Vernon Dursley was an early bird, had been since he was little. Every morning he got up to start the coffee, he would step outside to get the paper, he would turn on the tv, already turned to the news channel, and set out the eggs bread and bacon for his petunia to cook when she came down in about an hour. That routine had changed a little bit a year ago when his son was born, but usually that just meant he would have to be holding his little dudley while he went through his routine.

Vernon liked his routine, he was never against change, but life was so much easier when he never had to think about the little things.

Wake up. Make coffee. Console crying son. Get newspaper. Set out ingredients for breakfast. Say good morning to beautiful wife. Eat breakfast. Go to work.

Sometimes he was the one who made breakfast, on weekends he didn't go to work, some days dudley wasn't crying and didn't need to be taken out of his crib yet. But for the most part, that was his routine. And he liked it.

November 1st 1981 started just like any other day, he got up and went to make his coffee. As he was pouring his first cup he started to hear crying, already resigning himself to a morning of crying and soiled nappies. Five minutes later he walked back down his stairs with his son cradled lovingly in one arm, and his coffee cradled lovingly in the other.

He was up a little earlier than normal today, he beat the paperboy, so he had to watch the pre news infomercials with a babbling son and nothing to read. It's not that he minded so much, he loved playing with his little dudley, but the newspaper was part of his routine for years, and it always felt a little strange to have to wait for it.

When he heard the distinctive thunk against his front door, his smile widened just a little. Making his way to the door, son snoozing away in his arm, he prepared for the next part of what he thought was just going to be another routine day.

He knew the second he looked down at his doorstep just how wrong he was.

Vernon Dursley wasn't a very forgiving man. It wasn't something he was exactly proud of, but he knew it to be a fact of himself, and at this point in life he had resigned to it being a permanent part of himself. He just had too much trouble looking at someone that had wronged him (or god forbid his petunia or dudley) and thinking of anything but how he was wronged. When a friend in primary school had tripped him Vernon didn't speak to him for weeks, and he never really forgave the other kid.

When his amazing wife Petunia and her sister Lily had a falling out years ago, which ended in he and Lily's husband James getting into a fist fight (that Vernon was proud to say he won), he was perfectly happy throwing them to the curb, telling his darling Petunia that he would never forgive her sister Lily or her deadbeat husband for the things said. And despite her broken heart Petunia was eventually willing to join him in that, completely shutting off all contact with her sister.

Then those two had to go and die, and that damned Dumbledore (whoever the hell he was) had to leave their deadbeat son on his doorstep.

It had been just under a month since the child had been rudely dropped into their lives, and Vernon was not happy. The child was objectively no different than his own son, but every time he was forced to change a nappy, or feed him, or console his son in the middle of the night because the thing refused to sleep through the night, it drove him progressively more insane.

And the little thing looked exactly like a young version of his parents. With a head of hair that was a disturbing shade of red (almost like blood he noted once to his wife) and practically glowing green eyes he was eerily similar to Lily. But Vernon could tell just looking at him that he would grow up to look the spitting image of his despicable father.

Vernon did not want that child in his home. He did not want that child disturbing his perfectly simple life. He did not want any magic in his home, ever. He did not want any reminder of What those two said and did to his darling petunia (and while he never said it, yes to himself as well).

But what was the worst about this situation? Petunia seemed to actually care for the little shit. She had been treating him the same as she treated their own son. Despite everything her sister and brother in law had done to her, she still looked at the brat with love in her eyes, in under a month coming to vernon proudly with every little benign thing "harry" did, like that thing wasn't a living reminder of her freakish family.

Vernon would never forgive His brother and sister in law for treating his wife the way they did, he would never forgive the magic world as a whole for corrupting the perfect little sister petunia used to talk about all the time, and he could never see Harry James Potter as anything but a reminder of all that hatred he had in him for those people.

Vernon Dursley liked to think he was a calm person. He knew how to keep his head in most situations, and he definitely knew what his limits were. He knew intimately what would get his anger roiling just under his skin, what might just be a simple nuisance, and what would barely phase him. Traffic barely phased him, he had accepted it as just an unavoidable part of his life when he first got his license. Being out of coffee or the paper being late was a minor nuisance, he could just wait for the paper and his office had a coffee maker, even if it was 30 years old, shocked you every time you plugged it in, and it made a truly awful cup of coffee. He liked to call it shocky. But his nephew, specifically his lovely wife doting on his filthy freak of a nephew set his blood aboil every day he came home and saw that thing in her lap.

The little shit was everywhere he looked. When he went to check on his son, that shit was playing with him on a blanket on the living room floor. He put his son down for bed and had to watch as the little freak cuddled up to him in the crib his Petunia insisted they share. He had to sit right next to the monster at the table just so that he wouldn't have to look at it, going so far as to lean forward enough to keep it out of his peripherals.

Petunia was smitten with the thing. She would coo at it and feed it the same food from the same can and same spoon that she would feed his wonderful Dudley. She seemed even happier the past few months with the thing than she had when they came home with their darling little dudders.

Even worse was that Dudley was the same. He and the freak would play together, laugh together, sleep and eat together, they acted like Vernon had always hoped Dudley would act if he ever got a brother. And it made him sick. Watching his beautiful son hug his freak of a cousin, watching them crawl after each other and play with the toys that were supposed to be Dudleys and Dudleys only. The thing was not his brother, Vernon refused to even acknowledge it as his cousin.

And its crying. It never seemed to stop crying. They got it up for breakfast, it would cry, watching the news it would cry, he and dudley would be playing and suddenly it'd just start crying, they put him down for bed and it woke him up every hour in a fit of crying. Vernon knew that babies were supposed to cry, that it was good for them, it helped them stretch out and develop their voices. But the thing would never stop, every day would be crying, crying, and more crying. And Vernon hated how much it hurt him some nights to hear it, how he had to physically stop himself from helping Petunia sooth the child.

But worse than all that, worse than everything. Vernon hated how angry he would get at himself. He knew how wrong it was to blame a child, a baby, for the wrongdoings of its parents. He knew that he was being awful and terrible and that he would condemn anyone else doing the same things he was doing. He knew that petunia would glare at him anytime he let out an unconscious growl at seeing the little thing, that she was appalled at him and just wouldn't say it.

But he just couldn't help it.

He couldn't look at the thing and not be reminded of his in laws, of how much petunia had cried when they had their falling out and cut them from their lives. Of how much had been said and done, and the sheer fact lily and her damned husband seemed to think they hadn't been in the wrong. He couldn't watch the levitating toys or the color changing clothes and know that those monsters, those freaks, those wizards he hated would make him the same as his parents. He couldn't let himself believe that the thing might be able to one day hurt Dudley like Lily had hurt Petunia.

But he lived with it. And now he was just having another saturday night, reading a book while Petunia watched the kids play on the floor.

He heard the telltale coo from Petunia, one of them was trying to walk. They'd been working on it for weeks, they would pull up to wobble on their tiny feet, waddle a few feet and then fall down, and either whine a little bit or get back up and try again.

Suddenly he felt a small thump against his leg, looking down he could see it clutching at his pants and staring up at him in his recliner. (vernon noted he had been across the room seconds before)

"Daddaaa~"

And vernons blood ran cold.

Petunia Dursley was a loving woman. She had spent her childhood making friends everywhere she went. She would look after her baby sister, she took pride in how well she thought she could protect her sister. She even grew to like that little boy that lily had befriended, severus was his name, despite his rather abrasive personality. She could tell he liked Lily, and if he liked Lily it was her job to make sure that he liked her too, so that he would never feel bad when Petunia wanted to be with her sister, when she insisted that they include herself too.

It hurt when Lily went away to that school. It hurt that Lily got to go and she didn't. And it hurt that she now had to keep a secret from all the people in the world that she loved. But She loved her sister too, and she would do it to keep her sister safe and happy. And oh how happy she was, Lily would write letters practically everyday about how much she loved learning about magic, and in the summers in between school she would show Petunia everything she could about magic. And Petunia loved magic because of how much it made Lily happy.

When lily came home one day after her sixth year at that school, hogwarts, Petunia could tell right away that her little sister was in love, and she was so excited to introduce Lily to her new love as well. Lily and Petunia were as close as close could be, and when james made a trip to meet Lily's family, Petunia could easily see why Lily would fall in love with him. He was kind and playful, friendly and smart. Everything that Lily used to say she wanted in a man.

It was the happiest moment in Petunia's life when Lily asked her to be her maid of honour. Made even better seconds later when she was asked to help plan the wedding. That happiness didn't let up until after the wedding. Petunia must have cried so much she could swear the cold she had the day after was partially due to dehydration.

