Yunicorn360

If Harry had become a professional quidditch player. I imagine that after a really intense match, which he wins barely and enthusiastically, he stumbles of his broom and hefts his lover (Draco, Ginny, Hermione, what have you) and spins them then sets them down and shakes like a freaking dog. Sweat goes flying and lover is exasperated because Harry does this ALL. THE. TIME!

Getting out of the shower? Shake

In from gardening? Shake

Out of the pool? Shake

When he was little, Padfoot taught him that. Sirius thought it was hilarious to watch little 1-2 year old Harry shake his little body wildly to get any moisture off.

~Return to Privet Drive~

The Dursleys are dead.

Vernon was first. He was too fat and could hardly go up the stairs to bed. Petunia is left alone in the house, and not a month later, passes from malnutrition. Skinny as a twig, she wasted without her husband and son. Dudley had moved away and started his own family a year before. He arranged the funeral. There was a hesitant invite in Harry's mailbox. He'd sent flowers to Dudley.

It's been nearly 15 years after the final war. There's a new family in #4 Privet Drive. The realtor had been ecstatic to finally sell the house that had been passed around the market.

Too clean. Too ghastly. Too haunted. Too normal. There was always a reason that the buyer backed out. But the Evans' fell in love with it. The master room is wonderfully designed and the room next to it will fit both the parents' offices (a writer and an editor have much need for book space). There are 2 rooms upstairs left for the 2 children, one boy named Hadrian and one girl named Chloe. One room is a bit smaller than the other, but Chloe insisted she liked the room.

"It's got the best view of the sunset!"

John had had the smaller room at their last house anyhow.

The window cage has been replaced with a small planter box at Chloe's request. Chloe loves gardening. The creaky floor was replaced and fixed, though Chloe didn't mention she had been able to pry up one of the new boards still. That's a better hiding place for her diary than under her pillow. Hadrian has already read quite a few entries. Brothers!

The leftover furniture was thrown out and replaced with her red comforters and old writing desk. She can fit a dresser in here and uses her creativity to mash as many shelves around the room as her parents will let her. Her dad laughs when she tries to convince him to turn her turn into a library/secret entrance door. Her mother is half convinced.

Hadrian helps her paint the dingy baseboards and she helps him clean the food stains on his floor. They share the hallway bathroom. Their parents have gotten tired of hearing pounding on the door when one takes a second too long. It's domestic and the loveliest house they've ever lived.

Chloe's favorite place in the house, other than her room and the back garden, where wild dandelions grow in every corner, is the broom cupboard under the stairs. When they'd first looked at the house, Chloe was amazed to see that, above the door of the closet, was a scribble in a child's scratch.

"Harry's Room"

Her parents, being so ingrained in creating, and her brother, planning to pursue a writing career like their mother, have nourished Chloe's imagination. She sits in the closet, on a lumpy bench, while the agent guides her family around and thinks about what kind of things "Harry" got up to.

Did he fight dragons here? Did he make friends with elves? Did he fight goblins and trolls? Did he show his friends his secret room? Did he draw? Did he play? Was he on a quest? Did he win against the villain? Did he save the princess from the tower? Was he a wizard with a staff? Did he know any magic tricks?

