Hello, my fellow Potterheads. I tried writing a Harry Potter story months back, but couldn't really get past the first chapter. So I moved on with other fics, but a new idea randomly hit so I thought I'd try again. Our OC here - as written in the summary - is Dudley's twin sister. Ironically named "Susanna", I promise to do my best not to make her a Mary Sue. So please, if you do see her acting like one, kindly let me know. I think we're good so far. And yes, she will be paired with Draco Malfoy. This is obviously an AU story, and I have a lot planned for the couple and Draco down the line, so I hope you stick around for it as this will be a pretty long story.

Now, as someone who's loved Harry Potter pretty much their whole lives, my favorite thing about it was the emphasis of "found family"when it comes to Harry, so by having Susanna I will not be sacrificing how important Ron and the Weasleys are. I was also eager to explore Petunia Dursley, because she is extensively problematic (to put it lightly), but in the end she clearly still loved her sister, and that's reflected in this mother-daughter relationship (another thing to keep in mind: Susanna means "Lily"). I wanted to see what she'd be like if her daughter ended up a witch, and how that would change her character. Vernon's still a piece of work, but that's because it's Vernon Dursley. She won't necessarily be redeemed, only even more complex than before.

This fic will mostly follow book canon, but there will be some moments from the movies peppered in. As such first chapter follows chapter two of The Philosopher's Stone.

Everything but my character belongs to JK Rowling. I hope you enjoy!

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of Number Four Privet Drive were proud to be perfectly normal in every way. Vernon Dursley was even prouder to be the father of two equally normally children. Dudley and Susanna Dursley were twins, the latter born 13 minutes after her brother. They were the apples of his and his wife's eyes, given everything they wanted from birth lest the house descend into chaos. They were equally spoiled and equally cruel to anyone their parents had taught them to be awful to.

Despite being twins, Dudley and Susanna looked nothing alike, their physical similarities few and far between. Where Dudley was large and round, Susanna was small and relatively lean, being far more active than her brother. That was in large part due to her mother. As spoiled as the twins were, Petunia was adamant her little girl stay just that; little. Her meal portions were always smaller than Dudley's, and where her brother would always get to ignore his vegetables most of her plate would be covered in salad. Much to Susanna's chagrin, most of her childhood was spent in the ballet studio, pirouetting and leaping around far more daintily than she wished to. She took great pleasure in climbing the trees in the park down the road and playing football with the other girls at school. She was the first to accept a dare, regardless of the risk, and had a faint scar under her chin from when she was six and decided to hop into a tire, her friends pushing her down the hill until she landed and scratched herself deeply in a rock.

Dudley inherited their mother's blonde hair and blue eyes, though his neck was as invisible as their father's. Susanna possessed a long neck - not as long as their mother's, of course, which the matriarch used to her advantage when spying on the neighbors - but the rest of her appearance came as a surprise of the Dursley. Their little girl was practically identical to Petunia's mother and aunt.

Susanna had red hair only a shade lighter than auburn. Her eyes were bright green, something shared with only one other living person. Susanna's cousin, Harry Potter, a boy as unDursleyish as could be.

But that was not all the two shared. For as strange as the Potter boy was, the same could be said of Susanna. It was only by the efforts of Petunia that this strangeness was hidden from the girl, her father, and her brother.

When Susanna was five, she insisted on playing in the garden while her mother tended to the rose bushes. Happy to have not been in the dance studio the elated girl ran to the tree in their backyard and leaped onto a branch. Petunia had watched it happen, hand covering her mouth to stop her scream because her daughter had flown. When Susanna climbed down, Petunia angrily told her daughter to be more careful, and to start from the bottom of the trunk - there would be no more humping onto trees.

When these strange things happened around other people, Petunia would tell her daughter it was all Harry's fault, that he was responsible for any and all abnormalities Susanna would experience. When Dudley broke her bike on their seventh birthday, he found his new game had transformed into an army of angry spiders. Petunia had sent Harry back to his cupboard under the stairs, Susanna comforting her older twin while yelling angrily at their cousin. Petunia had been the only one to see the truth, and she worriedly made sure her husband was none-the-wiser.

But there was only so long Petunia could cover up her daughter's true nature before Vernon caught on. He had been the only other person home when he found his precious little girl turning on the TV without being anywhere near a remote. While Susanna insisted it had happened on its own accord, Vernon growled and ordered her to her room, angrily explaining everything to Petunia when she returned from her day out shopping for Dudley, their son happily eating a large ice cream while Harry worriedly blinked up at the adults from behind his thick glasses.