It broke Petunias heart when she had to cut ties with her sister. Lily had been distant ever since her wedding, just after they got out of that school. She had been distant, she wouldn't share anything with petunia anymore, and she refused to allow Petunia anywhere near the magic that she loved so much.

One day, barely a week after she found out she was pregnant, her darling Vernon had suggested that they make a surprise trip up to that little town that Lily had moved to, Godric's Hollow it was called, and tell her that she would be an aunt. Petunia loved that idea so much that they left within the hour. She knew it hurt Vernon seeing how much she hated not having her darling little sister in her life, and she knew he tried to do everything he could to help mend the gap that had appeared between them.

Lily was visibly surprised when they showed up on her doorstep, but she allowed them in, and they had a good day. Lily opened up a little bit, Petunia could tell that Lily was happy having her there. Things looked good. Then Petunia sat Lily and her husband James down to talk, and told her the great news. Lily was shocked once again that day, but she smiled and looked to James, and they turned and told Petunia and Vernon some good news of their own. Petunia was happier than she had been in months, since Lily began to distance herself.

In her excitement Petunia told Lily that she couldn't wait for their children to grow up together, that they could be born so close together that they might as well be brothers! And everything went wrong. Lily clammed up, she looked terrified, and she told petunia that couldn't happen. That Petunia couldn't see her anymore. That she couldn't meet Lily's child, and they could never meet Petunia's.

Petunia was shocked, she was confused and angry, she stood up and began to scream at Lily "Why?! Why can't I be part of your life?! Why are you pushing me away, what did I do?!" And lily screamed back "Because it's too dangerous, you don't belong in the magical world!" and things had spiraled from there. Petunia had screamed and cried, Lily screamed and tried to hold back from crying, James and Vernon were yelling and then both of them seemed to yell together "Just get out of our house you muggles!" yelled james, "You don't belong here Petunia, you're just a muggle and you need to leave!" yelled Lily, and finally vernon had enough. Next thing Petunia knew she was staring at a Crying Lily and Vernon had James pinned to the ground with his considerable weight and both of their fists flying.

That was the last time that Petunia had seen her sister. From what little she knew lily and her husband had gone into hiding, and Petunia never heard anything from her again. Not even a letter sent with that beautiful white owl of hers she had gotten before her third year of school so she wouldn't have to keep borrowing the school owls.

Petunia carried on through her pregnancy in a daze. Slowly she began to forget about her sister, loving the efforts Vernon took to try to make up for what happened. He went from ignoring their neighbors completely to inviting them over practically every day, entrenching themselves in the community, making friends and giving Petunia more and more to help distract her from her sister. He learned to cook, making her all her favorites so she wouldn't have to slave away at the kitchen every day. He started watching her shows with her, even engaging in conversations hoping to show he was actually paying attention, that he was really making the effort. And when she began to expand, going from walking to limping to waddling he even took her to maternity and birthing classes. He held her hand and didn't complain despite his obvious discomfort. It helped, more than she could ever express to her Vernon, and every day she loved him more and more for how much he showed he cared.

When their Dudley came into the world Petunia was happy. She finally began to move on. Only briefly did she allow herself to think that Lily might be having her child soon too, if she hadn't already had them. But she devoted herself to her son, she lived her new life as a mother and she was happy once again. There was a hole in her heart, she knew it, but she could move on, live her life like it wasnt there.

For over a year she moved on, hoping the hole was shrinking on its own, and she looked forward to every milestone with her adorable son.

Until the day that she came down to make breakfast, and saw her Vernon holding a second baby, staring at a sealed letter on the coffee table in front of him.

And she understood. Her baby sister was involved in a blood war in the magical world. She had been trying to keep Petunia away from it. The letter was from Lily herself, and Petunia couldn't keep reading only sentences in when it detailed the only reason she would ever get ahold of the letter, would be if she had been taken. Struck down from the hiding they had been forced into. The now tear soaked letter begged forgiveness, and that Petunia and Vernon please take in their son.

Petunia cried for days for the loss of her baby sister. She cried for even more that she had never said goodbye, that the last time she saw her was when Vernon broke James's jaw. And she cried harder for the child cradled in her arms without his parents to love him as she knew they had.

Petunia swore that she would love Harry, that she would raise him to be as sweet and curious and intelligent as his mother had been. Within weeks the lines between Harry and her Dudley began to blur, she already loved him in a way that she believed only a mother could. She had spoken with Vernon several times before, they had every intention of having a big family, and with every passing month she knew more and more that harry would be a part of it.

But with every passing month, her growing disgust with her husband became harder and harder to ignore. She knew that Vernon had trouble forgiving people, one of the first things she learned in their relationship was how to avoid fights and arguments. But she had hoped when Harry came into their lives that Vernon could at least prevent himself from weighing his feelings on Lily and James onto little Harry's head. He apparently couldn't. With every refusal to hold the boy, every frustrated sigh at his turn to change Harry, with every attempt to not have to look at him it drove Petunia a little further away.

It hurt to know that Vernon would be like that. Vernon was so caring and attentive before harry came into their lives. He still acted like that when it was just them, or with their own son Dudley. But when it came to Harry, Vernon became so spiteful, so… Petty.

Petunia was stuck. She didn't know how to broach the subject with him. She couldn't even fathom why he would treat a child with such contempt. Yes they had an argument with Lily and James. But that wasn't Harry's fault. Vernon should know that.

She wished she knew what to do. She wished she could show vernon what a sweet little thing that Harry was. She wished she could talk to Vernon about the little things that concerned her about Harry, like that sometimes he would struggle moving, or that he seemed to drop just about everything he held, or even that he moved his entire head more often than he would move his eyes to look at someone. She wished she were strong enough to tell Vernon how wrong he was for the way he would treat a child of barely two.

But she lived with it. And now it was just another saturday, Watching delightedly as her boys played on the livingroom floor.

Unconsciously she let out a little coo at Harry when he started to pull himself up onto his feet, using her leg as leverage. The boys had been trying for weeks, Dudley could walk from one end of a room to another, but Harry was still struggling. He would pull up to his feet, but most times he would just wobble so bad he would collapse before he could even take a step, and the times he could get a few steps it seemed strained, he wouldn't look up from his feet until he had managed get himself to something to hold onto.

Today was a good day. He'd tried a few times already, and each times he got a few steps further. Petunia couldn't help but swell with pride when he made it even further than he did last, he made it all the way to Vernons recliner. Clutching at Vernon's leg she could see him look up at Vernon.

"Daddaaa~"

Petunia could see Vernon's entire body tense.

"WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU!?" Petunia was screaming, holding back tears as she clutched a crying Harry and Dudley against her chest.

"Petunia I…" Vernon started, but Petunia was having none of it "Why would you EVER do that Vernon? What could possibly possess you to lay your hands on a child like that!" Petunia was more furious than she had ever been.

"Pet' I-"

"Don't 'Pet' me Vernon! You slapped Harry! Why on earth would you do that!"

"Petunia I am not that 'Things' father, I don't even want him here!" Vernon shouted back, pointing at the wailing baby in her arms.

"Your petty resentment does not justify laying your hands on a baby!" Petunia was crying now, turning her body away from Vernon.

"Petty?! Petunia have you forgotten what his parents said to us? To you?" Vernon tried to take a step towards her, flinching when she stepped away in response. "What right do those freaks have to leave that thing here without even so much as a greeting? Just a letter to explain?

"It doesn't matter what his parents might have done Vernon, he is not his parents. And I shouldn't have to tell you that Vernon!"

Vernon hesitated for a second, "Petunia I can't, why can't you see that it doesnt belong here, Every day I see more signs that it will turn out just like its parents before it. Going off to that 'school' for most of the year away from the rest of the world, looking down on anyone that can't use its precious 'magic'."

"You don't know that Vernon! How could you possibly know what kind of person he could grow up to be? What if we raised him to be better than that? With enough Love we cou-" Petunia was saying, but Vernon cut her off before she could finish "Enough love? How could you expect me to love that THING even a little bit? Your parents were the most caring and attentive people i've ever met, and they couldn't stop your sister from turning into that could they? How are you going to be any different when he spends almost all of his time with them!" Vernon was angry now, angrier at least, trying to get Petunia to see reason.

"I can't just give up on him because theres a chance he might change when we could stop it! How can you give up on a baby? Not even 2 years old? How horrified and enraged would you be if we were to pass and someone treated Dudley the way you have treated Harry?" Petunia begged, tears choking her up every few words.