She thought of so many stories that he could have enjoyed. Then she sneezed and the light bulb shattered. The agent apologized and promised the bulb would be replaced and the electrical would be reexamined. Chloe's parents were already sold and Hadrian was excited to start his last year of high school. Chloe just loved this little house.

~~~

Professor Harry James Potter stared at the list. Headmistress McGonagall hadn't even noticed what house was included in the ones he was required to visit. No exceptions.

He looks up at the house and shivers. There was so much gloom here. He didn't want to touch it. He didn't want to knock. It wasn't his prison anymore and he shouldn't have been made to return.

Not even to give a young muggle-born witch her Hogwarts letter.

Ginny had even offered to do it for him. She was standing by the gate now, ready to provide assistance should he need it. Albus had wanted to come along. The curious lad he was, he wanted to see how muggle-born wizards and witches were told about their acceptance into Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. He'd only gotten his via owl last night.

Lily Luna was bounced further up on her mother's back as she watched her father raise his hand to knock. She was bored. She should have just stayed with Jamie at home. He used to hate babysitting. He got used to it after Aunt Hermione and Uncle Ron had Rosie. He was much better at babysitting now. He was really bad at chess and Lily always won! It was her favorite game, but only with Jamie. Albus cheated because he always won.

Harry knocked on the door and heard two clambering sets of footsteps. Two twin "I GOT IT"s echoed into the door frame. The door was wrenched open by a young girl Albus' age, who stuck her tongue out at someone on the stairs. She had bright red hair and hazel eyes. Harry breathed slowly, smiling softly down at her.

"Hi," She said, excited about the new stranger.

"Hello. Is this the, um, Evans' residence?" And what a gut-punch that name was when compared to the girl in front of him. She could have been his opposite. Hair like his mother and eyes like his father. This wasn't his mother's family, of course. Evans was a very popular last name.

"Yes it is! How can I help you?"

Harry gulped silently. "I was wondering if I might talk with your family quickly?"

She hums. Then shrugs and darts off, shouting, "I'll check!" over her shoulder. A young man then comes from up the stairs, shouting after her.

"Chloe! Let the man in!" The boy opens the door wider and motions for Harry to come into the house. "Sorry. She gets ahead of herself. My name is Hadrian Evans."

The lad's grip is strong. Harry takes it, glad for his hands to do something other than twist the list in his pocket. "My name is Harry Potter. It's wonderful to meet you. Are your parents home, Hadrian? I do need to talk to them."

Hadrian nods. "Yes. My sister should be getting them now."

"Thank you."

There's an awkward silence as the men examine each other with faint interest. Hadrian has darker brown hair, but it is nearly still red. His eyes are thankfully hazel as well. Harry might have worried he had a twin otherwise.

A man a few years older than Harry makes his way into the hallway. He clasps a hand on Hadrian's shoulder and Hadrian opens the front door a bit further. The man reaches out with his other hand.

"Daniel Evans. How do you do?"

"Harry Potter. I'm doing very well, Mr. Evans. Is your wife here by chance? I do really need to discuss something rather serious with your whole family."

Daniel looks confused for a moment and nods. "Yes. She's upstairs. Hadrian, will you get your mother please?" He turns back to Harry, who is back to twisting the list in his hand. "What is this about?"

From behind Harry, Ginny speaks up. He turns, surprised he hadn't noticed her and the two kids walking up the path. "We're here to talk with you about Chloe's schooling."

"Her schooling? I'm afraid we've already decided where Chloe will be attending school. Sorry, who are you?"

Harry takes Lily from Ginny's back so the woman can reach out a hand. "I'm his better half. Ginny Potter. This here is our son Albus and our daughter Lily." Both kids wave when pointed to. "It really is imperative that we talk with you and Mrs. Evans about her schooling, despite your decision. I promise we will tell you everything. We've just found that telling it once to everyone saves a load of questions."

