Petunia stood in front of the mailbox for several minutes. She had written a letter but would it be received? She didn't have access to an owl and didn't know any other way to contact the magical world.

There was this boy who had been friends with Lily when they were young, but he had probably moved away (at least she hoped so for him, given the deplorable state of their childhood town).

Pulling herself together, she inserted the letter into the box and crossed her fingers that the recipient would receive it. She really hoped the old man would answer her.

.oôOÔOôo.

Albus Dumbledore was working quietly in his office when an owl came in through the window. Smiling, he gave the bird a treat after retrieving the letter attached to its paw.

- Let's see, let's see. Oh, an envelope, it's been a long time since I received one. Muggle-born parents should really be informed that they can post their mail to any post office as long as they address it to Hogwarts. I'm going to talk to Minerva about it so that the teachers who bring them their letter can inform them.

He looked at the back of the envelope and was surprised to see that the sender was Petunia Evans. It had been a little over two years now since he had entrusted little Harry to her, he hoped that she took good care of him. He knew that Petunia and Lily didn't have the best relationship but he had no doubt that the eldest would not take her bitterness out on the youngest's son.

He took a letter opener and carefully cut the envelope before reading what dear Petunia wanted.

Dear Professor Dumbledore,

I regret to write to inform you of the disappearance of my nephew, Harry.
There was a serious car accident that claimed the lives of several children and Vernon. Harry should have been part of the victims because the car was aimed to him and the other children had the misfortune to be in the way but the rescue teams did not find even part of him or his clothes or his glasses... The police have been looking for him since the accident, no one understands where he could be. Vernon had been drinking and he drove his car into him, he hated Harry. You shouldn't have confided him to us... I could never have given him a normal childhood, Vernon did everything to make sure that never happened and I really regret not having had the strength to leave, to leave him before that…
Anyway, excuse me for my somewhat disjointed sentences, I'm not really in my normal state at the moment. As for Harry, I think he used magic to save himself. I hope so with all my heart. But I don't know where he is and the police can't find anything. I hope you can find him with your magic. He didn't deserve what Vernon did and the thought of him being dead somewhere really makes me feel hopeless. What would Lily think...

Once again sorry for not having worded my letter better but between the funeral, the investigation, the formalities... I am exhausted and can't think clearly.

Hoping that you will inform me if you find my nephew,

Petunia Evans (please don't call me Dursley, I don't want anything to do with the monster I had the misfortune to marry)

Albus slowly placed the letter back on his desk, thoughtful. Harry was three years old, even with his accidental magic he shouldn't have survived an accident of this magnitude. That said, the fact that no one found his body tended to confirm Petunia's suspicion, there was no other explanation.

He sent a patronus to Severus and Minerva explaining the situation, luckily both had finished their lessons for the day. The two professors quickly arrived in his office, pale.

-Albus, what do you mean when you say Harry Potter is missing? What happened?

- I don't know Minerva. I received a letter from Petunia informing me that her husband had tried to kill Harry by driving his car into him. Several children who were near him were killed but he simply disappeared. She thinks he used his accidental magic to avoid the accident but the Muggles can't find him and she is very worried. Without having a specific area to search, I'm not sure how to do it.

The Potions professor seemed to be thinking intently.

- Director, there may be a ritual I can use to find him but I would need a piece of him for it to work.

- A piece of him?! Exclaimed the Transfiguration professor, shocked.

- It's a dark magic ritual, Minerva, it's obvious that some… questionable ingredients, shall we say, are part of it. But I reassure you, just like Polyjuice Potion, hair is enough.

- Unfortunately, Severus, I have nothing... Maybe Petunia would have something, a hair on a brush, for example. Could you go see her tonight?

Nodding, the dark professor went to change into Muggle clothes before leaving the castle.

.oôOÔOôo.

Severus Snape was many things. Potions master, reformed Death Eater, abused child... But what he wasn't was an optimist. So when he arrived at number 4 Privet Drive, he didn't expect much.

He knocked on the door and was greeted by the sister of his childhood friend. She had aged badly. Neither did he, that said.

- Snape? Is it you?

- It's me Petunia, Dumbledore sent me.

- Oh, he received my letter? Praise God. Did you find Harry?

Shaking his head negatively, Severus entered the house. He saw a lot of boxes in the hallway and no decorations on the walls.

-Are you moving?

- I don't have a choice… That asshole I married got fired just before he killed six children. I have nothing more to do in this neighborhood. I only have the savings that Vernon had but until the investigation is finished, everything is blocked.

- I see. As for Potter, we are not in any position to find him at the moment. The only way for us to look for him requires something that comes directly from Harry. A hair, a baby tooth... Even a nail clipping would suffice.

Petunia thought for a moment. Harry had never had his hair brushed, Vernon figured it wouldn't do any good with his mop of hair. His nails hadn't been cut recently either, and the one baby tooth he had lost had been unceremoniously thrown in the trash.

A tear rolled down her cheek as she realized that if he had been treated normally, she could have easily provided the ingredient needed to find her nephew. She didn't think that her hatred towards her husband could increase after the tragedy and yet...

- No, I don't have anything that would do the trick.

- This is… astonishing. Without this item, I won't be able to find Potter. Show me his room, I'll see if I can't find anything. With magic, I can find things that would have fallen behind his bed, for example.

Ashamed, Petunia simply opened the door to the cupboard under the stairs, shocking Severus.

- Potter was sleeping in the cupboard? What type of monster does this to a child so young?

- Vernon… He threatened to make him sleep outside if I refused to put him in the closet. I had no choice, Snape.

Looking at the woman, Severus felt like he was seeing his mother when he was younger and she was doing everything Tobias asked to avoid making him angry. So he didn't answer and just stuck his head in the cupboard. He made a grimace of disgust when he saw the small mattress placed on the floor next to the household products. Potter was three years old, they had already been lucky that he didn't kill himself by drinking bleach. He took out his wand and with an Accio, a few hairs came out of the gap between the mattress and the wall before arriving in his hand.

- I have what I need. And... Petunia, I promise to help you if you need it. In memory of Lily.

-Thank you Snape. I don't deserve your help after the way I treated you, Lily, and Harry.

- My offer remains.

Without further ado, Severus left the house to go to Hogwarts, a bitter taste in his mouth.