"Dudley is not the same, and we aren't gone! They are! And good riddance I say!" Venon screamed, red faced with anger.

Petunia gasped, shock and anger flushing away everything else. "Get out…" She whispered.

"What?"

"Get Out." She said again, a little more forcefully.

"Petun-" Vernon tried, before taking a shocked step back when petunia started screaming at him. "GET OUT! GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT! GET OUT OF THIS HOUSE!" Petunia was hunched over, her eyes clenched shut and clutching her boys so tightly to her chest that they started to thrash, crying out harder.

"Petunia wai-" Vernon tried desperate, but he was cut off again, with a loud "CRACK" disappearing from sight.

Petunia collapsed onto the floor, sobbing hard. Hugging her boys like a lifeline.

She didn't register the pounding on her front door.

She didn't notice when it stopped with a large thud, or the large shadow that blocked light from under the door for hours.

She didn't care to check when the shadow disappeared.

She just cried. And then she slept. And then she made her way in a daze to the boys bedroom where she curled up in their crib and slept with them. Not caring that the sun had long since set.

Vernon Dursley never liked living alone. He had lived alone for a few years during college, having gotten "lucky" and been in an odd number of candidates for his dorm, and been the one chosen to live alone. Living alone meant there was nothing stopping you from never socializing, being with other people. It meant having to do all the washing up alone, or having to cook and eat out for one. No one you could talk to or even just sit in comfortable silence with.

When he graduated and needed to find a place to live, he immediately asked his at the time girlfriend of barely 6 months, Petunia Evans, to move in with him, do the house hunting with him. She had agreed happily, and a few months later they had an amazing house in a great neighborhood and were delighting in each other.

When Petunia kicked him out he spent hours at the door, trying to get back in at first, so he could try to apologize. Then he just sat on his stoop, slumped against the door wishing he hadn't taken it too far. He knew he had. The entire fight was his fault and he just wanted to apologize.

When his face had turned red from the sun 'why did we buy a house facing the west' he thought to himself not for the first time. He pulled himself up to his feet, and made his way to a bus stop, as he'd been locked out without his keys. A quick call to his boss and his company was putting him up at a hotel in London.

He lived there for nine weeks, calling home every day (sometimes twice) trying to get Petunia to even talk to him, when a lawyer knocked on his door and handed him a thick manilla envelope filled with papers.

Divorce Papers.

For the first time since… he honestly couldn't even remember the last time he'd cried. He'd been hoping that one day Petunia would let him talk to her, let him try to apologize, he would get on his hands and knees and beg for a chance at forgiveness, he would even promise to try to look past his brother and sister in-law. He would try to be a father to Harry if it meant he could have his Petunia back.

The first meeting with her lawyer she wouldnt look at him. When he tried to speak to her, her lawyer stated in no uncertain terms that this would become a domestic abuse case instead of just divorce if he tried to speak to Miss Evans again. He didn't even need his lawyer to tell him to stop talking, the shock of hearing her maiden name putting nothing but silence in his voice.

It didn't take him long to find an apartment. And he never bothered to ask for some of his furniture, he didn't feel he deserved it.

The second meeting with her lawyer went much the same as the first, he sat hoping she might say something, and she stared forward, looking at nothing and leaving promptly when their lawyers declared business done for the day. The same for the third. And the fifth. Petunia refused to even look at him.

Months went by and every day Vernon cursed himself for being the way he was. For being such an arse. His coworkers would tell him it wasn't his fault, lamenting his wife, claiming her batty. And every time he would deny it, saying again and again it was his fault. He knew the day he said those things that it was his fault. It couldn't have been Petunia's fault, all she tried to do was care about an orphaned child. He couldn't believe himself, horrified he would try to defend himself for harming a child. It destroyed him to know that it was his fault and his alone that this was happening. At times he didn't want her to even consider taking him back, and while it broke him inside he could never blame her for keeping his son from him.

That doesnt mean it didn't kill him when his sons birthday came and went. He cried for the second time in his adult life when his lawyer called him that morning to tell him Petunias lawyer had stated in no uncertain terms that if he was seen anywhere near number 4 Privet Drive the Constables would be notified.

Vernon hadn't recognized himself in months. Since he spent half a day slumped sunburnt on his own doorstep. He'd lost weight enough to worry his doctor and superiors. He'd shaved his face clean and buzzed his already short hair practically down to the scalp. He'd had to buy new clothes so many times these last months he'd stopped counting. He'd even been feeling slightly healthier, he'd taken to spending hours every night after work just walking the streets of London so he wouldn't have to be alone in an apartment that was itself a reminder of mistakes made.

It was a cold august when his final meeting with her lawyer before they were scheduled to meet with a judge came. He walked into that room heavy and downtrodden, knowing there wasn't much left before his marriage was finally over. But Petunia never came. She had apparently just recently taken on a third job to keep her home and provide for the boys, and no longer had any free time during the day. Her lawyer said that this meeting was merely a formality, that they didn't expect anything to change and just wanted to be able to tell a judge that all avenues had been searched.

Vernon called once again that night. He'd called every night since then, and every night he heard an answering machine. He'd stopped leaving messages after two months and nothing. He kept calling, every night, in hopes that she might one day pick up, even if only to immediately hang up. He took it as the only minor victory he would get that she hadnt had the number changed. Or the dial tone they had recorded together the day they moved in. But this night he couldn't help himself, with everything coming to an end in what would be just a few short weeks.

"Petunia I...I know you want nothing to do with me. I want nothing to do with me. I can't begin to atone for the mistakes i made. I know you've been fighting for full custody and...I'll give it to you. No fight. I'll call both our lawyers tomorrow, a-and I'll gladly pay whatever number you throw at me in alimony. I want you to be happy Petunia, I always wanted nothing more, and I'm sorry that I was the one to ruin it. Please, just make sure Dudley grows up happy, big and strong, and don't let him be anything like his father. The same goes for Harry, I know if there's anyone in this world that could raise him to be better than his kind, its you. I'll stop calling after tonight I… I wish you all the happiness in the world."

Vernon collapsed onto the floor, crying for the third time in his adult life.

Petunia was unhappy. Honestly that word couldn't even begin to cover it, but she refused to indulge her sadness. When she kicked Vernon out, she was broken. She spent days just trying not to let herself collapse again, trying to focus on the kids and absolutely nothing else.

That lasted for about 10 days.

Petunia remembered with some major embarrassment the day she went to the grocery with her boys, and her card was declined. She took out a few of her non-essentials. Still declined. More things taken out. More Declination. She had removed more than half her trolly, on the edge of tears with two fussy boys, when the store manager who'd wandered over at some point just told her to take it. She had refused vehemently, but ultimately the manager had forced her out, and a need to get her boys to sleep had her home.

She had a job waitressing at a pub within the week. And when she realized she wasn't making enough, she had another job cashiering a department store five weeks after that. She hated leaving her boys for so long everyday, giving her only a few hours with them, and she thanked god every day for Arabella Figg. Arabella was an incredibly friendly retired old woman, who'd never had a chance for kids of her own. She had been Petunia's neighbor for months, shortly after christmas she had moved to the neighborhood. And when Petunia needed someone to look after her boys Arabella had no less than demanded that she be tasked with sitting.

When Petunia was forced to get a second job Arabella had all but moved in, converting the guest bed into her own room. There had been quite the discussion about whether Arabella would be allowed to bring her cats with her, and ultimately she agreed to leave them in her own home. Later giving them away, because she no longer had the time or energy to take care of them and two growing toddlers.

It didn't take Petunia long to get her wits about her and hire a lawyer. And it didn't take her lawyer long to file the suit against Vernon. She had been stoutly ignoring all forms of contact Vernon tried to establish. She stopped even checking when the calls came in at seven every evening. She bought a bucket to make mulch out of the flowers he would occasionally send, and the shredder he had in his office got more use from cards and letters he tried to send than it had ever gotten from his own documents.

The first time she was forced to see him again was when she and her lawyer met with he and his. She'd been tense, she forced herself not to even look at him, barely acknowledging his presence, and she resolutely ignored the feelings of wanting to go to him and try to save their marriage. She refused to let herself be that weak.

What Vernon did, what he was doing for months was unforgivable. And she wouldn't be the woman that collapsed at his feet and just let him get away with his awful behavior because she MIGHT miss him and MAY still care.

It didn't matter if she still had those feelings. They were for the Vernon that didn't abuse children, not the Vernon that she was divorcing.