"Oh for the love," comes a song-like voice from the stairs. "Daniel let them in. They may have a good story."

Daniel lets them in, introducing his wife as Emma, and leads them to the sitting room. Harry's grip on Ginny's hand tightens when he walks past the cupboard. Emma calls Hadrian down from his room. Harry aches to check that Chloe has a room upstairs as well. Chloe is in the kitchen, eating a pastry, which Emma rolls her eyes at. Chloe looks bashful, finishing the pastry before joining them in the sitting room.

Once both families are sat across from one another, nearly mirroring one another, Harry leans forward and pushes the letter towards the Evans'. "This is for you, Chloe."

Chloe picks it up, her eyes sparkling. She tears open the wax seal and starts reading. Her eyes widen and she looks up at Harry for confirmation.

Harry turns to Daniel and Emma, who was reading over Chloe's shoulder. "Your daughter has been accepted into Hogwarts: The School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, by request of Headmistress McGonagall."

-----------------------------

Alright that's enough of that! I was just reading a fic and wanted to explore how it would feel if Harry had to deliver a Hogwarts letter to Privet Drive once again and just everything reminded him of his past/his parents/etc.

I nearly named either Emma/Chloe Lily, just to drive it home, but I thought that might be too cruel and so I just snuck in the look-a-like reference.

Was just reading an HP fic. Harry goes to his 8th year and then, once he's about graduated, is almost, like, grieving to become an adult because...duh. He mentions how lonely it will be to live in Grimmauld Place with just Kreacher and like...I'd never thought about it.

Basically EVERY adult that Harry had learned to actually rely on died (not really counting the Weasleys). He doesn't have Sirius to teach him how to be an adult, Snape to give education recs (as if), Dumbledore to give out his diploma, Remus to teach him how to be a kid/uncle/professor, Tonks, Moody, Fred(?)(I'm still learning and I can never remember which one dies...I'll get there eventually), etc. He, as a brand new adult with no understanding if there are wizard taxes, a specific way to write a wizard resume, how to deal with ANY sort of housing/banking ordeal, HECK, even how to shop for normal food ingredients aside from growing them himself or buying them in a muggle shop.

Like there's so much he doesn't know and now he's got a job he doesn't know how to do, an elf he doesn't really know how to employ, and a house he doesn't want to be empty. It's a dreary house and there's a dreary, grief-filled history there.

...Harry as a Horcux, right? Why didn't Voldemort just do that in the first place? Like...I assume that it was because he didn't know how to make a living horcrux yet, but that would have been a great way of stopping The Order from attacking him and actually killing him.

"You want to kill me? You're going to have to kill your kid."

Obviously, there'd be people who are ready to kill Harry for the good of the world, but you can't tell me that James, Lily, Sirius, and Remus would LET that happen. I can just imagine that, instead of killing the kid, Voldy just acknowledges that he's got a 50% chance of living. That goes up to 100% if one of his horcruxes is someone The Order can't kill.

What is Dudley got a girl pregnant in the summer after 4th year. (For the sake of the AU, he's started getting better/nicer and more understanding after talking to the school counselor)

Obviously, he's too young to be a father, but the girl skips town and, like his cousin, leaves the little girl on the Dursley's doorstep during winter break. Dudley doesn't know how to take care of a baby, but he knows one thing. He won't abandon his child.

Problem? His daughter is a witch.

How does he know this? Because he's had to pull her down from the ceiling twice, each time desperately keeping it a secret from his mother and father. There's only one person who can really help Dudley with this and that person is on his way home from King's Cross after a tough 5th year.

Dudley meets Harry on the front porch with Daisy grabbing at his fingers. The younger boy(by a few months) freezes, yanking his heavy trunk up the step andsetting it beside him and glaring at Dudley with suspicion and Daisy with confusion. Dudley doesn't know how to start the conversation.

"I had a baby."

NOT THAT WAY!!!

