Vernon peered blearily through the whiskey-induced haze at the 3 figures huddled on the sofa. They already looked cowed, he thought with satisfaction. It didn't last long, as Petunia stood and looked at him with sudden confidence.

"Go on up the stairs to your rooms, young men." Petunia said firmly. The boys hustled past Vernon and ran up. They stopped at the top to listen. What they would do next depended on Vernon ... and Petunia. Would she be able to stand firm?

"Now you're letting the freak sleep upstairs? Who knows what he'll do to us while we sleep!" Vernon roared, aghast.

"He'll do nothing, Vernon. He's no idea how to use his magic. His accidental magic only kicks in when he's in extreme distress." Petunia answered calmly.

"So why doesn't he do any when he's being disciplined?" Vernon sneered.

"Perhaps he's tougher than you believe; the Evans family never had a member that couldn't take what life threw at them. I forgot that for a time, myself, but I assure you that to keep Harry and Dudley safe I won't forget it again." The glint in her eye actually gave even the alcohol-soaked mind of Vernon pause. "You hit me - although you say you don't remember it - the last time I objected. If you hit any of us again, I'll involve whomever I must to be rid of you. I prefer not to - you are a good man when you don't drink, and when you aren't after Harry. If the only way you can behave is to pretend he doesn't exist, then do so." With that she turned and followed the boys upstairs.

The boys were grinning and giving her two thumbs up and high fives when she reached the top. She smiled and shooed them into their beds.

Dudley cheerfully hopped into his bed, with the knowledge that somewhere, sometime he would have magic. He had always felt cut off from something. He buried himself in video games, particularly the ones with magic and sorcery in them, something in them calling to him. Now, he felt, he knew why - he belonged in that world. No more having to pretend.

Harry wriggled down into the bed, blissfully - Truly able to stretch out for sleep, for the first time. So much had changed in less than a day. He now had a room, lots of food, and his Aunt and cousin no longer hated him. He hoped that if it was a dream, he never woke up. He had thought that his only escape would be to leave as soon as he was of age, and just strike out on his own.

Now, it seemed that there was someone who was paying the Dursleys to take care of him. Harry wasn't stupid - the only reason someone would be paying was if there was money that belonged to him for his upbringing. If they were simply rich, concerned relatives they wouldn't have left him here after that disaster when he turned eight, and all that freaky stuff started happening that was now clearly his magic kicking in.

Harry drifted to sleep, dreaming of a castle and flying, like in the pictures in the album. His mum was very pretty, and his dad had looked like he was a lot of fun. He hoped to hear more stories tomorrow - if Uncle Vernon didn't kill them all over breakfast.

Vernon stood for a time, as if turned to stone; dimly he could hear Petunia and the boys going to bed. He had come home intending to put everything right back the way it had been. Instead the changes had been cemented even further into place. He staggered over to the sofa and fell heavily onto it. The sofa creaked and groaned alarmingly. Blasted thing - it obviously must have been poorly made. It must have been because he was so tired, HE WORKED HARD DAMMIT! They should respect him more.

He had been surprised that Dudley would be in on this; surely he didn't want to have to share things with the freak? When he realized that he would have to share, he would come around. He almost grinned, yes that was the ticket, and Petunia would never put Harry over Dudley. He would have it out with them in the morning, he just needed to rest. Soon he was snoring peacefully on the sofa.

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

Petunia had fallen into a fitful sleep, waking with a start at any noise. She had peeked into the living room at one point, to see with relief that Vernon was asleep. She had managed a couple hours after that. She still woke earlier than usual, and set about fixing a large breakfast. Harry wandered in soon after, obviously puzzled as to why she was doing his job. He had been starting breakfast for years, now.

Harry had already showered and dressed, tip-toeing by the still snoring Vernon. Petunia grimaced, eyeing his baggy hand - me - down clothing. Vernon had refused to let her buy him anything new after he turned seven. That first lump sum Albus had given him had run out at that time, not that he had spent any of it on Harry. He had carefully made extra payments on the house and cars, slowly paying them off, so as not to alert the tax people. He had made a few investments and bought better furniture and they had had more lavish vacations.

It must have been a very large amount, she thought. But it had finally been gone. He had gotten more stingy with any money spent on Harry, and started insisting ‘he earn his keep'. The hitting had begun with the accidental magic. Luckily Albus had started those monthly payments, or Harry might never have survived. One would have thought Vernon would have gotten happier with Harry after that, but he took Albus' admonition about ‘boys needing discipline' to heart, not remembering the part about ‘not getting carried away'.

Harry fidgeted a bit while setting the table. "Aunt Petunia...if that man is giving money for Vernon to keep me...would he give it to you, if we had to leave, or if Vernon was made to leave? Is it enough to take care of us all?"