So life went on. She worked her arse off to pay her bills, and she spent as much time as she could every day with her boys. Months went by and winter turned spring, which turned to summer.

When June came around and Dudley's birthday arrived she was happy, she was allowed several days off and Arabella agreed to make herself scarce for a day or two. For just a few days it was just her and her boys. She got to watch excitedly as her little Dudley waddled around the house. She delighted that Harry was still having trouble walking sometimes and still needed her. She had been feeling for months that she was missing too much, that she wasn't seeing her sons grow up. Still being able to pick up one child when he fell or tripped over his own feet made her heart swell. She spent the entire day, several days in fact, just playing with her boys, she let them sleep in the same bed as her, loving how much they seemed to love to snuggle with each other and her. She gave them all the new toys and clothes that they had been given by their neighbors and Arabella and herself. Not once did her mind even slightly stray in the direction of Vernon. She told her lawyer to tell him he wasn't welcome and moved on. She didn't let it upset her when the boys might take each others toys or use each other for teething and cry out. She cooed lovingly when Harry struggled and she got to help him, or even better when Dudley would help him. She hoped one day soon she might get more time off so that she would get more time with them, not wanting to miss any more than she already was, but for now she took all the little victories and loved every second she could get.

In early September her pub received a major health infraction, when inspectors found rats in the walk-in. When they reopened only a week later business was shot so bad her pay had to be cut (all the staff had) and she was forced to get a third job. Her already scarce time was reduced to practically nothing. Her time with her boys was reduced to time spent sleeping with them, as Arabella had taken to putting them down in her bed.

She hated it. But it was necessary. She'd never finished college and had never had any real work experience beyond things that she was doing now. She went from getting a few hours with her boys, seeing them play and eat, now she got nothing, if she was lucky they would be too fussy to sleep and she might get to help put them down, or she would wake up early enough to feed them and herself a decent breakfast.

What was even worse was Harry. Arabella came to her every now and then saying she might be worried about him. He was three now and still he had trouble walking, too much trouble. Sometimes he seemed to even struggle moving. He wouldn't look up, almost always keeping his eyes level, instead moving his head itself to look around. It worried Arabella, and it worried Petunia. He never appeared sick, he got sick what she thought was a normal amount for a child, no more than dudley. She was scared to take him to a doctor and have them tell her it was nothing, some babies just had a bit of trouble, until they were older. She was even more scared to think that the doctor would tell her something was serious. She was stuck, and worst was she couldn't get any time to properly contemplate. She got passed the problems by never having the time or energy to think through them.

Petunia couldn't make it to what was to be her last meeting with Vernon's lawyer. She had work, and the thought that it was about to be over soon made her too emotional. When she hobbled in the door, stumbling to the dinner table to eat what Arabella had left for her before heading to bed. She ate in the dark, counting the remaining bites so she could finally get to bed, cuddle with her boys, and maybe wake up early enough to get some time with them before rushing off to her first shift.

Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg

The phone was ringing again.

Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg

Vernon was calling later than normal.

Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg

She ignored the feeling in her to answer it.

*Click*

And it was done. She moved toward the sink with her bowl, not having the stomach or energy to finish what little was left. She was turning on the tap to rin-

Beeep~ 'He hasnt left a message in months' she thought to herself

"Petunia I...I know you want nothing to do with me. I want nothing to do with me. I can't begin to atone for the mistakes i made. I know you've been fighting for full custody and...I'll give it to you. No fight. I'll call both our lawyers tomorrow, a-and I'll gladly pay whatever number you throw at me in alimony. I want you to be happy Petunia, I always wanted nothing more, and I'm sorry that I was the one to ruin it. Please, just make sure Dudley grows up happy, big and strong, and don't let him be anything like his father. The same goes for Harry, I know if there's anyone in this world that could raise him to be better than his kind, its you. I'll stop calling after tonight I… I wish you all the happiness in the world."

Petunia didn't register when she'd collapsed on the floor, or when she'd started crying again, or when Arabella came into the kitchen and began to try console her. She was so tired. She missed her Vernon, the one who devoted himself to her and their son. She was so worried about Harry and what might be wrong with him. She was so scared she might mess up raising two little boys on her own. Everything was so overwhelming and she couldn't hold it in anymore.

Poor Arabella had to cover her with a blanket and wedge a pillow under her head when she fell asleep on the kitchen floor.

'Why am i doing this?' Petunia asked herself once again. She was desperate. She had work, which she was already late for, and she had already used up all the few sick and vacation days she got. But Arabella was sick. Really sick. She had been throwing up for days, and had retired to her own house 'The dust and dirt in there from misuse must not be good her. She hasn't been in there in months' She thought to herself again. The boys had no one to look after them, all their neighbors were too busy, and she had no idea how to get ahold of any of the wizards who left Harry with her.

She'd tried to think of all her options. When she came upon this idea she spent all morning trying to think of something else, ANYTHING else. She couldn't, and one desperate call to her boss later she was forced to load her boys and the pram into her car, and drive to a place that she had never been before.

She spent the entire drive trying to convince herself that this wasn't a terrible idea (the word good never even crossed her mind) trying not to think that this would end in disaster. She hoped beyond hope that his message two weeks ago meant he was at least trying to change, that he wasn't just pretending to know that he was the one who made the mistakes that lead them here. And for the first time she lamented never having contact again, if she had she might know for more certain.

'319….317….313…..305' She was mentally counting down, she knew he lived in 301, the last door on the left of his hall. She pushed the pram forward, nervously adjusting the nappy bag on her shoulder again.

'Here it is' She sighed in her head, standing in front of his door and running through her mind once again to make sure that this was indeed her one and only option.

'Alright' She thought finally, resolving her fate.

*Knock Knock Knock*

And she did it. And a few seconds later she was staring Vernon Dursley in the face for almost a year.

He was surprised, that much she could tell. His mouth flustered for a bit trying to find something to say. It was a saturday morning, so he was still in those same flannel pajamas he always wore when he didn't need to get into work, Petunia squashed down the feeling that arose within her when she remembered she got those for him while they were still dating.

"I want to make clear right now Vernon, I am only doing this because I have absolutely no other options. I'm not here to tell you I want you back or that I've suddenly forgiven you. I'm not here to apologize for leaving, because I'm not sorry. But I have no other options right now, so I need you to watch the boys for the day." Petunia didn't even try to keep the contempt out of her voice, and she couldn't help the minor satisfaction she felt when the sadness crossed his face at her words.

"I shouldn't be letting you anywhere near either of them, you don't deserve it, but right now I have no choice. I think given what you've done you should be more than able to-"

"I'll do it." Vernon cut her off. Stopping her from the rant she was about to go on, fully prepared to guilt him into agreeing.

"W-What?" Petunia stuttered, not expecting this.

"I'll do it." He said again, "Watching them for a day is the least I can do after everything I put you through." He had a resigned look in his eye, like he was tired.

Petunia sputtered for a few seconds, trying and failing to keep her surprise off her face, before her eyes narrowed "If you do anything, if anything happens to my boys…" She left the warning in the air. There wasn't a need to finish the sentence and they both knew it.

She let herself into the apartment, pushing past as he sidestepped the pram with the boys. She stopped it next to the couch, setting the bag on the coffee table and quickly checking to make sure the boys were still sleeping soundly. Sparing a quick glance around the apartment had her a little surprised, there was nothing here. Other than just some furniture and a tv there was nothing, no decorations, books or movies, not even a new stack of newspapers like the one he'd had at home before. It was like he didn't even live here.

Satisfied she stood back up and turned to Vernon, "They shouldn't give you any problems, both of them were perfectly healthy this morning, and anything you might need today is in the bag. Dudley likes to throw things lately so I would block off and hide anything you don't want broken. If he throws anything at Harry just take away his toys and sit him facing against the wall for a few minutes. If he does it again set him on your lap and keep him away from anything to entertain himself with for at least an hour. Keep a close eye on Harry as well, he still has trouble walking sometimes, and if you see him pouting it means he needs help with something." She finished with a pointed look when she mentioned Harry.

She was expecting some kind of flinch or wince, something, which is why she was surprised when all she saw was him nodding along. She didn't know if her surprise showed, but she didn't let it for long if it did. "Neither of them have been taking naps lately, so don't try to make them, it'll just upset them, if they lay down and sleep themselves don't let them sleep for longer than two hours, or they'll be cranky and won't want to eat. Their meals are labeled appropriately, don't let dudley trick you, he knows how to make it look like he's eating when he's really spitting it up when you're not looking. I'll be back to pick them up at 11, I went them both asleep when I get here." Petunia nodded to herself, mentally checking that she told him everything.