Harry isn't really sure how to respond to that and awkwardly congratulates his cousin with a big question mark at the end of the sentence. Is this a good thing? If Harry had to choose one of the Dursleys to give a baby, he can say that he would have not given the baby to any of them.

Dudley puts his head in his hands and mumbles something. Daisy babbles as her father's shadow covers her entire body.

"What?"

Dudley looks up at Harry through his fingers. "Daisy... She um... She has magic. I think."

Harry stiffens and looks at the door, debating if he should just run off with his...niece(?). He's done worse. He blew up his aunt in 3rd year, he could probably get away with a simple muggle kidnapping.

"Mom doesn't know. If I have my way, Dad will never know." Dudley is fidgeting with his fingers, as if they'll have some sort of answer to his dilemma. Harry breathes out a sigh of relief and lays his trunk down, sitting down on it across from Dudley and Daisy, who's surprisingly bright green eyes are staring at the newcomer. Just like her Aunt Lily's eyes. Harry swallows the comparison.

"Why are you telling me this, Dudley?"

Dudley looks up and away from Harry's face. From where he can still see the tiniest scar from where his mother had hit Harry with the frying pan. He used to think it had been funny until his counselor looked at him with such a look of horror. It really was a good thing doctor/patient confidentiality was a thing.

"You're... I think you're the only one who could help me with this. I don't know how to... stop her?"

Harry's face sours and Dudley quickly tries to remedy his statement. "N-not stop her exactly. I just don't want her to hurt herself. I... I don't know how this all works Harry. I don't remember how much trouble you were as a baby, or if you even showed this kind of magic when you were that little."

Harry looks contemplative and Dudley worries his lip between his teeth. Harry stands up and kneels forward. "Can I hold her?"

Dudley nods, surprised. "Yeah of course. Um, just support her head there and yeah. There ya go..."

Harry holds her like a natural. He smiles down at the baby girl. "Hello Daisy. Have you been getting stuck on the ceiling?" He looks up at Dudley again, who is twisting his thumb in the fist of his other hand. "What are you doing when she gets stuck on the ceiling?"

Dudley blinks. "Oh. Um usually I've just gotten done with feeding her. Bottle feeding, y'know?"

Harry nods. "Where does she sleep?"

"Mom wanted her to sleep in your room-"

"Of course." Harry rolls his eyes and Daisy burblers at him.

"-but I wanted her close, so she sleeps in my room."

Harry hums and thinks for a moment, not even acknowledging that Daisy is sucking on his pinky. "I wonder if she wants to sleep after getting her bottle?"

Dudley nods. "Usually."

"Then her... um."

"You can say 'magic' with me, Harry. Just... don't mention it to mom or dad."

Harry gives him a look that says 'you're stupid' and continues his sentence, "Her magic is probably trying to get her into her crib for bed. Maybe try feeding her in your room? She may know you're putting her down immediately if you're in there?"

Daisy grabs at Harry's glasses and he moves his face back slightly. "You're just like your father."

Dudley scowls. "I'm not sure that was a compliment." Harry give him another look. The boys stare at each other for a long time, just analyzing one another. Then Harry nods and stands up with Daisy. Dudley stands up too.

"Can you grab my trunk?" Harry asks, a smirk growing on his face.

"Why don't you get it?" Dudley asks, genuinely confused.

Harry lifts Daisy higher. "My arms are full of baby. Can't do it."

"Oi. That's my daughter you're holding, y'know."

"Why yes. I'm very aware." Harry turns away from Dudley, leaning towards Daisy while opening the front door. "How your father ended up with something as precious as you, I will never know."

"Oi!"

☆

The summer passes quickly. Harry helps Dudley take care of Daisy's accidental magic and tries to help him learn how to teach her to control it, even if she is only like 9 months old. Slowly, she's getting used to it and starts controling/suppressing it on her own.

It's a quiet night. Dudley's parents had left on a date when Harry whispers "I wish I'd had someone like Daisy has you, Dudley."

Dudley, careful not to move too much as Daisy had fallen asleep on his chest, looks at Harry. "What do you mean?"