Petunia stared at him in astonishment, of course! "Yes, it is 1000 pounds a month that is sent. We couldn't be lavish, but we would be okay." Petunia frowned then, scrambling the eggs even harder. "But I'm not sure I trust to anything sent by Albus Dumbledore. I don't really know what his agenda is, but I'm not sure it's in your best interest, or ours."

Harry nodded, frowning as well. He squeezed the oranges extra viciously to get the juice. This Dumbledore certainly hadn't endeared himself to Harry. Aunt Petunia and Dudley might be better, now, but Vernon was still a bast- umm...bully. Aunt Petunia was fond of washing even Dudley's mouth out if foul language was used.

Petunia woke Dudley quickly. "Shower and dress, you'll want to be at the table when your father wakes." Dudley nodded and ran to the bathroom.

Petunia grabbed some pills and a large glass of juice, and walked over to Vernon. She'd left it until the last minute, but he would be livid if he was late to work. She shook him awake, and he looked around, confused.

"Here's some Aspirin, and a pain pill, and something for nausea - be sure to drink all the juice. Breakfast is waiting." Petunia waited while he nodded, and took the medication.

Vernon hurried through a washing up and got a fresh set of clothing. Everything had seemed so clear last night, now it was all a bit hazy. He sat at the breakfast table, and served himself a large plate. Dudley was only taking a small plate - ahh, yes -he needed to get Dudley back on his side.

"Well, I intended to get you a bunch of new clothing this month and perhaps some new toys for your birthday, Dudley, but I suppose you'll have to share the shopping spree with Harry." Vernon sighed in mock regret. But the expected eruption of temper never arrived.

"Forget new clothing for me, I've gotten too fat." Dudley said airily. "I'm going to lose some weight, so maybe I'll just fit back in some of the clothes I've ‘outgrown'." Dudley looked over at the bemused Harry. "I'm going to start going to the pool every day - it's a bit of a walk, but that will probably help. Would you mind coming with me, Harry? I'll teach you to swim?" Harry nodded agreeably - he'd always wanted to learn to swim.

Dudley's parents were stunned, Petunia with delight. Vernon, however, was horrified. Not only was Dudley cheerfully giving up things to Harry, but he intended to starve himself and become some health nut.

"Excellent - I'll get summer passes for all three of us. I may just join you some days. We'll all get new suits and swim gear." Petunia was thrilled. "Perhaps we'll stop by a sports and exercise center - there may be other things you would like for your birthdays. It's a bit early to shop for you birthday, Harry but you can show me what you would like." Harry nodded, eyeing Vernon's purpling face with caution.

This was intolerable! The world had gone mad. Vernon tossed down his napkin and headed for work. He would have to figure some other strategy to get his world back.

The remaining trio listened to the slamming doors with trepidation. "I'm not sure that went well, mum" Dudley finally said. The other two nodded, and the meal was finished in silence. Washing up was being done when Petunia finally spoke.

"You realize that your father will never accept a son that is a wizard, you'll likely have to make a choice about that, soon. We'll have to have your magic unbound, within the next year, for you to attend the wizard school, Hogwarts." Petunia wasn't happy to have to make Dudley do this, but it was his choice to make.

"I think I realized that when I found out he did that to me. But I know I have to have it back, I can't not be what I was really meant to be." Dudley answered a bit fiercely. He still found it difficult to accept that it had been done.

They finished the clearing away and went to the living room, sitting once more on the sofa.

Petunia pulled out the box and a different photo album and opened it. "This is Lily's pictures of before Hogwarts, and the earlier years there." She pointed to a picture of her and Lily and a dark-haired grim looking boy. "Severus Snape lived in the same town as we did - but on the other side. We met at a park and he recognized Lily as having magic - just like he did. They became friends, and I'm ashamed to say I was quite jealous of it - they shared something that I didn't have, you see."

Dudley and Harry patted her arms comfortingly. Dudley understood very well - he imagined that if he didn't get his magic back he would be very jealous of Harry, indeed.

They flipped slowly through the pictures. The Snape boy was almost smiling in a few of them, although as the children got older he seemed more and more angry. "I think, looking back, that Severus' father was quite abusive, Lily said he had no magic and he didn't like it that Severus was a wizard. His mother died when he was only twelve, and I believe his father got even worse."

The boys nodded, they were familiar, now with abusive male authority figures. Harry could imagine being very angry, himself.

"Lily said they had been arguing much of their fifth year, and he finally did something - insulted her, I believe, and they never really regained their friendship. I know it was more complicated than that. Your father, James, and he were rivals. I'm sure he didn't want Lily to make it up with him. Perhaps Severus can explain it, when we meet." Petunia sighed; she had to find a way to track him down.

Petunia put the album back and pulled out a book. "Lily always said anything you wished to know of Hogwarts was in this book." She handed the boys the large, beautifully embossed book to them.

"Hogwarts, a history, cool!!!!!!!!" Harry read the front eagerly.

Petunia got up and they started reading, eagerly. "I need to look at a few things; you go ahead and read for awhile, we'll leave in an hour."