Vernon hummed, probably in agreement she thought, before he moved to a drawer in his kitchen, grabbing something she couldn't see before moving back to her. He reached out to give her something. Looking at it she could tell it was a key. Before she could question it he said "So you don't have to knock or worry about being late, just let yourself in when you return." He muttered, refusing to meet her eyes. He stepped to the side of the couch with the pram and sat, looking to the boys with a sadness in his eyes Petunia had never seen.

"Very well. If anything happens while i am gone you better be ready to suffer some jail time Vernon." She threatened seriously, a dangerous glare in her eyes. Vernon just nodded, still staring at the boys, his hand resting on the side of the pram.

She didn't feel there was anything left to say, so she walked back to the door and left, sparing a quick last glance at her boys, before shutting the door, and locking it herself to make sure the key he gave her worked.

Satisfied she turned to walk down the hall, stuffing down the feelings that she'd made a horrible mistake. She just had to get to work, and then she would be back.

She wasn't much help at work, unable keep the anger at herself from showing itself. She hoped beyond hope that whatever possessed her wasn't wrong.

Vernon Dursley was never a very excitable person. Christmas mornings were always calm and affectionate in his family, instead of hyperactive and energetic as usual for every other child. He showed his excitement and happiness in calmer, more sedate ways, and he liked it that way.

He had always thought that was what made him so perfect for his darling Petunia, for every bit of calm he was, she was nothing but energy. He loved the passion she would have when she talked of even the most benign of things. He loved that she never minded when he calmly walked behind her as she happily skipped along to wherever they had to go. He loved that he could sit in his chair quietly with a smile on his face and listen to her as she happily told him all about whatever she'd done that day and she wouldn't think any less of him for being happy to listen to her.

Growing up, other kids had always been frustrated with him for not jumping off the walls with them. It made him feel different that he never needed to run from room to room screaming about Christmas finally was comfortable with it now, but for a long time he'd thought there was actually something wrong with him.

When Petunia showed up at his door with the boys he was floored. He had been fully expecting to never see or hear from her again after their court date in a few weeks. He just stared at her as she told him that this was her only option, that she hadn't suddenly forgiven him.

He distantly heard himself tell her he would watch the boys, stopping her from a rant that would have them both standing there for the next several minutes.

She pushed past him, running over his feet on the way in. He deserved it, he told himself. He wasn't mad, hadn't been in weeks. Hadn't been much of anything but tired in weeks.

He made sure to listen when she started telling him what he would need to know to watch them, he tried to memorize every word. When he saw that she was done he walked to his junk drawer (or at least the drawer he called his junk drawer, there wasn't much in it except for his spare keys and some bread ties he kept for reasons he couldn't understand) and he took his key, giving it to petunia with what little a feeling of hopefulness he could muster, he'd meant to mail this to her at some point, but never had the courage.

Sitting down on his couch he looked at his Dudley for the first time in a year. He was the second most beautiful thing Vernon had ever seen, and seeing him cuddled up to Harry like he would a beloved toy or a sibling sent a wave of something through Vernon. The disgust he felt whenever he used to think of his nephew had disappeared the same day that he had hit him. Now he felt it at himself. Looking at him now all Vernon could see was a young little boy tightly clutching another boy who by all rights was his brother.

Vernon hadn't known how he would react if he was ever faced with Harry again, not once did it ever cross his mind over the past year to blame the child, but he didn't expect the feelings washing over him now.

"mmmbuhh…mmmbbaahahh"

Any parent could tell you. When a baby gets fussy, where strangers on the street might hear nothing but an annoyance, demanding it stop, all the parents hear is "I need you" and it fills them with two simultaneous feelings. An immense pride and happiness that this perfect little thing needs THEM and them alone, and an exponentially growing despair for every second they spend not helping.

When Harry first came into Vernons life, he felt nothing but rage and hatred whenever he got fussy. But as the months went by he started more and more to feel the despair (at the time he completely ignored any happiness that might have maybe been there) it made him angrier and angrier.

Now, watching Harry fuss in front of him for the first time in over a year, all he felt was disgust at himself for the way he had been.

And Vernon picked Harry up. For the first time ever.

And he cried, for the fourth time in his adult life.

At half past eleven at night Petunia could be found close to sprinting down the hall, cursing herself for letting herself be even a minute late, let alone half an hour.

She'd been scolded three times throughout the day, and she honestly couldn't bring herself to care. She couldn't focus on anything when her boys were on their own with Vernon.

She didn't even bother knocking. She'd had the key in her hand since she left the pub, it was in the lock before she was even fully in front of the door.

She was not prepared for what she saw coming in. She was expecting the boys to both be in the pram with soiled nappies and possibly a sleeping away Vernon. A very dark part of her thought that she might find Harry abandoned in the apartment with Vernon and Dudley long gone. She was not expecting both boys curled up on Vernons chest, wearing the extra clothes she'd packed for them, all three of them passed out on the floor (Vernon was half slumped onto the couch, but the vast portion of his body was on the floor)

Looking at them Petunia couldn't help but see how content the boys looked. Dudley had his whole body wrapped around as much of Vernon as he could, and Harry was curled up with stiff limbs like he always slept. And Vernon… he looked exhausted. Collapsed onto the ground, his chest breathing deeper than she remembered him doing, he looked more tired than she had seen him probably ever.

"Vernon." She said softly, Hoping to rouse him but not the sleeping toddlers.

Vernon lets out a pathetic mumble she can't quite make out and rights himself slightly.

"I'm taking my boys home now Vernon." She tells him. Watching as he grunts in acceptance and struggles to stand and get the boys back in the pram without waking them. 'He's lost weight' she thinks.

'A lot of weight'

She ignores how much she dislikes how she sees him now.

A short few minutes later she's standing in the doorway trying to decide if she should say something.

She decides not to.

She's home 20 minutes later.

The boys didn't stir even once.

The first time Vernon is allowed back inside his house again is Christmas of that year. Petunia lets him struggle his way in with more than three times his own weight in presents. He doesn't let the smug look of satisfaction on Arabella Figgs face as she stands in the kitchen doorway watching him nervously struggle bother him. He tries his hardest to be careful, watching the boys open his gifts with a sense of nervous happiness that keeps him from settling into any true contentedness.

That day is the best day in his life. Better than when Petunia showed up to demand he watch the kids. Better when she showed up again the next week. Better when he gets a call from his lawyer saying she had asked to cancel their court date. Better even than all 17 of the days he's gotten to watch the boys in these past months combined.

Sitting and watching the boys play with all the toys they've gotten this year, watching Petunia completely ignore him to sit on the ground and play with them. Even the presence of Mrs. Figg can't put a damper on his mood as he sits in his old chair and watches the boys toddle about without a care in the world.

The smile on his face by the time all the presents are opened and the boys are making mountains that they can run into and knock over is wider and more beaming than anything he's had before.

Petunias not saying anything to him. The boys don't seem to even know he's there. Figg sends glares his way every few minutes but it's nothing bothersome to him. By all accounts he might as well not even be there.

And he still loves every second.

And then Harry picks up the toy truck he's latched himself too (it's obvious he's found his favorite) and another toy police car that's sat unbothered for awhile. And he plods his way over to vernons chair, unbothered by the hesitant and almost fearful look spreading on Vernon' face. And he places the car on vernons lap, and when Vernon doesn't get the message he grabs and tugs Vernons leg towards the ground, mumbling impatiently like only a three year old can do.

Vernon gets the message. Sparing a short glance in the direction of the staring Petunia, he slides off of the chair and gingerly takes the car and begins to wheel it along on the ground, slowly getting into whatever kind of rhythm Harry wants him to. Apparently Harry wants to stimulate a car chase, his giant monster truck chasing down the little matchbox police car he gave Vernon.

It doesn't take long for Dudley to want in. Soaring over with his toy jetplane and making believe that he's shooting at Harry's monster truck. Vernon has a teammate, and the tide turns, with Harry now on the run. Vernons heart clenches with something he can't take the time to identify when Petunia joins Harry's team with a toy bulldozer, plowing through toys and jumping off of make believe ramps with the playtime experience that Vernon now hates he doesn't have.

When he collapses onto his own bed that night he's happier than he thinks he's ever been.

He's asleep in seconds.

The first time he's alone with Petunia again is Valentine's Day. Over the few months since Christmas he's been spending as much time as he's been allowed with them. By the time February had rolled around he'd been showing up after work every day. Halfway through January the first real conversation they shared was about a new fish and chips shop that had opened down the street.

