Chapter 2

The first couple of days were like being stuck on a different planet. In the morning when I got up to cook breakfast, Petunia shooed me away and made it herself. Then she actually let me eat the food! Dudely decided to talk about his crazy teachers with me and Vernon told me to do well in school. On the way to school, I realized my victory was bittersweet. I had killed the Dursleys. I had killed them because they didn't love me, and though they still breathed and bled the Dursleys that could have (but probably would never have) loved me were gone, replaced by something artificial. Should I reverse it?
A girl's crying distracted me. "Stop Piers, stop hitting me!" The girl was a mess, and Dudley's friend Piers closed in on her with a grin. The strong always preyed upon the weak to show their power. The Dursley's preyed on me and Piers preyed on the girl. It was so unfair, the girl deserved peace, to be free of pain; I deserved it!

One day, the whole world would be safe for the weak, even if I had to hypnotize everyone on the planet. With a grin I walked up to the pair, ready to make A few adjustments...

July

"Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!"

My tenth birthday was radically different from my nineth. My family, the neighbors, and my new friends from school had thrown me a surprise party
"Happy birthday dear Harry!"
The Dursleys had not been hypnotized since christmas. It was funny how one little thing changed everything. Vernon was now making twice his old paycheck. He had always been competent but his people skills were quite lacking. Now that he had changed, Vernon's employers decided on a promotion — or four. Petunia was now the main topic of gossip in Little Whinging. No one seemed to understand how to deal with a Petunia that didn't try to make them feel like trash or talk behind their backs. Dudley's was the most visible transformation. Now that he didn't eat two portions every meal his weight began to plummet. He no longer beat people up, but had problems making friends. No one had forgotten the terror he used to be. I was also doing well, my marks had improved and now that Dudley didn't scare people off I wasn't so lonely. I had moved out of the cupboard, and into the now clean, if depressing third bedroom. Life was good, I decided as I looked at my cake.
"Happy birthday to you!"
-x-
Dudley's POV
"Harry do you want to see your present?" Harry finished waving goodbye to the last guest and looked at me in confusion. He must have noticed that there wasn't a present from the rest of the family in the gift pile. I know he doesn't expect us to give him one; he always thinks like that. He seems surprised when we give him food at all. I know that once Mom and Dad would never have thrown him a party, I know that I used to beat him until he bled, but it seems so unbelievable, like a horrible nightmare. We never talk about it but I can see my parents' shame whenever a report about a child abuser comes up. I can see how my classmates fear me, treat me like a monster. How could we have been so awful?
I lead Harry to his bedroom upstairs, looking at his face, trying to guess what he thinks. It was dad's idea really, renovating the bedroom, but I decided what would go in it. It looked so empty and sad after we cleaned it out, kind of like Harry. Maybe both could change. The room is painted a light brown, bookshelves for Harry's new collection run from floor to ceiling. The bed is brand new and there's a small desk for work. A flat-screen tv and an xbox face us as we walk in.
"What — how did you do this?" says Harry
"It got put in this morning, that's why we kept you down-stairs all day."
"But so quickly?"
"Didn't you notice that half the people at your party were gone at some point. Everyone was helping out."
Harry spins around, looking at all his new things. I decide to leave him alone for a while and say "Come down a little later and help clean up, there's no way I'm cleaning all those dishes alone." As I close the door I hear a whisper.
"I don't deserve this."

