Authors Note: Welcome, this is my first fan-fiction and really my first writing that hasn't maintained a permanent spot in a folder on my computer. It should definitely pick up quality as it goes along. I hope you enjoy

All reviews are welcome and appreciated.

"Did you hear?"

"The Potters, their son Harry -"

Vernon Dursley was humming tunelessly as he headed back to Grunnings when he heard the name Harry. Distracted from his thoughts of drills, he looked around and saw a group of men in cloaks. "Could it be my nephew?" He immediately discarded the thought, "No surely not, Potter is a common enough name, and my in-laws would have nothing to do with these crazies. Why would you dress in cloaks when it has yet to get truly cold?" With that Vernon contented himself.

He had met the Potters only twice, once at His and Petunia's wedding, and once again after Dudley was born. On both occasions the Potters had shown remarkable tact, very well kept individuals with fine clothes. They had seemed refined as a duke and duchess might be. Lily Potter stayed up late into the night catching up with Petunia while he and James had spent some quality time drinking and celebrating.

He entered into Grunnings and put the thought of the Potters out of his mind, there was work to be done. And so it was that Vernon passed the afternoon with little change to his daily routine. He eked out some more profit out of an acquisition and had managed to get a project he was in charge of back on track. He arrived home to dinner prepared on the table. Later that evening as he was preparing for bed, Vernon was watching the local news. The newscaster was saying some of the oddest things. "There were some odd happenings today Petunia dear."

Petunia just coming in from setting Dudley to bed, chuckled "You have no idea, the neighbors son Lewis was kicking up a tantrum. He kept yelling at his mother for more sweets. I swear that boy is going to turn into a spoiled brat if they keep raising him that way."

Vernon nodded in agreement, he had seen the Welbys dotting upon their son without a thought to how their son would develop. "Yes, he will not turn out in a good way that one. But that's not what I mean dear, the news says there have been owls flying around all day in broad daylight. The weatherman forecast rain and instead we had shooting stars. There were people downtown today all dressed in Cloaks too. It's odd I tell you."

Petunia raised an eyebrow, "That's got nothing to do with us though. But I'll tell you what does, someone in the neighborhood got a cat, I saw one sneaking around today. Sprayed it with a hose twice and it still came back."

He chuckled slightly, "What about your sister have you heard from her recently? I overheard someone talking at lunch today and they said something that reminded me of them. We could always pay them a visit if you wanted?" He had always wanted to see their estate. Petunia hadn't allowed it, asking instead that the Potters come to Private Drive.

"No, I have not heard from them." Petunia replied curtly, "Vernon dear, I've told you we aren't going to visit. Trust me in this; my sister is too different for us to be comfortable visiting their home."

"Very well." Vernon still wanted to know why the house was so off limits, but held his tongue. They had fought over this before and the argument wasn't worth it. "When did you last hear from them?"

Petunia thought for a moment while she slipped on a nightgown, "It has to have been since we received their letter saying they had had a son. That was only briefly after Dudley was born, you remember Lily was almost due when she visited." Slipping in to bed she kissed Vernon on the cheek, "Enough worrying dear. I'm sure they'll contact us when they want to. Lily doesn't have the same interests we do but she always considered family important, even if she had a hard time fitting it in to her schedule."

"Yes, well… it would be nice to hear from them a bit more often." Vernon flicked off the light, and settled in to bed. Thoughts of the Potters still in his head, he soon drifted off into sleep.

In the streets, the lights went out.

A shrill cry rang out in the morning, "Vernon!" Petunia stood in her doorway, looking down upon a baby carefully swaddled and placed in a basket upon her doorstep. She knelt down and reached into the basket to lightly touch the smooth cheek of the baby. Trailing up to the baby's forehead, her fingers traced a bright red wound on the baby's forehead. The wound looked partially healed still red and sensitive as if a new wound but the skin was pulled tight with no cuts. Looking back into the house, she cried out again "Vernon, come down here!"

She could hear the thump of Vernon getting out of bed. He yelled down, "Yes dear I know the time. I'll be down in a minute."

Exasperatedly Petunia rolled her eyes "Wouldn't want to rely on him in an emergency" she grumbled. Her hand brushed against something sticking out of the swaddling cloth. Carefully so as not to wake the baby, she uncovered a small envelope addressed to Mrs. Petunia Dursley, Number 4 Private Drive, Little Winging Surry. Her hands shook slightly, whoever had left the baby on their doorstep hadn't done so by sheer happenstance, their house had been picked. She broke the wax seal, carefully pulled out the letter and began to read.

