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Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.
They were certainly not the sort that most would expect to be the parents of two quite exceptional young boys. Indeed, Dudley Dursley and Harry Potter were quite well known all around the town of Little Whinging. A pair of modern day Einstein's, if you were to read the paper. They had even appeared on TV once, appearing after they'd sat the SATs exam at the age of six, passing with flying colours.
Many had wondered why the family had stayed in Little Whinging for so long. Mr. Dursley had a very high position in his company, earning quite the wage that would allow his family to live in a mansion, rather than a council house. Hell, Mrs Dursley had her own colum a popular women's magazine which was popular home and abroad. They were not lacking for money.
When asked by a curious reporter one day, the pair had simply smiled and stated that any extra money they had went towards saving for their boys' University fund. Beyond that it would help with a deposit for a house when they came of age. Their local vicar had commended them as exemplary parents during his next sermon after the article was published.
The Dursley Household was undeniably a happy one.
The Dursley Household was not always a happy household.
No one was more aware of that than young Harry Potter, who currently found himself sitting on the floor with his eyes glued to the screen in front of him. It had taken some doing but he was finally at the final level. Now he could finally beat the evil, nefarious Doctor Robotnik and save the world. And rub it in Dudley's face that he'd done it first. It would serve that cheater right, using the fact he had chicken pox to finish Super Mario while he was in school.
Still, him cheating at games was better than what it used to be like. Back when he slept in the cupboard. Back when his only friends were spiders. Back before his family loved him.
He was thankful he couldn't remember much about the days before everything changed. The days before he and his cousin had started primary school proper.
It had been a few months into the first year when their original teacher had to leave the school, she was going to have a baby, apparently. Her replacement had arrived a few days after, Miss Willard. She was a young teacher, only just out of her training, but she had been nice. She hadn't looked at him like a troublemaker like the last teacher, hadn't taken the vicious lies as gospel. That was the first time it had happened, the first time he'd done magic.
It had been such a simple wish. So innocent but so powerful within the mind of the young mage.
I hope she stays kind.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
She had stayed nice. Miss Willard had smiled at him, helped him when he needed help, encouraged him when he was doing well. Defended him when his Aunt had accused him of cheating off of his cousin. She'd taken multiple tongue lashing for him and he loved her for it.
Of course she couldn't help him all the time. The classroom was her domain but the playground belonged to Dudley. Harry was the "teacher's pet" and a nerd. So for Dudley and his little gang that meant he was fair game. Oh they'd tricked him at first, pretending to play with him and be his friend. That's when their games of tag began to involve harder shoves, where he'd hide and they didn't seek, where a game of slaps left his hands throbbing.
That's when he'd done it again. He'd wanted revenge against Dudley and it was the perfect comeuppance for who Dudley had been.
I wish Dudley was a nerd too.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
His cousin suddenly found himself much more interested in what he was being taught, ignoring his mates attempts to slack off when the teacher spoke. He found himself liking his reading assignments and catching on much quicker. In the space of a few months he'd gone from being "slow to progress" to being moved onto the same table as Harry. The same table he'd dubbed the "Nerd Table" for so long.
His so-called friends had turned on him then, employing the same tactics they'd used on Harry on Dudley. Piers, his former best mate, had even gone further and began to call Dudley all manner of cruel names. Aunt Petunia had gotten into quite the scrap with Piers' mum in the supermarket over the whole issue. Her raising as a young girl in the North had helped her know just how to deal with spoiled little posh twats.
Uncle Vernon had tried to claim that "boys will be boys". That did not fly with his proud wife, her foot coming down on anyone hurting her precious Duddy-kins. He'd slept on the couch for two weeks after that and had been rather subdued after. It hadn't helped at school though.
The change had pushed the cousins together in the end, deciding that they were better off watching each other's back. It helped that they now had similar interests, often camping out in the school library and inhaling as much of its stock as they could. They studied in Dudley's room after school. Weekends were spent at the arcade or playing board games at the community centre.
Harry's Aunt and Uncle had resisted the change at first. But Dudley's ultimate weapon of throwing the tantrum of all tantrums worked a treat. If Dudley wanted to spend time with the fre… with his cousin then he would get what he wanted. Dudley had wanted many things for Harry's sake after that and Harry was happy to consider his cousin his best friend. His brother, as they'd whispered to themselves one night.
It was Dudley that had eventually figured it out, as they sat in his room reading comic books. He remembered what he'd been like before that day. He'd seen strange things happen around his cousin. He heard his parents call his cousin a freak, even if they said it under their breaths now. People who had powers in comics were usually hated for what they were. Did Harry have a superpower?
They decided to seek answers together. They tried several things. Moving a pencil with the force. Trying to read minds. Jumping off the swings in the park to try and levitate. None bore fruit. Perhaps Harry didn't have powers, maybe Dudley had just taken his time to bloom, like Miss Willard said.
Then Dudley's birthday arrived and as per usual, his cousin was waited on hand and foot, showered with love while Harry was ignored. Harry stood at the counter buttering toast for their breakfast, thankfully the only chore he'd been assigned that day. Dudley couldn't play with all his presents if Harry was doing chores, his cousin had argued.
He listened to his relatives being together behind them, being a family when he was still the outsider. Tears had sprung in his eyes as he tried to be strong in front of everything he wanted and didn't have. The words came to his mind in an instant.
