Harry was small for her age, coming up to Dudley's shoulder.

Of course, thanks to Vernon, Petunia had to sneak the girl food, play oblivious, act like the anger that had dissipated at the sight of those terrified, emerald eyes looking up at her in fear - she didn't want to be a monster.

Dudley, too, would sometimes try and help his little cousin, though it was that all-encompassing fear that meant he had to act tough at home, though Petunia knew Dudley enjoyed making Harry's face light up in pure wonder at the amazing qualities her step-brother held.

So they'd hide it, Harry trying to learn, despite the cruelties around her...

...Including nightmares, and the creatures she'd been cursed to see; terrified at the unearthly beings she'd see stalking people, even if it meant she would then recognise anyone they needed to stay away from, anyone dangerous...

It wasn't until she wsa four, that Harry finally came to her.

"Harrietta Potter, why is there mud on the stairs?" she asked, both annoyed and amused at the small child trying to help Dudley sneak back into the house with mud caked all over them.

"Please don't tell Dad, Mum!" Dudley exclaimed.

"Of course, we'll need you both clean, first, however."

They were easily bathed, both of them good children, keeping their eyes closed against the shampoo, both not splashing when they were told to get in.

The twisting hate for her husband rose again as soon as Petunia saw the belt-mark on her daughter's back.

If only I had more courage...

"Auntie's really strong! don't be mean to Auntie!" Harry snapped at what was seemingly thing air, by the towels.

Petunia straightened, Harry's little eyes glowing fiercely.

What do you expect? Vernon has more power, he earns our money.

"But Auntie's really good at gardening and cooking, couldn't she earn stuff through that?!"

Oh? Like that will ever happen.

Petunia felt defeat start to creep closer...

A little hand grabbed hers, as Petunia gasped, looking into Harry's eyes, which softened after a pause.

"My Auntie's the best in the world, because you're always there for me!" Harry beamed...

"The date is 22-08-1986, the time is 15:42. Case File 00-D-18, Accused is Vernon Dudley on crimes of Domestic Abuse." Judge April Summers was frowning as she nodded to the lawyer.

"I call to the stand Dudley Dursley, the son of Vernon Dursley and Petunia Evans."

The six-year-old is towered over, a stool fetched so he could be properly seen.

"And who might you be?" the lawyer, Joseph Oakley, smiles, as the boy looks over his shoulder to the other witnesses; the small, dark-haired girl, in fact, before he turns back, determination in his features.

"Dudley, Dudley Dursley."

Vernon moves to stand, and the officer quickly yanks him back into his seat.

"Do you know why you were asked to the stand?" Joseph continues.

"Dad's been mean to Harry," Dudley's voice cracks as he glances at his father.

"Can you tell me what you've seen happen?"

Dudley takes a breath.

"He doesn't like Harry, because she's different, because she sees these things that follow people around... Even though she can then use them to tell if someone's good or bad, even if it stopped Mum from being hurt, he'd call Harry a freak, and hurt her..." Dudley's lips wobbled, as he gulped. "H-He'd lock Harry in the cupboard, which is her room, since whenever we try saying anything otherwise, he gets this look that's really scary, and it's like I can see the Imp Harry says is on his shoulder, leering at us... Then he'd hurt Harry twice as much, especially if she starts crying... So I can only watch, then try and comfort her when he goes away... Mum couldn't do anything before because Dad wouldn't let her do the stuff he does, which Mummy says helps to earn money... Harry and I got caught sneaking in because we got muddy in the garden, but then Harry was able to stop Mum from calling herself weak... That Mummy's strong, and the best, which I believe she is!" Dudley gives a shy, wobbly smile at that, as he wipes away the tears beginning to brim over.

Vernon is quickly silenced before he can yell anything, both Petunia and Harry moving to comfort Dudley, even though they're not allowed near the stand until told otherwise.

"How does your Dad hurt Harry?"

"He hits her... Once, she wasn't able to draw in class, because he made her arm swell up, but he wouldn't let us get it made better - the neighbours, he said..." Dudley gulps, as he looks to Harry, who bites her lip. "Once, he tore up the bear I bought her, as a present... I saw it in the shop, and she was so happy when she got it... Even being able to name it herself, since Dad only lets her get the toys I say I don't want any more..." He takes a breath, "I don't want any, if it means he makes her hit something so hard it makes her her sleep with her eyes open, if it makes her bleed... But I can't ever move, because it feels like, that if I do anything wrong, he'll hurt me that way, as well... If I don't act like I'm happy all the time, he'll hurt one of us!"

