prologue; REMEMBER MY LAST

In the quaint town of Little Whinging, there resided a street by the name of Privet Drive. It was filled with houses that were built far too close together and if the numbers weren't painted on the brown bricks, you wouldn't have been able to tell which house was which.

Because they were all the same.

It wasn't just the houses that were all alike, it was the people who resided in them also.

Whether it be small families, young couples, or the elderly, they all shared a few things in common, they were nosy gossips who needed to know everything there was to know about their neighbours, from what they were purchasing at the stores down to who was visiting.

Each of the residents knew of Daisy Evans, the ever darling Petunia's wayward kid sister who she had lovingly and selflessly taken in even though she had a newborn to wrangle after their parents had tragically passed and the middle child had refused to even consider housing the twelve year old.

At least, that's what the neighbours had been told by the eldest Evans sister when passing by in the street.

See, two of the Evans sister's had recently given birth when Henry and Marigold Evans had passed tragically in a fire caused by a gas leak that their youngest just barely gotten out of, but while Petunia Dursley had been rather reluctant to take in the baby of the family at first due to her spending all of her time with Dudley and being afraid to accidentally neglect her traumatised sister, Lily had wanted nothing more than for Daisy to come and live with her and her husband, as well as their newborn, from the moment she had learned of her parents untimely demise.

But the middle Evans daughter was currently stuck in the middle of a war that she and her husband were in hiding because of and she would never wish to subject a twelve year old to a life on the run from the Darkest Wizard her world had seen in years, moving from house to house weeks at a time, living in fear and having no stability.

And thus, Daisy moved to Privet Drive and found herself living in the smallest room of the house ("Dudley's nursery is there and we can't allow guests so little space." Her brother-in-law Vernon had scoffed when Petunia offered her one of the bigger rooms) and Daisy went about her life at a new school, helping Petunia with Dudley when she could, and going to therapy once a month to deal with any trauma that remained from the fire that she had almost died in.

Still, Daisy wished to see Lily who wanted the same and two months after Daisy had been living with her sister, a woman came to the door with a letter from Lily confirming that this woman would take her to see visit her sister, brother-in-law, and nephew.

Marlene continued to bring Daisy to various locations over the next nine months until it was a raven-haired woman who met Daisy at Mrs Figg's house on Wisteria Walk like she had every month since ("That sort isn't allowed near my home!" Petunia had told Daisy when Marlene had first shown up) and introduced herself as Emmeline who would be taking over for Marlene.

She had found out from James that it was because Marlene had been killed the week before and Daisy had cried with Lily that day because she had liked Marlene quite a lot, she had been kind and she hadn't been mean to her for not having magic as that Severus boy had once been before he stopped coming over when Daisy was eight.

The residents of Privet Drive knew all about the misguided Daisy Evans who got into trouble quite a bit in the time she had lived with her eldest sister.

If only they knew just how troubled she would get at aged thirteen, two days after Halloween when they had seen her running about in a witch costume, happier than any had seen her during permanent stay at Vernon and Petunia's home.

The morning of November 2nd began as it normally did for the residents of Privet Drive.

It was quiet as Petunia Dursley left her bedroom, wrapping a purple robe around herself as she went, stopping twice on her way to the staircase, once to peer into Dudley's room and again to check on Daisy, a smile blooming on her face as she watched at her sister swat away something in her sleep and mumble something unintelligible that the woman couldn't make out from her place in the doorway and when the teenager began to turn over, Petunia quickly closed the door with a quiet snap and continued her way downstairs where she rushed about the kitchen, quickly popping the kettle that Daisy had filled the night before onto the stove and lighting it.

Petunia sighed to herself as she grabbed the milk bottles on the benchtop and made her way to the front door, humming lightly beneath her breath as she walked. She grasped the silver doorknob and twisted it, pulling the heavy door open and she smiled when she saw that the sky was a lovely shade of blue with no clouds to be seen, leaving her certain that the day would be wonderful.

But the smile was quickly wiped from her features when she made a move to place the bottles on the doorstep and found a small face peeking through the checkered blanket it was bundled in.

Her light blue eyes widened and Petunia screamed shrilly causing a flock of birds in the driveway to squawk as they took to flight, their wings flapping loudly as the face in the bundle of blankets began to squirm.

Upstairs, Daisy felt herself wake abruptly as a loud noise filled her ears and she peered around her cramped room in fear, looking for the source of the noise and when she heard it once again, she quickly tore her covers from her body and rushed out of her door, forgetting her robe and slippers as rushed into the hallway, taking the stairs two at a time and when she reached the bottom, she skidded to a stop and found herself staring at her sister's back.

"Tuney, what is it?" She asked after taking a deep breath.

Her heart thudded loudly in her chest when her sister didn't answer, just continued to stare at something that the youngest couldn't see, and when she opened her mouth to repeat the question, a cry filled the air and Daisy frowned.

Slowly, she made her way to the door and peered over her sister's shoulder, her own blue eyes widening in surprise as her gaze rested on a familiar wailing baby.

"Harry." She murmured softly and Petunia bristled beside her.

The baby locked eyes with her and his crying ceased completely and he began to squirm around in the blanket, the tight material coming undone to reveal a piece of parchment in his small grip, "See, see!"

"Harry?" Petunia repeated faintly as she watched Daisy drop to a crouch and gather the tearful baby into her arms, whispering softly as he nestled against her neck and whimpered as he squirmed about, finding comfort with the familiar girl who eyed the cut on his forehead worriedly before he hid his face, "What, why?"

Daisy shrugged as she slowly pulled the envelope from the baby's strong grip and handed it wordlessly to Petunia who had continued to look at the baby in shock because while she had obviously known that Lily had been pregnant, she had never once met him or allowed Daisy to show her any of the photographs that she had taken or the ones that Marlene and Emmeline had given her from Lily and James.