In the matter of a day, the eight-year-old Susanna went from being her father's favorite to someone he treated only marginally better than Harry.

Her cousin tried to comfort her, but the girl shoved him out of her new downgraded bedroom, stronger than the thinner boy. He never stopped trying to show her someone still cared, but when a child that has been spoiled their whole life is suddenly rejected, their anger is a vicious thing. For a year, the rose bushes refused to grow and the grass turned brown. Vernon would lose track of personal items, and in return Susanna would lose meal and outside privileges, unless of course to attend her ballet lessons - and how ironic that something she so disliked doing became her only escape?

Despite being joined at the hip since they were born, Dudley adopted his father's treatment towards her. Any friends Susanna had before were convinced to jeer and laugh at his "freaky" sister, and soon enough she was alone as her cousin. Until one fateful October day.

Nine years old and only recently used to her new status, Susanna hid behind some bushes at school, having decided to skip a class in favor of being away from the sneers and laughs. She had no idea her brother would be chasing Harry on the roof of the the two-story building, until she watched in horror as Dudley shoved their cousin off the ledge. Terrified - perhaps she did care about Harry, after all - Susanna wanted nothing more than to catch him. Her arms flew up, a reflex to catch someone she'd never really be able to. Harry seemed to float down, eyes shining with tears as his feet touched the ground. The cousins looked at each other for what felt like the first time, and the girl lowered her hands, gasping for air.

"How did you -"

"I don't bloody know." Susanna responded, and she looked up to see Dudley watching them. She worriedly bit her lip, knowing exactly what would happen when her twin told their parents what he'd seen.

Still, any punishment was worth saving her cousin. Seven hours later she'd find herself sitting with Harry on the roof of their house, munching on a piece of toast he'd managed to sneak up to her, bonding over just how different they were compared to the three Dursley's tucked away in bed. Seven hours she'd have more than a best friend or a companion; Harry would come to be like a true brother to her.

Which is why - on the morning that our story begins - Harry was the first to wish her a "Happy Birthday" and mean it. Her father had grunted it at her, Dudley had merely shoved his younger twin out of the way, and Petunia tentatively kissed her forehead before nudging her towards the toaster.

"How many are there?" Dudley asked his father.

"Thirty-six. I counted them myself."

The boy stuttered angrily, screwing up his face as if he'd cry. "Thirty-six. That's two less than past year."

"Vernon, you didn't count auntie Marge's present. See, it's under the big one from mummy and daddy." Petunia attempted to placate her son, but he merely grew red in the face. Susanna and Harry exchanged eyerolls.

"Alright, thirty-seven then."

Like her daughter and nephew, Petunia could see Dudley was about to throw a nasty tantrum. "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that all right?"

Dudley still looked weepy and disappointed. He seemed to be thinking, which gave Harry and Susanna enough time to gobble down the remaining scraps behind Vernon's back. "So I'll have thirty… thirty…"

"Thirty-nine, sweetums." Petunia gently helped.

"Oh. Alright, then." He thumped down next to his pile of presents, landing heavily as he picked up a modest-enough parcel.

"Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!" Vernon cheered, then ruffled Dudley's hair. He turned to where his daughter was pouring him another mug of coffee. "You got some gifts too, Susanna. You can open them after you serve your mum and Dudley breakfast."

"Thank you, dad." She mumbled back.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Susanna. Speak up. It's bad enough you're you without having a daughter who can't enunciate." Vernon growled.

"Yes, dad." She practically spat out, cheeks as red as her hair in anger.

"Vernon, let Harry take care of breakfast by himself. Susan, you can open your gifts."

Susanna watched her parents engage in a silent argument, but it was clear pleasing his wife was more important to Vernon than punishing his daughter, because he simply sighed and waved his hand.

Like a bird released from their cage, Susanna flew gracefully to the kitchen and set the coffee pot back where it belonged, squeezing Harry's shoulder as she passed.

As Dudley opened his gifts, Susanna sat close to the fireplace where her mother handed her four presents. The first was an awful orange dress with frills from her aunt Marge, two-sizes too large regardless of how much the color clashed with her hair. Petunia wrinkled her nose at the dress and took it away.

The second was another dress, this one knee-length and short-sleeved with silky green fabric and a white collar. It was from her ballet instructor, Madame Dulaine, and something she was actually excited to wear.

The next gift was a notebook and two company pens from Drunnings, her father's workplace. At least it would be useful, but Susanna longed for the days of birthdays past when her father spoiled her, buying her whatever she wanted just as he continued to do for Dudley.

