally said "If you're the boy and you want to be normal then what's with all this hocus pocus with your face?"

Harry explained that if he looked the same way as before then the "freaks" would find him and he would be forced to be one of them. He wanted to be normal, so he had to change his identity. Harry spun a tale long and bold to convince his uncle he wanted no more of this other world.

"Please uncle Vernon, I need to change my name so that Harry Potter doesn't live here. I want a real job, and a home of my own. A normal home. I don't know where to begin...Will you help me?" Harry tried his best not to blunder up his lies. At first, the large man was silent. Almost duplicitous, but then tears dribbled from his uncle's eyes.

"Boy, you don't know how happy you've made me! PETUNIA GET IN HERE! WE'VE GOT A BLOODY MIRACLE!" He grabbed Harry in what seemed a deadly hug and after letting go he got up and spoke quickly.

"Right, first thing we do tomorrow is change your name from Potter to Dursley. You'll have to be a cousin we've taken in on my side of course. Would be too suspicious if you still came from her side and all of a sudden after years of no family you turn up. Right, let's think of a name that'll work. Simon Alan Dursley. Perfect, bloody freaks will never find you! We'll make you a new room upstairs and get you a job first thing tomorrow."

Aunt Petunia finally came down the stairs and asked what was going on. Uncle Vernon sent Harry to bed upstairs and while Harry slept, he told Petunia of the "wonderful" news that Harry had given them. Before heading up, Harry could see either disbelief or something...else on his aunt's face.

Harry got into bed and laid down feeling completely guilty and empty. He had left his wand with the other body knowing it would seem odd if Harry Potter were dead and his wand was missing. The next morning Harry woke up to the smell of bacon and sausages and fresh eggs. He got up and looked into a mirror only to be relieved his face was still that of a Dursley.

He changed his clothes into the raggedy ones he had been given last summer and went down the stairs for breakfast.

"Morning my boy. Hungry I suppose? Ah, later on today we'll have to get you some proper clothes. Can't have you going to job interviews in that."

Harry was still surprised at how well they were doing or even how quickly they took him in. Suspicion crept into the back of his mind as he remembered how'd they treated him even before he went to supposed it was because of him now looking like one of them. He had even agreed to call the other's freaks.

Guilt had started to raise up once more he began to feel more... complacent. He had slept in Dudley's nicer bed, and woken up to a family that cared although he was a bit skeptical. His skepticism left though since he really couldn't figure out what they could gain from accepting him. He hoped this life would be better than his last.

After breakfast Harry showered and then got dressed in something as close to normal and decent as he could. Uncle Vernon had kept his word and took Harry clothes shopping. They had gone to numerous places and picked out things from pajamas to business attire to outright jeans. Harry carried the many bags to the car and they were off to the registry to change his name.

When they got to the registry, uncle Vernon nearly cried all over seeing that Harry was true to his word to become a Dursley. Harry was officially Simon. They then went to multiple locations to drop applications off after stopping at a restroom to change Harry-er Simon into his new business attire. Harry was finally normal. He had a normal family, and a normal life. His parents had died in a car accident and he was taken in by his wonderful aunt and uncle who now truly loved him. Life would never be the same again. Or so it would seem for now...

Later that evening while Harry sat on the couch after a very long day, he was satisfied. He now had a small job and uncle Vernon was upstairs with Dudley separating his belongings. Harry got a new room, and uncle Vernon bought him brand new silk sheets. They were a red, burgundy with silky gold linings. Uncle Vernon's reason had been pure but painful reminders of what he left behind.

"Well" he spoke sheepishly, hoping for Simon's approval, "we've put the linings up and redecorated it all over. You've got a desk now for your new job. I thought you might like those colors seeing as you kept using sweaters with those colors and a letter H on the front. Perhaps we can buy you new ones with an S? Would you like that Simon?"

There wasn't much Harry could say in response. He was happy they accepted him, but they loved Simon, and if he were still Harry, they'd have thrown him out. Harry had missed wearing Mrs. Weasley's warm sweaters but of course, a sweater knitted of magic on a muggle boy named Simon Alan Dursley, well that just wouldn't do. No Harry would just have to be thankful to be loved at all. While Harry went upstairs and changed into his pajamas, the day's events all seemed so far away. But he smiled nonetheless and thought about tomorrows first day at a muggle job and what it would bring him.

He never noticed the sideward glances he received from the other three bodies in the room and how they always whispered once he left.