A little while later, Vernon thudded down the stairs tucking in his shirt. "Honestly" he said, "I have plenty of time to get up for work. What are you in a fuss about?" Reaching the bottom, he saw Petunia kneeling outside the door. "What are you doing?" He started walking over to her.

With a choked sob, Petunia reached in to the basket and carefully picked up the baby. Crooning softly as tears dripped down her face she wrapper the baby in her arms, one hand still grasping the letter. She stood and walked softly into the house. "Vernon, this is Harry, your nephew" she choked out. She lifted the letter with her fingers and motioned for Vernon to take it, "this will explain. I'm going to go sit down now." She walked past Vernon into the living room.

"Harry? Why would he be here, and alone? What…?" confused he looked down at the paper he had been given. On the paper he saw a flowing script, looking as if it was burned on to the page.

Dearest Petunia Dursley,

It is with a heavy heart that I inform you of the passing of my dear friends. Your sister and her husband, Lily & James Potter were on this night, murdered by an evil man. They fought to the last in protection of their friends and families, and in the end brought with them in their fall the greatest evil of our time. Our world has been saved at the cost of Lily & James' lives. We have been rid of the darkness and fear we've lived under for these past ten years.

The friends of the Potters are saddened on this night, even as the joyous shouts of the throng are heard. We have lost a great couple, full of love, passion and caring. In our despair we arrived at their estate, destroyed in the battle that took their lives. We were too late. However in the rubble we found Harry, by what luck or power he was saved we know not, but that does not curb our joy. We hope for his future and that he may feel the joy and love that his family would have provided. Our world even now is wracked by the followers of our evil foe, but we shall overcome them. This challenge is for we who remain, but not for Harry.

Harry should not grow up amidst this Chaos. He would be a legend, a figurehead before he even understood what it meant. He would have no freedom, no childhood. He would be targeted and marked for death from the moment it was made known where he was. In him resides the ancient line of Potter, he is the last of his house.

I must insist you to take Harry, raise him as Lily would have wanted. Raise Harry in whole family, with love and compassion. Our enemies will not find you; our enemies will not know you. Every power at Lily's command has already protected your home and family, and so too I've now added my own. You will be safe, but if the time ever comes where you are in danger or in need, speak my name and call for help, I shall hear you. We shall take care of all the muggle paperwork, look after Harry the well-wishers of the Order go with him.

Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore

Vernon was if possible more confused, "What Order?" Carefully he folded the letter. He mulled over the contents of the letter. "What world?" He gave up. "When have I ever really understood her family?" He went to the door and brought the basket in. "At the very least, I should stay with Petunia." He remembered what it was like to lose his brother to a motorcycle accident, having a loved one close made all the difference. Vernon went to the kitchen and set the basket down on the counter. He grabbed the phone and dialed Grunnings, "They can do without me for one day."

After his phone call Vernon entered the living room. It was a small room, no TV just a sitting area with a small table. There was a fireplace for use in the winter and with a mantelpiece with a clock and some pictures of Dudley. Petunia was sitting on the couch Harry in her arms, Dudley in his rocker at her feet.

Her red eyes flicked up to him as he entered, "She was protecting us Vernon. If I know my sister she was probably pushing herself to do too much." Vernon sat down beside her and put his arm around her as she continued on. "I haven't truly talked to her since we were teenagers. Ever since she went off to school she has told me less and less about her life and her world. I thought she just didn't want us to feel bad about how little we had compared to her, but they were living in fear? You and I have lived happily but she didn't tell us anything to make us worry, instead she just protected us. I can't believe I wasn't more insistent on visiting. I can't believe-." Her voice cut off as she started shaking more sobs.

Vernon hugged her a little tighter, "There's nothing you could have done" He held her as cried. A little while later as Vernon was watching the clock's second hand on the mantelpiece he heard Harry stir. Harry had woken and was staring up at them. Vernon looked down into those eyes, imagining what life would be like for him. What if Harry ended up in an orphanage, or with someone who would treat him with contempt? He deliberated giving Harry up for adoption silently, not wanting to disturb Petunia with his thoughts. It did not take him long to decide however, "Harry deserves to be with family, we'll look after him."

Petunia looked at him a little surprised; she knew he had only wanted one child. She smiled and said softly, "We'll raise him the best we can."