Petunia and Vernon were worried and tense as they looked at me across the kitchen table.
"Is everything alright?" I asked.
"Harry you know that we haven't been the best guardians to you and I want you to know how sorry we are," said Petunia.
The anguish on the Dursley's faces makes me very uncomfortable.
"I forgive you, you don't treat me like that anymore and I'm just thankful for what we have right now."
"He forgives us," muttered Vernon, "Lord I can't forgive myself!"
Petunia broke into tears and said, "Don't forgive us, save such kindness for people who deserve it, not abusers and liars." Why did Petunia think she was a liar? As far as I knew she told the truth all the time, but it could be heavily distorted by her opinions. Her words seemed to tumble over each other in a rush to get out. "Your parents didn't die in a drunk-driving accident, they were murdered by a wizard."
"A wizard?" This was getting ridiculous.
"Yes a wizard like you and your parents."
"Magic isn't real and my parents died after drinking too much and driving. That's how I got my scar, remember?"
Petunia gasped and looked towards the ceiling "Oh Lily I taught your son to think you were a drunk. Harry that was never true. Remember those weird things that would happen around you, the storms when you were angry, the way I could never cut your hair, how any injury you had would heal overnight." What she said was true enough but none of that was my fault. It was just weird luck, wasn't it?
"Let's say I believe you, who killed my parents?"
Vernon passed me a yellowed envelope. "It says there his name was Lord Voldemort."
That name triggered fear in me. I could see red eyes, I could hear the sounds of screaming and a high, terrible laugh.
Petunia nodded "Lily only said his name once to me. I thought James would die of a heart attack on the spot."
Voldemort, that was the man who caused all the misfortune in my young life, I knew it. "I'm going to KILL HIM!"
"You already have," said Vernon.
I grabbed the old envelope and ran to my room. Shutting the door, I sank to the floor, alone with my thoughts.

Christmas
Hearing the knock, I yelled "Come in!"
I put down my journal with a sigh. So far I had made a list of possible spells to try, but hadn't gone through any of them. None of them were guaranteed to work, as they came from wiccan and new age spellbooks, and I had been too busy to go through the complicated ceremonies that might not work. This christmas break was the perfect opportunity to do some spell work.
"Oh Dudley its you, did you need something?"
"Listen, I've been having problems in class and I was wondering if you could use magic to improve my grades. You know, make it so that school is interesting or something?"
That was an interesting idea. Dudley was a very distracted person who didn't do well with book learning. This led to him being a little ignorant, and if it wasn't fixed it would soon become stupidity. If magic couldn't help nothing could.
"Let's try it," I said, "but we're going to need a few things first."
-x-
It took a few minutes of conversation for me to persuade a carpenter to make the talisman for free. It might have been a little wrong of me, but I wanted my first piece of magic to be perfect. In very little time it was done and we admired it in my room. The Hazel talisman had the shape of a pentagon, and on every corner a rune was etched. Ansuz for wisdom, learning, and luck on exams, Sowilo for victory in tasks, Jera for rich rewards over time, and two Dagaz runes which stood for Dudley Dursley. It was threaded with a string and meant to be worn as a necklace.
"Ok, I'm going to need you to stay back while I work." Dudley dutifully headed into the hallway. I waved my hand, imagining all energies that could interfere with my spellwork being wiped away. Pages started to fly on a supernatural wind before settling outside of my workspace. Taking the bag of salt I prepared earlier, I sprinkled it on the floor so that it formed a circle around me. I grabbed a pin and pricked myself to spread my blood over the symbols of the talisman. I put it to my lips and chanted "Ansuz Sowilo Jera Dagaz Dagaz ALU!" There was a blinding flash around the talisman and then it was all over. I opened the salt circle and walked over to Dudley.
"Try it on." Dudley's eyes widened as he slipped the necklace over his head.
"Harry, I am of the opinion that the artifact functions properly." Dudley shook his head, snapping out of his state. "I meant to say — awesome!" A few seconds past silently before he said "You think we can sell these?"
"What?"
"You can make real lucky charms! These could be worth a fortune. We both grinned, and the Little Whinging Little Charm stand went into business.

A/N: Harry will use his hypnosis only in emergencies from here on out. As his life grows more dangerous, he will need to use more of his abilities to succeed
The charm company is just a way of giving Harry more practice with magic and the charms sold are lower quality so that no one gets suspicious. It's also Harry's first taste of how useful magic can be and how it can be marketed.

Please review. Tell me what you think of the story's direction so far. If you don't tell me about any issues I might end up writing another junk fanfic (or give up writing at all for lack of motivation).

Chapters will get longer I promise