Dudley only starts to actually cry at that point, Petunia finally being allowed trough to pull her son into a hug, the brown-haired man with them talking silently with Petunia, before nodding to her, as she gives a nod of thanks, taking her son aside to calm him down, though she doesn't leave the room.

"Next?" the Judge asks, as the defendant is unable to speak, glanicing at a furious-faced Vernon.

"Witness, Harrietta "Harry" Iris Carina Potter, niece of the accused through Petunia Evans-Dursley."

Harrietta is also stood on the stool, though the size difference beetween her and Dudley is startling, emerald eyes looking out from a worn face - too worn for a young child.

As the lawyer moves to speak, she takes a breath, Joseph giving a smile and a nod, to which she speaks.

"My name is Harry, Harrietta Iris Carina Potter. I still retain my surname because I was left on my Auntie and Uncle's doorstep, after My Mum died, she and my Dad trying to save me. I didn't - we didn't - actually know what happened, Auntie just getting through the note with me that said my parents had died protecting me, not what my Dad was like, how Mum came to know him, until Uncle Remus found us, thanks to the fact of my Uncle's actions getting into the paper..." Harry takes a breath. "Auntie is an angel, in my opinion, because Angels are always there to guide and look after the more unfortunate people ever, even if she has a really big monster trailing after her because Uncle got swallowed by the imp on his shoulder and started being mean to all of us. Yes, I practically live in the cupboard under the stairs when he is around, no, I don't get let out, until Dudley and I have to go to school, Auntie slipping me food through my school bag." Harry swallows, as she takes a breath. "Dudley helps save me from the bullies, and so I like helping with the monsters that try hurting Auntie and Dudley, so they don't get eaten, too."

"Can you describe the monsters?"

Harry smiles, before she sees Vernon scowl, and schools her face back into the too-adult-like thing it had been before.

"Dudley's is a monkey, though it has too-sharp teeth and stick-like-fingers, it's slightly bigger than the other children's because people call him fat, and Dad scares him so much, otherwise, it's usually docile, because I like talking to it, since that makes them look shinier, letting me see the fact that, despite the tough exterior he put up, my cousin actually really likes when we get to have family time and stuff, so he's not lonely... Auntie's is a big panther like one, but it's a bit more snappy, which it tells me is because of someone called "Lily" and someone called "Severus"... Hers is really cuddly, otherwise; it likes looking after Dudley's monkey, and I think mine too, though I can't see mine..." Harry gives a half-smile, "Sometimes, at night, Auntie's panther slips downstairs to my cupboard; I don't get so scared of the dark, then..."

Harry hesitates, glancing at Vernon, fear evident.

"What about your Uncle's?"

Harry looks at her lap.

"His always likes sitting on his shoulder, or the back of the chair Uncle sits in... It's more squished and solid, like it ate part of Uncle, so it's able to control him more... It grins at me, whenever it catches me looking, before tattling... So I get hit." Harry bites her lip for a moment, "It's like anything that was originally nice about my Uncle got destroyed, so Uncle's imp doesn't have to keep on saying mean things to Uncle about himself... It laughs, too. It directs more of it's taunts at anyone it sees, then laughs whenever they're harmed, or their own creature does something that hurts them more... I'm just glad they can't actually touch anything; they sink right through."

Judge Summers smiles as Harry eases up slightly, before coughing, Joseph quickly acting.

"Harry... When was the longest time something hurt?"

"There are many... Mainly when he made my ankle go funny, so it hurt to walk, and Dudley had to let me lean on him when we were in the playground... But the adults would ask stuff, if I showed it hurt during lessons... Uncle doesn't like that..."

In the crowd, a man with long, blonde hair frowns, as he watches the Werewolf of James Potter's little troupe carefully help the muggle mother and son, as well as young Miss Potter.

He grips his hand in a fist at his waist, as the girl - too mature for her age, even for any Pureblood child.

He stands, as he moves to report to his Lord...