My first story, I am dyslexic and basically did this as practice. Please tell me whether I should continue or not. I thought that for me it would be easier to write a Fem!Harry, I know some people don't like this so I felt the need to warn people. Some mentions of child abuse but I won't go into detail.

'What' and 'if' are two very innocuous words in themselves, however when put together they can alter a person's life and fate. For instance, it is possible to ask 'what if Snape had not heard a certain prophecy at the Hog's Head' or 'what if James and Lily Potter had decided to make Sirius Black their Secret Keeper'. Indeed, it is even possible to ask what if the Dursley's hadn't been invited to visit a friend's villa in Italy, after all they had to take a long a certain girl who lived under the stairs. This one action changed a lot, for neither Vernon, Petunia or Dudley Dursley would return from this trip, nor even Harriet Potter, however her life would end up considerably different due to this trip.

However, we must now return to life at number 4 Private Drive, Surrey before the aforementioned trip. Life was normal. At least that was what it would appear to the neighbours and acquaintances of the Dursley family. There was no need for any mention of the fact that there was a possible witch aged seven living in a cupboard under their stairs, nor for the fact that it was she did an amount of chores too great for her age or small stature.

However, as life is apt to do, it all changed suddenly when sometime in April the overweight figure of Mr. Vernon Dursley returned home from work. Routine was a well-established affair generally at the Dursley household, Vernon would enter the house, greet his wife and son with a peck on the cheek and then sit at the kitchen table waiting for his niece (although he would try to deny this relationship) to serve supper. This was how it was done, so when Vernon altered this routine, there could only be something interesting about to happen. After his greetings for Petunia and Dudley, Vernon did not go to the kitchen, indeed he encouraged his wife and son into the sitting room before starting to explain his excitement.

"Pet, Dudders! I have had the most exciting day today. You remember that business man who was interested in the Grunning's last month? Well, he has offered us the use of his holiday house for a couple of weeks over the summer. So we are going to Italy for a fortnight!"

The reaction of the other members of number 4 were all different, Petunia's was perhaps the most expected, after all she now had something to look forward to, something to boast about in the lead up to the trip and something to talk about when she returned. After all, number 7 were only going to France for a week, and they certainly would not be staying in a private villa. Dudley's reaction was excited but for different reasons after all, he was seven and so didn't quite understand the whole situation but his parents were excited so why should he not be too? After all, he was receiving attention from his parents, even though at this point he was more concerned with his supper rather than what was going to occur in two months' time. For the sake of fairness, we must too examine the reaction of a small figure who stood outside the open door of the sitting room, for her she saw no reason to expect her life to change. She at this point was more concerned about whether supper would be overcooked by the time Petunia stopped her ramblings about how 'wonderful and amazing' the trip was going to be, indeed she was more concerned again with whether or not she would get supper at all. So the unnaturally green and grave eyes left the door of the sitting room and turned towards the kitchen, waiting for the inevitable strop from Dudley about supper being late.

When the Dursley's did finally come through to the kitchen it was to a supper laid out on the table and Harriet washing up saucepans. It was at this point perhaps the reality slightly caught up with the Dursley's.

"I suppose this means that she will have to come, we can't leave her in the house alone for two weeks and if we left her behind it would be suspicious" said Vernon.

Petunia had reached the same conclusion it seemed as she added, "Indeed, we can't leave her, they might be watching, well we can leave her in the car when we go out."

This seemed to garner a reaction from their son who, when realising they were talking about someone other than himself, decided to make his already considerable person more known. At the age of seven his tempers could fell the dinner table, and he was well versed in what made his parents react: "But… but… I don't want her to come, she ruins everything".

Recognising what was about to happen, Mr and Mrs Dursley turned their attention to their pride and joy. "She won't ruin everything, I promise Sweetie. She just has to come with us, otherwise we won't be able to go" said Petunia as she reached over to console her 'distraught' son.

Realising what his wife was trying to avoid, Vernon jumped on the 'avoid-Dudley-having-a-tantrum' train. "That's is right Dudley, don't worry, we will leave her at the villa or in the car when we can."

At this point, they recalled that the subject of their conversation/ire was still in the room, whereupon Vernon stood up and dragged her out of the kitchen and to her cupboard, bodily throwing her inside he snarled at her: "you heard us, girl, no funny business, we are only taking you because we have to. If you step once out of line between now and when we get back from Italy then I shall take the belt to you again. Do you understand?"

Almost without waiting for an answer, he slammed the door shut with such force that little puffs of dust exploded above our heroine's head. With a sigh, Harriet realised that supper, or indeed food or any kind seemed off the cards again. However, this was not an uncommon thing so she had learned to deal with it, reaching under the truckle bed squeezed into the space, Harriet pulled out her school bag and pulled out a slightly bruised apple from the school lunch which she proceeded to eat with some gusto. Lying back on her bed, Harriet read and reread the chalk writing on the wall above her bed, 'Harriet Lily Dorea Potter' and underneath 'James Charlus Potter' and 'Lily Potter'. Having not known her full name or her parents' names before Aunt Petunia had filled out the forms for school, Harriet had made sure to write them up, a reminder that she did have parents who had once loved her, or at least that is what she hoped. Whilst her aunt may say that her parents were no-good, lazy individuals, Harriet's dreams said otherwise. She imagined a family, parents who loved her, not existed with her. This path was lost to her though, however, that is not to say that eventually she would receive a family, that whilst unconventional would love her.

Not quite sure where I am going from here if I do go anywhere. Hope it is alright!