Petunia broke out of her trance when she felt the heavy paper in her grip and she peered down at it, the letters written in a neat cursive feeling somewhat familiar as she stared at them;

Petunia L. Dursley
(Daisy M. Evans)
Number Four Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey

"Open it." Daisy urged as dread began to coil in her stomach because she knew there was absolutely no way that Lily would just leave her son on Petunia's doorstep...

Petunia nodded faintly a she turned the letter open and ripped the seal. Pulling the single page out of the envelope, her eyes began to skim the contents of the parchment, unaware that Daisy had shifted she she could read over the eldest sister's shoulder.

Dearest Petunia,

You once wrote me a letter that asked why you had never received the same invitation that your sister once had? Why you weren't allowed to attend Hogwarts and instead, had to wave desolately from the train platform as one of your sister's left you behind.

I do not like the term muggle, Petunia, as I truly believe that every person who walks this Earth is magical in their own right and despite your two worlds, your sister adored you and I hope that there is a part of you that adored her in return.

You might be wondering why it was that you found your nephew, Harry, on your doorstep on this November morning and it is with my deepest regret and sorrow that I have to inform yourself and Daisy of your sister, Lily's recent tragic passing, alongside her husband, James.

As I understand it, Petunia, you do not wish to involve yourself in the affairs of the Wizarding Worlds at all, despite Daisy's minor immersion in it, attending her sister's wedding and the few times I'm aware that she had visited the homes in which Lily and James resided. I am unsure how much they told young Daisy but I believe you both ought to know the circumstances surrounding the deaths of Lily and James before you come to a decision on the request that I am to bestow on you.

You see, your sister and her husband were a part of an organisation that I headed where we and others worked avidly against the dark wizards and witches who threatened to tear our world apart. The leader of the dark, a man who goes by Lord Voldemort targeted many of whom who worked against him. On Halloween night, Lily and James' location was given up by a man named Sirius Black and Voldemort attacked them at their residence, catching them off guard and giving them very little time to defend themselves and they were murdered while trying to protect their son.

When Voldemort turned his wand on young Harry, the curse rebounded and Voldemort disappeared, apparently gone.

Harry has no living relatives, aside from yourself and young Daisy and therefore, I felt it best for him to be left in your care until he is of age, and while what you wish to do with him after reading this is entirely up to you, I truly hope that you heed my request and find that magic you so desperately desired in this bright child.

It is imperative that you understand that while Voldemort may very well be gone, his followers are not and they will not rest until they find Harry and even if you do not wish to keep Harry, they will find you and your family. That is why I cast a spell. You see when Lily Potter sacrificed her life for her only son's, her last wish created a certain kind of protection that saved Harry's life, protected him against death, and thus, I was able to extend that protection to the final two Evans sisters but it will only last as long as Harry is in your care, Petunia, and no one who wishes to find you will ever be able to, so long as Harry finds a home here until his seventeenth birthday when the bonds will sever.

This is the last link you, and young Daisy, have to your sister. Please treat him with all the love you would give your own and protect him under your care as I believe you will.

Remember my last, Petunia. I am truly sorry for your losses.

Yours sincerely,

Albus Dumbledore.

Daisy's face was wet with tears as finished the contents of the letter and she shifted her nephew on her hip as she heard Petunia let out a quiet sniffle.

"Tuney." She whispered tearfully and the woman wiped at her eye as she turned on her heel and faced her little sister who was holding the baby a little tighter.

"He can't stay here." When Petunia spoke, her voice cracked harshly, "What would the neighbours think?"

Daisy scoffed as she glared at the woman through her tears, "Maybe that you're a saint for taking in both your sister and your nephew within two years?"

"What would Vernon think?" Petunia asked weakly, not wanting to argue with her now only living sister while they were both incredibly emotional, "I already have you and Dudley to care for."

"I don't really care what Vernon would think but I do know that he'd probably worry about the wizards who could find us if we don't let this magical barrier protect us." Daisy exclaimed loudly, ignoring the way her sister flinched at the mere mention of magic and tried to shush her as her eyes darted to the door that was still wide open, "I'll help you look after him and Dudley, you won't have to do it all alone."

She wouldn't because Daisy wasn't the type of person to just allow her nephew, her flesh and blood to be turned away because her sister felt so highly of the way others thought of her as well as her brother-in-law's hatred of all things abnormal.

Petunia stared at her sister's face, somehow so broken and full of hope all in the one moment, and she felt herself beginning to slowly crack as she had never really been able to say no to her youngest sister.

"Dais–"

"Please, Tuney, if you won't take him in for Lily, do it for me." Daisy pleaded desperately, accidentally cutting off whatever her sister was about to say as she held the cooing toddler a little more tightly, as though if she were to loosen her hold, he'd be taken, "Please!"

Petunia sighed quietly as she looked back down at the letter still clutched tightly in her grip and she thought about her contents.

"Fine." She whispered, "I'll talk to Vernon."

There was a small shift in the air, both sister's felt it, and Harry squealed happily against his aunt's neck as she cradled him with a thankful smile.

But what Daisy didn't realise, was that whether Vernon Dursley begrudgingly accepted whatever his wife would say to convince him that her nephew was to stay, Harry Potter would feel nothing but clouds of misery with the occasional sunshine for as long as he lived on Privet Drive.

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honestly, this prologue is all over the place but i'm kinda here for it and i still really love it.

petunia is slightly OOC but that's because this was before harry ended up on her doorstep and daisy has some influence over her, but not a whole lot.

anyway, i hope you guys liked the prologue and hopefully, chapter one will be done and posted very soon!

thanks for reading!

~r