Petunia watched the small child sitting in the grass with thoughtful narrowed eyes. The small boy looked to be four, not six because of his small size. He had messy black hair that almost reached his shoulder and though weighed down, flared at the ends. His skin was very pale, especially considering he was almost always out in the sun. It wasn't an unhealthy color though. In fact it suited him. His eyes were a stunning green she had never seen on anyone before. Not even her sister. The child, Harry, was her sister's child. He was a magical child. How she hated magic. But as she watched the small boy sitting in the grass she felt a pang of guilt. He looked so innocent. She had always carried the thoughts that wizards and witches were evil and freakish. At least since her sister had gone off to Hogwarts. How she had hated how their parents had favoured Lily, loved Lily, more then herself. She'd hated Lily. But as she looked at her sister's child she couldn't but help as see him just as her nephew.

Petunia violently shook those thoughts away and looked back to the child. He had finished his chores and was now sitting with his back to the house in the backyard. She had hoped to break him. Break his spirit, his innocence. She'd made him do all the chores, made him cook, clean, wash. She'd made him live in the cupboard under the stairs. She'd glare at him, yell at him, slap him. Vernon had done the same. Hating the boy, yelling at him, pushing him around. Dudley had followed their example. Laughed at the boy, ridiculed the boy, hit the boy.

It wasn't hard to think of the boy as a freak at times. He was unnatural. He was too intelligent. He'd stare at her so intelligently she felt he understood everything. Everything. It was unnerving to have him watch her. That's why she'd make sure he was busy. When ever he wasn't busy he'd either watch them, observe them. Or he'd sit outside and observe other things. Like he wanted to learn all their secrets. She'd seen him sitting with three of the neighbours cats once. They seemed to be whispering to each other. Planning. But at the same time he looked so innocent. It made her shudder. But as she watched him closer over the past few years she realized something.

He was innocent.

He wasn't planning, just watching. Wondering. He was curious. He never seemed sad or angry. He would sometimes give a bright smile but it was are, and it was never at them. She'd thought he'd hate them for working him to the bone, for hitting him, for starving him. But he'd just take it without words. He was a silent child. Barely made a noise. He never asked for his parents. Like he understood they weren't alive anymore. He'd sit in the yard and gardens as much as absolutely possible and just seemed to listen to something they couldn't hear.

Vernon had suggested he was touched in the head, but Petunia knew he wasn't. He was intelligent. She'd seen him Dudley's homework once. He'd done it faster then she'd thought possible considering he had low grades in school. When she'd taking him shopping (to carry the things), he'd tally up the total and whisper it to her before even the cashier had it done. He was almost scarily smart. But he still seemed absolutely innocent. She took it as cunning. He was as cunning as could be. She had so many conflicting views on the child. She wanted to hate him, yet she didn't. She wanted to break him, yet she wanted to help him. It was so confusing. She knew he was intelligent, cunning, beautiful, but she could see he wasn't always there.

Petunia looked thoughtfully at the child, trying to make up her mind. Help or hurt? Love or hate? Should she leave him to fate. Leave him to fend for himself against her family and herself? Or should she stand up for him, punish herself and tsp her family? Should she love him like her own child? Or should she hate him as a wizard? She knew he'd be a wizard. He was their saviour. He had to face the evil wizard. She knew he stood little chance. He was going to die. 'So why bother loving him, helping him?' She'd asked herself. But maybe if she did he wouldn't die? But if she loved him he'd still be taken away at eleven. He'd still fight and possibly die. It'd hurt her in the end. She bit her bottom lip. For almost an hour she stood and tried to come up with a decision, a plan. Finally she did. When she did she straightened, replacing her thoughtful look with a haughty one.

"Harry!" She yelled out the window.

The boy was still sitting in the same spot as an hour ago. He turned to her and looked at her with large green eyes and a small smile. A bird sat in his arms, cuddled against his hand me down clothes. He stood and lifted the bird into the sky. It chirped and flew off. She couldn't help but shudder. Animals shouldn't act like that. Act like the boy understood them. Harry tilted his head as he walked into the house, looking at her with large curious eyes. His eyes always made him look innocent. They looked big on his face making him the picture of cute. She was slightly envious he looked so beautiful compared to her own child. But then again she knew Vernon wasn't a looker and Dudley had taken after him.

"Harry." she said again.

He didn't say anything just looked up at her with wide eyes.

"I'm going to teach you to cook. Then you can take care of that also."

He gave a small smile and she could see why Vernon thought him touched in the head. The smile was dreamy, like he didn't understand at all. Like he wasn't in reality. She shook the thought off and nodded curtly to herself. Teaching him to cook wasn't, hopefully, going to be difficult.

.--.

Sorry. The next chapters will be longer. Promise.

End of Chapter 1.