February 14th had him standing on his own doorstep nervously with a bouquet of Petunias favorite flowers, hoping beyond hope she won't slam the door in his face the second she sees him.

She doesn't.

A short time later they are both sitting nervously in that very same fish and chips shop. Neither of them has any idea how to start things. They don't talk about anything specific, they don't say anything important, and when they both rush through their food they're both home playing with the boys in less than an hour.

It's easily the best date Vernons ever been on. Later when he's about to leave Petunia whispers he can stay on the couch if he'd like, and he swells with a sense of relief he never dared believe he'd feel.

It takes another two months for Petunia to let him sleep in their bed again. And another month after that for her to accept him back into some form of embrace, cuddling like they did when they were still kids in a relationship, sneaking around behind her parents back.

It took almost two years. Vernon Dursley finally felt happy again. His wife was happy with him again. He'd found a surprising friend and surrogate grandmother in Arabella Figg. And he had two sons that were none the wiser and living the kind of uncaring happiness only toddlers could.

Two years.

It came crumbling down in less than two months.

Vernon Dursley had always found himself lucky to say that he'd never actually been inside of a real hospital. Having a doctor for a mother he'd grown up healthier and more cautious than any other child he'd known. He never got truly sick, other than the occasional cold and one time the flu when he was 13. He never broke any bones or suffered any true bodily harm.

He heard people say they loved hospitals. Loved the clean, methodical nature. Loved the care most doctors and nurses took.

He heard some people say they hated hospitals. Hated the oppressive, sterile nature. Hated the cold, clinical nature most doctors would take.

Vernon couldn't form an opinion either way.

All he could feel was terror. Not just fear, while Vernon was no stranger to fear, that was not what he was feeling now. He felt fear when he was driving between two tractor-trailers on a three lane road. He felt fear when his boss told him he needed to talk to him in that unfeeling tone he only used when someone was truly in trouble. He felt fear when he thought of the way he was when Harry had first come into his life.

What he felt when one Saturday in early July Harry suddenly collapsed in a fit of hysterical laughter and what Vernon was absolutely sure was a seizure? That was not fear. That was Terror.

Vernon could not tell you the time it took him to rush Harry to the hospital, Vernon couldn't even tell you if had been breathing during that time. He came charging into the emergency ward with one aggressively twitching son clutched in his arms, and one terrified son running crying at his feet. Vernon absolutely hated how useless he felt during the time he sat outside the examination room Harry had been rushed off to. He hated even more how terrified Petunia sounded when he finally managed to get ahold of a phone to call her at work. His heart very nearly broke when she came sprinting towards him with tears streaming down her face.

Three hours into waiting they finally got their wits about them and called Arabella to come pick up Dudley and take him home. Three hours after that a nurse with a trolley of food walked by and offered them an early dinner.

Neither of them could eat a thing.

They hadn't been paying attention to any of the people walking by for hours, they hadn't been listening to things that weren't spoken directly to them. All they could muster the energy to do was stare at the door they knew their son to be behind.

Albus Dumbledore was an old man. At just a few years older than a hundred, he'd lived for a long time. In his life he'd seen a lot of things, he'd lived through two different blood wars in the magical world, both of them surrounding people he'd come to care about more than anything. When Gellert Grindelwald rose to power, Albus spent years hiding from reality, because he could never muster the drive to act against Gellert. How do you put a stop to someone you love that much? And Albus had loved him. To the very end Albus broke his own heart putting an end to Gellerts plans of world domination.

And when Dumbledore found a young Tom Riddle a tiny seed was planted. A seed that grew and grew into seeing the boy as the son he never got to raise with the man he never got to marry. And he blocked out every sign that pointed to Tom growing into one of the most cold, calculating, bitter, spiteful, and hate filled men in existence. When Tom Riddle revealed to the world what he really was it broke Albus's heart more than he thought would ever be possible again. And when Tom in his own hubris and in an effort to avoid his own destiny destroyed himself, Albus finally let out the breath he'd been holding since the prophecy was uttered.

Albus Dumbledore was a being of love. He'd known that about himself for decades. He couldn't help forming bonds with even the most absent of acquaintances, and even though he'd lost so many of the people he'd lost the most, he knew the love he was capable of giving to be his greatest feature. What was often his downfall he could admit was his tendency to forget that not every creature on this world was like him.

Which was why he was so happy to see that faith rewarded in young Harry Potters aunt. He could admit that he was hesitant to place Harry with them. But he allowed himself faith, and seeing her settle into the role of another mother to Harry brought warmth to Albus' weary old heart.

When Petunia and Vernon had their falling out, Albus begun to hold a breath once again, hoping beyond hope that they might reconcile, that Harry might grow up with a full and loving family. And when he learned that those two had finally reconciled, and that Vernon was filling a loving fathers role, Albus was happy.

Finding himself reflecting on those things once again, Albus was resolutely ignoring the mountain of paperwork that always appeared on his desk after a wizengamot meeting. Not for the first time lamenting the forces of Bureaucracy. Sometimes he wished he hadn't been the one to bring an end to Gellerts reign, then he might have been able to live and teach in pea-

"ALBUS!" Arabella Figgs frantic face appeared in his floo, screaming his name.

"Arabella what is it? I don't beleive I've ever seen you this scared." Albus replied hoping his words might calm her just a tad. They didn't.

"Albus it's Harry! Something's wrong with him! Vernon and Petunia have been at the hospital all day after Harry had some kind of collapse this morning!" Arabella was frantic and scared, her words coming out in a jumble that took Albus a second to decipher, but his heart sank lower than it's been in years when they registered.

"Where are they Arabella? What hospital?" He shouted, a show of desperation most wouldn't believe him capable of.

"St Peters hospital inChertsey, th-" Albus didn't hear whatever she said next, he had already disappeared with a sharp *CRACK* apparating away.

Appearing in a small alley just down the street from the hospital, Albus just barely had the sense of mind to Transfigured his robes into a muggle suit, before he carried on. Rushing at speeds a man over a hundred years old has no right moving.

He rushed through the halls of the hospital, desperately hoping that this was just a sudden infliction that could pass in a few days, and growing more desperate with every hall he didn't find the Dursleys. Albus knew that he was confusing muggles with every hall he walked past, a wizard of his power and age being capable of emitting a passive aura that work almost like a mundane repelling charm. Compelling them to look away before they got a good enough look at him. He couldn't bring himself to care about them.

Finally coming across the dursleys desperately staring at a door he could feel was hiding a magical being behind, relief washed over him for a half a second before the fear returned once again and he made his way to them, intent on finding out what was happening.

"Excuse me." He said finally, silently also putting up a small silencing ward around the small area the three of them now inhabited, knowing the conversation would lean on the magical.

Both Petunia and Vernon looked up to find easily the oldest man they'd ever seen gazing at them with a soft smile and a silent fearfulness in his eyes.

"My name is Albus Dumbledore, I was the one who left young Harry in your care." He hoped that Petunia might remember him from when he showed up to take young lily to Diagon Alley all those years ago (silently he also lamented once again that he had stopped personally seeing the mundane-born children to the alley)

Petunia looked to her husband for brief moment, before replying in a questioning tone "I remember you, barely, and we certainly recognize the name but… why are you here now?" She sounded highly confused.

With a soft smile Albus took a seat accross from them and continued "When I entrusted young Harry in your care I left in place a number of systems to monitor his health, hoping to ensure he would grow up safe. When I learned of his being brought here I rushed to learn the situation, hoping I might be of some use."

Both of them were silent, a gentle mind probe could tell him they had many a question they wanted to ask, but they both agreed on one more than any other. "Do you know what's happening to our Harry?" Vernon whispered, internally cursing how scared he sounded.

"Unfortunately I am just as unsure as you are at the moment. But I assure you everything possible will be done for him. Whether they be Mundane or Magical efforts." Albus replied quietly, his own frustration at the current situation showing through.

Nothing was said after that. Petunia and Vernon both too tired and scared, and Albus more than willing to sit quietly, feeling no need for further explanation.

It was close to another three hours, nine hours after Vernon had rushed in here, when the door finally opened to let an exhausted looking doctor into the hall. Both parents were on their feet before the door was even fully open, and Albus was less than a second behind them.

"You would be the family I presume?" The Doctor asked tiredly, rubbing his temples and his portly stomach heaving deeply.

"Is our son okay?" Both the Dursleys asked, letting the desperation through and both trying to peer around the doctor into the room.