The last gift was a surprise, though. A welcome one that brought tears to her eyes, that was kept private and out of her father's view - her brother was far too busy nearly breaking his new computer to pay attention.

Inside a small, worn white box rested a simple necklace she'd only ever seen when pilfering through her mother's jewelry box. The chain was gold, and on it rested a small butterfly, gold with tiny jewels of all different colors embedded inside. Susanna gently ran her finger over the pendant.

"Thank you, mum." She whispered, and Petunia nodded. With a small squeeze on her hand, the woman rose to answer the now-ringing telephone. Susanna quickly put on her necklace and hid it under her baggy sweater.

Dudley was messing around with his new gold watch when her mother returned, this time frowning. "Bad news, Vernon." The man looked up at her. "Mrs. Figg's broken her leg. She can't take them."

Mrs. Figgs was their neighbor, an old woman obsessed with cats. Whenever the Dursleys were going out of town or celebrating the twins' birthday Harry would be sent over to her place. In recent years Susanna had joined him. While the visits are uncomfortable, at least Susanna would've still had some form of a sweet one her birthday. No doubt her father would send her and Harry to his sister's instead.

"Now what?" Petunia asked.

"I'll phone Marge." Vernon started to stand, and Susanna held in a groan of displeasure.

"Don't be silly, Vernon. She hates the boy. And we don't want her finding out about Susan." Petunia nodded towards her daughter.

"What about what's-her-name, your friend - Yvonne?"

"On vacation in Majorca," snapped Petunia.

"We could just stay here." Harry offered.

Petunia swallowed. "And come back to find the house in ruins?"

"We can go to the park, then. Please, mum?" Susanna asked, standing up.

"I don't bloody think so!"

"Vernon!" Petunia scolded, covering Dudley's ears as if the boy hadn't been saying worse with his friends at school.

"Sorry, dear. No. I won't let you two wander around unsupervised. Who knows what sort of trouble you'll find yourselves in!"

"I suppose we could take them with us to the zoo. It is Susan's birthday, and she made excellent grades at school. We can leave the boy in the car."

"That car's new, he's not sitting in it alone!" Vernon argued

Dudley began to cry irritably loud and impossibly fake, though there mother bought it even as Susanna gave him an unimpressed scowl.

"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" Petunia wrapped herself around her son.

"I… don't… want… them… t-t-to come!" Dudley continued to wail, Susanna subtly covering her ears as she walked over to Harry. "They always sp-spoil everything!"

"Let's just run away." She offered her cousin, who grinned at the thought. Before he could respond, the doorbell rang.

"Oh good Lord, they're here!" Petunia stood up frantically, adjusting her clothes as Vernon opened the door and let Mrs. Polkiss and her son Piers into the house. The boy was best friends with Dudley, and reminded Harry and Susanna of a rat. He was the one who held kids' arms behind their back at school while Dudley beat them.

Her brother stopped crying at once, and stood to greet his equally-horrid friend. "Happy birthday to me." Susanna grumbled under her breath, Harry patting her on the shoulder.

A half hour later, Harry and Susanna rode in the back of the car, on their way to the zoo. Vernon was frowning the whole way, forced to drive his wife's family car rather than the new one he'd been excited to show off.

Piers and Dudley sat in the seats in front of the cousins, laughing loudly about some kid at school.

Vernon was also complaining to his wife - his favorite hobby. This time, it was about the motorcycles whizzing past them.

"... roaring along like maniacs, the young hoodlums!"

"I had a dream about a motorcycle." Harry suddenly announced. "It was flying."

Susanna inhaled sharply, throwing her cousin an incredulous look. To his credit, Harry seemed equally disappointed in himself for voicing such a thing.

Her father barely managed to keep from crashing Petunia's car, and he turned to scream over Dudley's big head at Harry. "MOTORCYCLES DON'T FLY!" He roared, Piers and Dudley sniggering.

"I know they don't. It was only a dream." Harry looked down at his feet, his cousin knocking his knobby knee and sending him a warm smile.

As it was cool and rainy that particular June 23rd, though the zoo was still crowded with families. Her father graciously held his umbrella over his wife's head, the boys holding their own large ones. Harry and Susanna shared a small one with holes, and had it not been for the large raincoats they were wearing, both would be soaked to the core.

Still, there was a woman inside the entrance selling ice cream. Dudley and Piers each received a large chocolate, Petunia buying a small vanilla in a cup for Susanna while cheerily telling the other woman her daughter was training to be a professional ballerina.