Harry stares at Daisy from where he is kneeling, leaning against the coffee table. "Y'know... someone who cares. Someone who loves."

"Oh..."

It's quiet for a long time before Dudleg asks, "What about your godfather? The uh... the murderer?"

Harry breaks and tells Dudley about what happened. He tells Dudley that Sirius is dead, not even aware of how much time has passed or how he ended up sitting on Dudley's bed while the young man laid Daisy in her crib. Dudley pulls forward a chair and sits in front of Harry.

"Tell me everything."

So Harry does. Harry tells Dudley about how he had gotten on the cafeteria rooftop, and how comforting Hogwarts was to him. "Felt like home." He tells Dudley about the many DADA teachers that have tried to kill him and about the monsters he's had to fight.

"Oh gosh..." Dudley is hunched over the trash can he'd snatched when Harry had gotten to the last task of the Triwizard Tournament. "So... Daisy is... She's a muggleborn and Voldemort is after all muggleborns. He's after you and shes your niece and..."

Harry nods.

"Oh gosh..."

"Nothing will happen to her. I'll keep her safe, Dudley. I won't let anything harm Daisy. Or you."

Dudley stares at Harry, confusion evident. He was horrible to Harry. Heck, he still had a few moments this summer. Harry clenches his fists and stares a hole in the carpet before meeting Dudley's eyes. "She won't grow up without her father."

Dudley swallows down the acid and closes his eyes. His daughter is one of the most targeted people in the wizard world, but she's got the strongest wizard behind her. Dudley struggles to feel comforted by that fact.

Dudley had no way of knowing just how far Harry would go.

Petunia knows something is happening but Vernon ignores his son and his granddaughter, refuses to even acknowledge them. Petunia tries to understand but every day, Dudley looks at her and shakes his head. There's fear in his eyes and she can't do anything about it.

Harry stays with the Dursleys when Dumbledore comes to retrieve him. He returns after convincing Slughorn to be the potions professor. He sits on Dudley's bed while the other boy rocks Daisy to sleep and tells Dudley that something is coming. When Harry goes off to Hogwarts, both of the boys worry about what will happen.

Harry keeps hearing about attacks in the muggle world and Dudley keeps seeing OoP members patrolling Privett Drive. OoP know the Dursleys have a new kid in the house, but don't know who she belongs to yet. As the year goes on, Dudley sends many letters to Harry, not receiving many replies other than Harry assuring Dudley that he is still alive. Then he gets a letter.

"Tell Daisy about me. I'm not sure if this will work."

Dudley spends the next few days on the constant look out for Harry's owl Hedwig. Daisy is a 18 months old and has been babbling for "Hawwy". Petunia grimaces when the little girls asks her grandmother where Hawwy is and Vernon sneers at the girl. Dudley comforts his daughter. He's "graduated" and looks for a job. He needs to take care of his daughter.

When Harry returns to Privett Drive, he's exhausted. Dudley keeps Vernon away from Harry and Harry gets Daisy cuddles anytime he gets too quiet.

"Dumbledore is dead."

Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort was afraid of.

"What happens now, Harry?"

Harry shakes his head and sweeps a strand of Daisy's hair out of her eyes. "Shes getting so big."

"Yeah."

The OoP come to help the Dursleys move out. When Remus walks in on Harry and Dudley packing Daisy's things he notices the young girl playing with a small ball of light. A patronus. Remus glances at Harry, who's wand is glowing in his hand, as he holds the box flaps closed. Harry looks at Daisy as the light bulb gets brighter in the room.

"Daisy-Darling, low lights please," Dudley mutters, ripping the tape on the edge. He startles when Remus clears his throat.

"Harry? Is she..."

Harry glares at Remus. "You're not to tell a soul, Remus. Not even Tonks. Nobody can know."

Remus examines the strange family dynamic Harry has grown with Dudley, nearly that of a brother. There's still tension there, but the two young men stand side by side, a united front when it comes to keeping this new soul safe. Remus nods.

Dudley moves to some nowhere town with his parents. He constantly worries over Harry's well-being. He hadn't given Dudley any information on his "mission" just that Harry wouldn't be able to write very often. Daisy misses her uncle Harry. Dudley's heart broke when she pronounced her r's properly. She was growing up so fast.