"Every part of me wants to say 'yes, your son is fine.' But that would be a lie. Please come in, this is not a conversation for the hallway." Albus had seen that look in the doctors eye and heard that tone in his voice more times than he cared to count in his own school mediwitch and in healers he'd worked with during the wars. It was official. Albus was scared.

Both of the Dursleys rushed into the room, zeroing in on the sleeping young boy on the bed, and immediately taking the seats surrounding him. Albus hurried in behind them, vaguely registering the soft click of the door closing behind the four of them. Albus's eyes were locked on young Harry, desperation flooding his every pore.

When everyone was seated, Albus quickly took a moment to ask "Might I ask your name Doctor?"

"You may call me Dr. Edwards, and you are?"

"My name is Albus." Dumbledore replied, turning to the Dursleys, letting them take the lead.

"What is happening to our son?" Petunia whispered, tears in her eyes.

Dr. Edwards sighed the kind of tired, saddened sigh that only a doctor could, before replying "Are you aware of what the phrase 'Genetic Disorder' means?" He asked them. When there was no reply, he continued "It's a term that refers to a disease or deficiency that a person doesn't catch later in life, but is instead born with it. The disorder affecting your son is a deficiency that's been a part of him since the day he was born." He paused for a second, swallowing the think lump that formed in his throats at the horror on all three faces staring at him "Your son is suffering from a condition called Niemann-Pick, specifically type C. It's a dysfunction in the body's ability to transport cholesterol and a few other key substances, causing them to build up in and damage affected tissues, most typically… the brain." Dr. Edwards stopped at that, hoping for some questions or something. Feeling entirely too helpless watching the growing despair on their faces. This was always the part of his job he hated the most.

Petunia was openly weeping at this point, and Vernon could be seen visibly struggling with what words to ask.

Albus could feel his age and weariness weighing him down like never before as he asked "What can be done? There must be something?" He hadn't sounded so desperate since the last time he'd truly spoken to Gellert.

"The thing to remember here is that it's not like a virus or a cancer. It's not a disease that can be flushed or cut out of his system, what's happening to him is written on his very genes. As far as his body is concerned it's just doing what it's supposed to be doing."

"So there's nothing?! There's nothing you can do for him?" Petunia was on the verge of hysterics.

Dr. Edwards grimaced "Well, there is a treatment, bu-"

"Well than what are you waiting for!?" Petunia screamed, cutting off Dr Edwards

"The problem is, your son doesn't have the time to finish the treatment. It's an intense, difficult process that takes a minimum of a year and your son just… doesn't have that long." Dr Edwards hated how hard he could see they were taking this news.

"How long would you say he has Doctor?" Vernon whispered staring forward with an empty look in his eyes that The good doctor Edwards had seen far too many times in his short life.

"At best? A few months." That was the last thing Petunia heard that day. At those words the floodgates were opened and her screaming and crying could be heard by the entire floor. Vernon collapsed in his chair and appeared to the world a broken man. And Albus for the first time truly let his age shine through. He was tired. He wanted to be with his Husband, he wanted to live in a world where he didn't have to watch another little boy die for nothing. And he knew there was nothing magic could do. Magic was a beautiful, wondrous thing that could save people from all sorts of things. But it couldn't rewrite people on such a level. Magicals had known about Genes for decades longer than Mundanes had, and it was just a fact. Transfiguration could change a person into something else entirely, but eventually that magic has to wear off, and those things would still be there.

"I'll… see myself out. I'm so, so sorry." Dr Edwards said after a few minutes of relative silence. He'd learned a long time ago a strangers presence in these moments would only hurt, and he couldn't listen to Petunia's wails. He returned to his office and after a long drag from the scotch he'd saved for moments like this, he opened his files and got back to work.

Hoping for some kind of miracle.

He wasn't the only one.

Just under a month later, Albus Dumbledore appeared at their doorstep. After that night the Dursleys had just, shut down. Petunia shakenly told all her employers what was happening, that she needed every second she could get. They gave it to her. Vernon was taking half days at Grunnings, and no one would talk to him for fear that they take time from him. Time was all that either of them wanted. Albus was choosing to ignore the fact that he hadn't been getting much of any work done either, that same stack of paperwork sitting completely undisturbed on his desk.

July 31st brought a heavy burden on his heart. It was Harry's 4th birthday, and set to be his last. Albus had spent all that month preparing, preparing to tell the wizarding world that their hero was gone.

He was told by Arabella that she had come clean about her placement there, and they had asked if he would like to join them for a small celebration of Harry's last birthday. He was more than happy to agree.

Knocking on the door had him let inside and sitting on a small loveseat, watching both of the boys as they toddled about, not a single, fighting the clenching he felt in his chest when he saw the things in Harry he now knew to be signs of his condition.

Lunch was a sedate affair, and conversation was minimal, the children blissfully unaware of the atmosphere that had settled on the adults in the room. Watching the careless play.

At some point Petunia had looked to Albus, stuttering while she obviously had trouble trying to voice a question. Albus shook his head with more sadness in his eyes than he thought he had left in him.

When Albus brought out his wand, getting the attention of the boys, he had an idea, and within no time was happily showing off all of the magic that he could think to be safe in a small Mundane living room. Toy dinosaurs came alive, toy cowboys fought valiant fights against the toy astronauts, trains, planes and cars sped around the room like they would if their were their real counterparts, and sparks of color and light flitted through the air like pixies flitting through the forest. And the boys loved every second.

Laughing and screaming like wild little animals, they delighted in things that previously only happened in their imagination. Arabella smiled with eyes full of longing, remembering a time when these things were everyday occurrence in her life. Petunia stifled tears, thinking she might have been a part of this with her sister had things been different. And Albus looked on practically giddy, having long since forgotten what it was like to show children the wonders of what magic could well and truly do.

Vernon though, this was different for him. He'd always seen magic in his mind being different, less natural looking and more… unnatural? He didn't know what word to describe what exactly he imagined, but it wasn't this. In his mind he didn't see it feeling so real, like it was something that was supposed to be there. It was the last thing that Vernon needed to see for his decision to be made. He still wasn't a fan of the community and it's people, but magic… that was something he could support. If this is what Harry was going to be learning, instead of summoning demons and turning children into toads like a dark part of him had been imagining, then he could be more than happy to support it.

"Mr Dumbledore w-" Vernon started before getting cut off "Please, just Albus." He stated warmly, settling deeper into his seat, happily taking this rare chance to let his old bones relax.

"Albus" Vernon started again, testing the name on his tongue "Petunia and I have been talking and… we've come to a decision about Harry, and we thought you might like to know." Vernon said, looking in Petunias direction before he pulled a small folder from the crease between the cushion and arm of his chair, and pulling a sheet of paper from it. He looked it over one last time before handing it to Albus.

His breath hitched the second he saw what it said. And tears sprang to his eyes, for the first time in decades, tears of happiness.

Mundane adoption papers. Signed to a mister Harry James Potter-Dursley.

"We… we wanted it to be official… wanted him to really be ours when he's gone." Petunia was choking on her words, she'd been crying more than ever since they'd learned.

"I think that is a wonderful idea Petunia, Vernon." Albus said, looking at both of them with more pride and happiness than he'd ever felt.

Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg

The phone was ringing.

Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg

None of the adults in the room who had any idea what a phone was had any intention of answering it.

Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg...Rrrrrrriiinnggg

Albus had heard of phones before, but being out of his depth here had not real idea whether it was acceptable to answer on their behalf, or to let them handle it.

*click*

And it was done.

"Sorry about that Albu-"

Beeep~ "Mr and Mrs Dursley, this is Dr Edwards. I've been doing some research and I found something that I think you should know. There's a few cases documented of a very experimental, very dangerous treatment being used on children with your sons condition that didn't have enough time for the full recommended treatment. There's only one documented case of a child surviving, and only one doctor in the world who's willing to risk it, but I felt it was my duty to tell you. I reached out to him and he's in London for the next few weeks, and he said he'd be willing to meet with you. So just give me a call back and we can talk about whether you'd like me to set a meeting."

At no time in human history had four separate adults moved in the same direction faster than they did at that moment.

Two Dursleys, one Figg, and one Dumbledore all sat around the Dining room table of number 4 Privet Drive, all with a nervous hopefulness about them that none had felt before.

They were waiting for someone to arrive. A Dr. Isaac Howard. Someone they were told might be the only hope for the little boy sleeping in the bedroom just above their heads.

At half past nine, on August 4th, 1984. A soft knock was heard at the door. And Vernon Dursley slowly made his way over, unlocking the locks one by one. And opened the door.