Unfortunately for her mother and father, the woman also noticed Harry. They bought him a cheap lemon pop, and the cousins shared their sweets as they walked behind the other Dursleys and Piers. Susanna couldn't help but laugh when Harry pointed out the gorilla scratching his head looked exactly like Dudley thinking. Her mood improved as the morning went on, Harry pointing out the resemblance between Dudley, Piers, and the different animals. They made sure to do so far enough away from the other duo so that when they inevitably got bored, Harry wouldn't be their new entertainment

At lunch, they dined in the zoo restaurant. She and Harry shared some chicken tenders and chips, Petunia also placing a large salad in front of her daughter. It was dry, lacking any dressing, but Susanna appreciated the gesture. Food was good, after all. She snuck Harry some when Petunia was focused on Dudley. When her brother threw a tantrum about his knickerbocker glory not having enough ice cream on top, she and Harry got to eat what remained. Harry even sang her "Happy Birthday", quiet but still the best thing she'd heard all day.

The other shoe dropped nearly twenty minutes later, in the reptile house. Piers and Dudley marched ahead, flanked by a doting Petunia and bored Vernon. Harry and Susanna stayed as far back as they could.

The boys were eager to see giant, man-crushing snakes, and led the rest of the group on a hunt for the biggest slithering reptile the zoo had to offer. Dudley all but clapped when he found a large boa constrictor - it could've wrapped itself twice around their parents' cars and crushed them like soda can. At that moment, however, the snake slept. It was completely oblivious to the two boys pressing their noses to the glass, fogging it with their hot breath. Susanna scrunched her nose as they tapped rapidly, trying to wake the sleeping serpent.

Dudley looked up at their father, pouting in a way that Petunia would call "angelic". Susanna always likened it to a pig denied the chance to roll around in a large patch of mud. "Make it move." Her twin whined, and Vernon tapped on the glass. The snake still refused to wake up. "Do it again!" Dudley whined. This time their father rapped the glass with his knuckles, as if he were knocking on the door.

"Sorry, Dudders." Vernon pat his son on the shoulder.

"This is boring." The boy complained, his best friend nodding in agreement. They huffed and walked away, followed by the two amused elder Dursleys. Only Harry and Susanna remained at the tank, observing the sleeping animal.

"You do realize he'll be complaining about this for the rest of the trip, right. Mum and dad'll probably be having a talk with the zookeepers later." Susanna joked, though both knew that outcome was more than likely.

They continued to watch the snake, completely at ease now that the rest of their party had moved along. "I'm sorry we're celebrating your birthday like this." Harry spoke up, but his cousin shook her head and smiled over at him.

"No, it's okay. I've got you here, that's more than enough to make this a fun day. Besides, at least they acknowledge mine." Susanna took his hand and squeezed. "I really do love you, Harry."

"I love you too, Suze." Harry paused, then nodded to the snake. "I think someone's finally awake."

The snake opened its beady eyes, raising its head slowly to stare at its two observers. It looked from the girl to the boy, then winked.

Winked.

Susanna gasped while Harry looked around, checking to see if anyone noticed the bizarre act. He looked back at the snake, and Susanna watched in confused amusement as he winked in return. The snake's head moved, and the two kids followed its line of sight to see the creature focusing on Vernon and Dudley, off bothering some poor other animal with Piers to assist and Petunia smiling. They turned back to the snake, who rolled its eyes.

Suddenly, Harry began to hiss. It was as though he was possessed. The snake flicked its forked tongue, hissing back. Harry seemed to respond, the snake rising and nodding along in interest. Perplexed by the whole exchange, a worried Susanna cleared her throat. "Harry, what are you doing?"

Harry gave her an odd look. "I'm talking to the snake. Haven't you been listening?"

Susanna gave him a look, but as this was not her first time seeing the unusual unfold only shrugged. "You're so strange, Freak." Harry grinned back at her. They'd called each other "Freak" since the School Roof Incident, a way to rise above the jeers Dudley and his friends would send their way. It was one less way Vernon Dursley could hurt them - if they could acknowledge they were different, then it couldn't be used against them.

Harry returned to his hissing, the serpent pointing his tail at the sign next to the glass. Susanna read the words "Boa Constrictor, Brazil. Bred in captivity". She understood, sighing sadly as she watched Harry hiss at the snake.

Before Susanna could ask what was happening, Piers yelled loudly behind them, practically bursting her eardrums. "DUDLEY! MR. DURSLEY! COME AND LOOK AT THIS SNAKE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT IT'S DOING!"