Dudley finds himself sitting on the couch, staring into the flames and hoping they might turn green or the bricks would just explode like they did years ago when Arthur Weasley came to collect Harry for the sports thing. Sometimes Daisy joins him, slumping against his chest and asking where Harry is. When he'll be back.

"How will Harry find us? We don't live home anymore..." Dudley kisses Daisy on the forehead when she sleepily whines.

"He knows, Daisy. He knows how to find us."

Dudley knew something was wrong when the sky got dark in May. Daisy felt something in the air and cried about the headache it gave her. Dudley could swear he heard explosions the next neighborhood over. He didn't let Daisy out of his sight.

Petunia wasn't allowed to babysit anymore. Vernon never offered, but he wasn't even allowed to be alone in the same room with her. Dudley was wound up and anxious. He hadn't heard from Harry since his last letter, nearly 8 months ago.

The sky was red and dark, as though the world was ending. Daisy was crying and Dudley had hidden in the closet with her as she sobbed for her Uncle Harry. When she went quiet, eyes frozen, Dudley knew he'd lost his cousin, his brother forever.

Petunia didn't know how to help the grieving man and the young child who wouldn't leave her father's side. Vernon was dead. Too much alcohol and too fat the doctor said. Petunia should be feeling something. Instead, she comforted her son and her grandchild, not even knowing what they had lost.

☆

It'd been nearly 2 months since they lost Harry when the knock came. Dudley, tired from helping Daisy through a fever all night, stumbled to open the door. He didn't register who it was at first, blurry tired eyes messing with the color of the stranger's hair and clothing, but when Dudley met his eyes he gasped. The same color as his Aunt's. The same color as his daughter's. Dudley gripped Harry's shoulders and yanked the scarred man into a hug, sobbing over his shoulder. Harry hugged Dudley back as tightly and asked to see Daisy.

Daisy was still in bed so Harry sat on the edge of her "big girl bed" and set his hand on her forehead, checking the temperature. She was still really warm.

"You've been replacing the towel?" He asked, not unkindly.

"Mhm." Dudley hummed. "She's been hit pretty hard. Too much playing in the mud like her Uncle Harry."

Harry scowled playfully when he felt Daisy shift under his wrist. She blinked up at Harry and smiled weakly.

"Hi Uncle Hawwy." Both men melted. Then Daisy blinked and jolted up. Harry tried pushing her back down but she was strong for a 2 and a half year old. She pushed herself standing and slumped into Harry's embrace, sobbing.

"Where did you go!? I couldn't feel you anymore! You were gone! Don't leave again!"

"Aw Daisy-Darling. I missed you too, sweetheart. I had to go fight a bad guy and... I got pretty hurt, kid." Dudley could tell that wasn't all that happened. Harry's eyes had a death in them that Dudley couldn't really name.

"You won't leave again?!" Daisy's voice was a bit higher and Dudley smiled. The accidental magic was natural, especially during really emotional moments and he'd learned to predict them. He sat on the other side of her, brushing a hand through her hair as he blankets and plushies started floating up from where they had sat for a tea party.

Harry nodded, hugging Daisy closer. "I won't. Can you put feet on the ground again?"

Daisy nodded and the floating objects returned to their places. The sound of cups shattering broke the caring moment, Harry pushing Daisy into Dudley's hands and brandishing his wand at the person in the doorway.

Petunia stared at the stuffed animals in the tea chairs, three mugs of tea splattered on the floor and hall walls. She looked at Harry and Dudley then Daisy. Harry was tense. Dudley really hoped the wizard didn't attack his mother-

Petunia fainted and Harry dashed forward to catch her, an image of awkward.

Don't think about her wanting to prove that Vlad did t completely mess her up. Don't think about her wanting to have something that isn't actually Danny's and is wholly hers. Don't think about the fear when her Mom Aunt Alicia asks to take her to the doctor when she hasn't had her period at 15.

Batfam Animatic with Tim Drake as the focus and the song? Good For Your from Dear Evan Hansen? Eh? Eh?

From a writing company by the way....