Standing on the other side was the strangest looking man he'd ever laid eyes upon. He wasn't strange in that he was malformed in the face, Vernon could admit to himself he was actually quite young and handsome. He wasn't too short or too tall, though he did tower a bit over Vernons short stature. He looked to be a healthy weight and he wore fine looking clothes. It was his skin. It was green. Not a dark evergreen or rich earthy green, a pale, muted green like the color of chewed mint gum. In some lightings Vernon thought one might even be forgiven for thinking he were incredibly pale. Stranger still on both sides of his neck were three scars, in a triangular pattern to each other, as if someone had punctured all the way through.

"Hi there, you must be mister Dursley." Dr. Howard said, offering his hand for a shake. Looking at it for the briefest of moments before he returned the gesture Vernon saw a the same pattern of scars on his wrist as well.

"Hello, and you must be Dr Howard." Vernon greeted, trying to sound friendly through the nerves they'd been feeling. "Please come in." Vernon stepped aside, gesturing stiffly with his arm in a welcoming gesture.

Vernon followed Dr Howard as he walked into the house, making his way towards the table of people he could see just across the way from the door.

"Dr Howard this is my wife Petunia" he gestured to her, watching her get up to shake his hand "Arabella Figg, a close friend of the family" stopping once again "and Albus Dumbledore, another old family friends and a very close friend to our son's birth parents." As Dr Howard shook the last hand offered and sat down at the only seat on one side of the table, all four of the others moved to face it, Vernon shuffled to his own seat.

"I'm assuming Harry, the one Dr Edwards told me about, is asleep?" Dr Howard finally said a minute or two later, breaking the ice.

"Yes, with this meeting so late we assumed that it wasn't necessary to keep him up." Petunia stated, refusing to meet his eyes.

"Understandable. So, you had some questions?"

"Yes. When Dr Edwards told us that there was a chance, that you might be able to save our son, and we… we had to jump at the opportunity to meet you because w-"

"I'm going to cut you off there Mrs Dursley, cause I can recognize the beginnings of a nice ramble. I understand your urgency to jump at this opportunity, and I'm more than willing to do everything I can to help." Dr Howard had been in this situation before, they could tell.

"I understand situations such as this can be quite costly, but we are all more than willing to pay whatever needed for your time." Albus spoke, hoping this young mans pleasantness so far would continue.

At that Dr Howard's brows rose in shock "I believe there might have been a miscommunication. I'm not going to charge you anything for this." He stated, surprise and the faintest bit of disgust could be heard in his voice "This treatment… it's not a guarantee. Dr Edwards told you that you had a few more months with your son?" He paused seeing them nod before he continues. "This treatment isnt going to work like you are thinking. If it works, your boy gets to live his life happy and healthy. But if it doesn't, which as much as I hate to say it is the most common outcome, you don't get to come back home and wait for another possible miracle to come along, or even wait for Harry to pass peacefully, or not. Either this works, or… it doesn't." He finished, making eye contact, hoping they get the message in his words.

They do.

It's Arabella that finally speaks up again minutes later. "So, either Harry is saved, and will live a full life. Or, he's gone, months before the doctor told us we should expect him to be?"

A grimace and a faint nod is the only answer she gets, and the family sits in silence.

Petunia hopefully asks "But, it's worked before?"

"Once."

That hits them hard. "How many -" "63." Vernon started, only to be cut off by Dr Howard, already knowing what the question would be.

He lets them sit for a while. Waiting for them to process the information. Patiently watching.

"What have you recommended in the past? When other parents came to you?" Petunia asked quietly, hoping for something to help her here.

Dr Howard thought for a moment, "I've done this, more times than I really wish, and had to watch families fall into grief when things fell apart, and the treatment failed. But I've also watched families collapse when they chose to savor what little time they had left, never getting a real goodbye with their children, and always wondering that maybe their's would have been the second if they had taken the chance. My advice? It will take me about two weeks to set up the procedure, in that time, make your peace as best you can, say goodbye. And pray as hard as you can in whatever higher power you believe in that your boy will be healthy. And I'll promise to do everything I possibly can to bring him back." He made eye contact with all four of them as he finished.

It took some more time for any of them to speak again. Vernon and Petunia seemed to be having a conversation through thoughts and eyes alone, Arabella felt it wasn't her place to speak for this decision, and Albus knew that it was their call. He thought he knew the decision he would make, but a part of him knew he couldn't really.

Finally Vernon spoke up. "If we say our goodbyes, how long will it take to know? How long will the treatment take?" He asked, knowing their minds were made up on this.

"The treatment takes two weeks, if there's any complications and he doesn't make it, the shortest you might be waiting would be a few days."

"And will we be able to see him in that time? Talk to you?"

"No."

The Dursleys were scared, but they'd made up their minds.

"You'll have everything ready two weeks from now?"

Petunia Dursley was never a very fearful woman. A few dates had tried to take her to horror movies, and been severely disappointed when they ended up more scared than she did. She'd had her moments before, but for the most parts it was her other emotions that came it in droves, never fear. For close to two months she'd been terrified. Her son collapsed, and she was told that he was dying. Then she was given simultaneous hope and further terror, when she chose a Hail Mary option to save him, or cut his life short by months, a hot ball of leaden terror settled in her stomach and never left.

Two weeks later she and Vernon were saying a tearful goodbye to a confused Harry in front of a massive tent set up on the edge of the woods and the park, just down the street from their home.

And they stayed at home, for two weeks, no knowledge of anything happening. Not knowing if they were ever going to see their boy again. She'd spent more time fighting off tears in Vernons arms those weeks than she'd thought was truly possible for her. She said more prayers than she'd ever made in her life. She'd never been a very religious woman. Believing in god, but not buying that you had to devotely go to church every week and pray multiple times a day to be happy.

Arabella had taken over watching Dudley after the first time Dudley asked for Harry, she couldn't take it. She had no idea how she was going to tell him that his brother was gone. Albus came around a few times the first week, trying in vain to hide his own fear. The second week he was there every day.

And he stood right next to them as they waited outside the tent two when the time was up. Dr Howard had told them to expect him done by noon, but he was late. It was close to one in the afternoon and they'd heard absolutely nothing. The tent, which Albus remembers noting was much closer to a small house or cabin, was still as silent as it'd been when petunia'd walked by almost every day hoping to maybe hear or see something.

At a little after one, the door finally opened. And out stepped a very tired, very haggard looking Isaac Howard, bags under his eyes, a filthy t shirt covering his chest, and wearing cut off pants, revealing the same triangle pattern of scars as on his neck and wrists on his ankles as well.

"Well?" Petunia whispered behind clasped hands.

Dr Howard looked down and let out an exhausted sigh.

All three hearts sank in an instant.

"Hhahh… you've got a strong boy there Mr and Mrs Dursley. He'll be weak for a little while, but he should grow up healthier than any other kid in this neighborhood." He said finally, moving back towards the door to hold it open for them.

It took only the briefest of moments for Petunia Vernon and Albus to register those words, before Albus was on his hands and knees, openly weeping with relief, and Vernon and Petunia were through the door, rushing to follow him to their son.

Coming to a room in the back, Petunia didn't falter rushing to embrace him, clutching him like a lifeline. Vernon was at her side, staring down at them with tears in his eyes. Looking at Harry now something struck him. Harry had always had the nasty red scar on his forehead, but that was it. Looking at him now Vernon could see several fresh looking if partially healed marks on his neck wrist and ankles. Triangle patterns of small circles that looked deep. And his skin was green. A slightly darker green than the skin of the man standing in the doorway.

"My grandpa was one of the best doctors in Minnesota. When my parents passed shortly after I was born, he took me in. And he raised me as his own. And then during a routine checkup, he found something in me. Niemann-pick disease, type C. He dedicated his life to finding some sort of treatment. And five years later he found one. A full treatment that over a years continuous work could completely rewrite the genetic makeup of anyone affected. But it was too late for me. I had already started to show symptoms, and he knew I would never get that long. So he went over all his notes, all his research and all his findings and he came up with a solution, a desperate, insane solution that might just possibly work. Squeezing all that work, a years worth of gene therapy into as short a time as he possibly could, without instantly sentencing me to death. Two weeks later I was cured, and I've lived the rest of my life trying as hard as I can to be as great as my grandpa was." Dr Howard stood in the doorway, telling his story. He knew they'd understand why Harry came out of this looking like he did. But he felt they were owed an explanation.

For the longest time the only sound in the room was the beeping of the monitor attached to Harry.

Vernon looked to Harry. It was impossible to keep the smile off his face as he looked at his son, his healthy, safe son.