Her father and brother came dashing over - as fast as their sizes would allow. Eager to see more, Piers shoved Susanna onto the ground, and she yelped in pain when her weight was caught on her elbow.

"Suze!" Harry exclaimed. He then fell to the ground, groaning and holding his ribs. Dudley had punched him out of the way and was now excitedly clapping his hands to the glass with his best friend. Susanna glared, her eyes wide as the snake hissed dangerously and slid back, clearly terrified and agitated.

"Stop! You're upsetting it!" She cried out, and Piers sneered down at her.

"Aw, look Dudley. Your sister's all soft for a bleeding snake - ah!" Piers howled, he and Dudley stepping away from the glass.

Only the glass had suddenly disappeared, the snake freed. The boa constrictor uncoiled itself and began to slide out of the tank, pausing momentarily to nip at the boys' heels. Dudley and Piers screamed and jumped into each other's arms, near-sobbing. The snake hissed at Harry, though it seemed friendly, then winked at Susanna and slithered away.

The reptile house burst into chaos, the confused zoo keeper trying to calm the panic as the boa constrictor made its escape. Susanna looked over at Harry as the attendant rushed forward to speak to the Dursley parents, both of whom were fawning over their son and Piers.

Harry was glaring up at them, his hands shaking as he pushed himself up into a seated position. He glanced at Susanna, worry written all over his face as he watched the girl cradle her elbow. "Are you alright?"

Before she could answer, Vernon was dragging his daughter up from the ground, hurrying after his wife as they and the shivering boys were led to an office. Susanna helped Harry up, the two walking together. They had to sit through the zoo director himself calming Petunia, completely beside himself that the glass had just disappeared. Harry and Susanna sent each other furtive glances. After what felt like hours, they were back in the car - this time the boys swearing up and down that the boa constrictor nearly bit off Dudley's leg and tried to squeeze Piers to death. And when the latter calmed down, he voiced an observation the silent cousins wished was ignored.

"Harry was talking to it. Weren't you, Harry?"

When Piers left, her cousin was locked in his room in the cupboard under the stairs, and Susanna was sent up to her room.

Susanna carefully paced on the rug beneath her feet, wary of her parents downstairs. While Harry had been denied dinner - she managed to sneak him m leftovers in a folded napkin, but it hadn't been easy - her mother allowed her a small piece of cake to go with her smaller portion of roast and potatoes. Then she'd been promptly sent up to bed, Dudley following three hours later. Her mother had been kind enough to hand her a bag of ice for her bruised elbow, but when Susanna privately asked about Harry, Petunia's face screwed up as though she'd eaten something atrociously sour and shooed her away.

Desperate for a cup of tea to help her sleep, Susanna quietly left her room. So what if her parents were still awake? She needed to sleep, and there was too much on her mind. Most of it was focused on Harry, and how worried she was for him. There's no way he could continue to survive in this house - neither of them could. He needed to get out, to get somewhere safe. And where her cousin would go, she'd follow, until she was no longer needed. She owed him that much.

But as Susanna crept down the stairs, careful not to make a sound, her parents' conversation was far too intriguing to not eavesdrop.

"... Lily got hers on her birthday, and one of them delivered it personally." Her mother spoke, and Susanna tilted her head in curiosity.

"And you're sure the blasted letter didn't come?" Her father gruffed out."

"I checked twice, Vernon."

"Must be slow to send, eh?"

"What if… what if we've been wrong? What if she is normal?"

"Must be. Could've stamped the freak out of her, too. Didn't you say ballet is good for discipline?"

"Our daughter, normal all this time."

"Well, if she's not, we aren't sending her to that school. I won't have them turning her more freakish." Her father yawned and Susanna jolted a bit. "I'm knackered. Are you staying up longer?"

"Yes, my programme is about to start. Could you check on Dudley?"

"Of course. Poor lad. Goodnight, dear."

"Mmm, goodnight."

Susanna quietly but quickly rushed up the stairs, sliding carefully to her room and closing the door, her father's heavy footsteps concealing the noise. She slid under the covers and turned off her bedside lamp, the moon providing some light.

Without her tea to calm her, sleep eluded Susanna. It was hours before she was finally able to close her eyes, so many questions plagued her. What had her parents been discussing? What was so special about "the letter", and what did it have to do with aunt Lily?

Vernon and Petunia Dursley were keeping secrets, and Susanna was going to find out just what they were hiding.