I wish they loved me like they love Dudley.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
The change had started almost immediately. As they ate breakfast he couldn't help but notice the glances that he'd received from his Aunt and Uncle, their eyes filled with something he didn't recognise at the time. They looked away when they realised he saw them, acting like nothing had happened. But it kept happening, as he and Dudley took over the living room, he'd catch the pair watching them from time to time. They'd started having whispered conversations in the hallway.
The two cousins had simply guessed they were planning some form of surprise for Dudley's birthday. And boy was it a surprise, though not in fact for Dudley. Instead of the reluctant order of a small burger and water, Harry had been allowed to order whatever he wanted from the menu at Wimpy. When he'd tried to order what he usually got, his relatives had summarily decided to buy one of everything and shared it between them all. Uncle Vernon had even given Harry half of his burger when he caught Harry staring.
When he'd heard the door open to his new bedroom that night he thought it was time for the shoe to drop. For whatever horrible punishment his relatives had planned for his cheek of wanting more than he was worth. He'd retreated as far into the corner of his bed as possible, his duvet and pillows wrapped around him in some semblance of armour. He expected to be dragged out, for Uncle Vernon to finally use his belt as he'd always threatened.
He did not expect to hear his Aunt's soft voice gently coaxing him out. It had taken some probing before he'd finally dared to look up at her, expecting some vicious smirk on her face. Instead he saw tears filling her eyes as she looked at him with sadness. Harry didn't know how to take it, so when he heard Aunt Petunia say; "Harry, come here honey." He obeyed.
Both Aunt and Nephew broke when her arms wrapped around him, her face burying itself into his hair as they both began to cry. She gently rocked him in her arms, repeatedly telling him that she was sorry, that she'd been horrible to him and that things would change. That his Uncle Vernon felt the same, even if he was a silly man who would never say it with words. That they loved him and that he was theirs, just as much as Dudley. Things would change.
And they did. From that moment on he was no longer just a burden that the Dursley's had been saddled with. Aunt Petunia began to boast about her two boys, her little pair of angels, to her fellow housewives. Uncle Vernon brought Harry along to work events with the family, boasting about how they were already top of their class and ahead in it. That he was their son, even if not in blood.
But the two cousins had their answer now. Harry was magic. Harry's wishes came true.
Not all of Harry's wishes came true. As a matter of fact, most didn't. The ones that did were the ones he wished about how people would act. Their first success had been at the sweet shop, funnily enough.
I wish she'd give us some sweets for free.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
The once extremely tight shopkeeper who would usually glare at customers as if they were trying to cheat her, was suddenly all smiles and cooing when it came to Dudley and Harry. They marched out of that newsagent with mischievous grins and paper bags filled to bursting with extra sweets. It had been a successful bit of research.
I wish he'd pee himself every time he heard Tottenham.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
Dudley and Harry had taken great pleasure in saying that particular word any time Piers tried to bully them. He learned right quick to leave them alone. Pavlov eat your heart out.
I wish she'd let Miss Willard be our teacher next year.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
All of a sudden the headmistress had decided that teachers would move up with their class through every year, rather than teaching only one particular year. Dudley and Harry were happy to keep Miss Willard as their teacher, almost as happy as she was to stay with her two favorite students.
For their next test Dudley had suggested that made Harry nervous. It seemed that his wish on Dudley really had made him smarter. And he kept getting smarter. He was even beginning to surpass Harry, starting to do some work from two years ahead that made Harry's eyes glaze over. Dudley didn't like the idea of being left behind, so he came up with an idea.
It was obvious that Harry could change other people's minds, quite literally, but could he change his own. All he needed was eye contact and it might work if he looked in the mirror. Harry had had his doubts. Dudley had just suggested something small.
I wish I liked brussel sprouts.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
That Sunday he'd gone from turning green at the sight of the little green nightmares to stealing the ones on Dudley's plate. Uncle Vernon had laughed, promising to show him how to do the perfect fart after dinner. Aunt Petunia had admonished him half heartedly before telling Harry how proud of him she was. Dudley and Harry shared grins at the shared victory. Nothing could separate them now.
I wish I was as much of a nerd as Dudley.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
That second year had been a whirlwind of events. It was clear from the start that the two boys were steaming ahead of their classmates now. While the other kids practiced times tables, they'd moved on to fractions and long division. When the others read key stage books, they read Hitchhikers. At break times, while the other kids played outside, Miss Willard showed them how to use the school computer.
Before long there was talk of moving them up a few years. It took a few wishes to get the faculty to let them stay in their class while they were given material that better matched their level. Miss Willard was happy to keep them, taking pride in her favorite little geniuses.
Harry had noticed it first. It started with Uncle Vernon selling his car, his pride and joy as he'd often called it. Then it had been Aunt Petunia hiding the bag from the charity shop that her "new" clothes had come in. The final straw was when on a day out shopping, Aunt Petunia sneaked away to a "palm shop" and came back without their grandmother's necklace around her neck.
In using his power to make his relatives treat him the same as Dudley, they'd used all their money, even their savings. His Uncle's job was a good one, but not so good for them to spoil two boys like they'd spoilt Dudley. Harry had felt so guilty at the revelation. With a heavy heart he made a decision, silently apologising to his cousin as he did.
I wish you were free of my wish.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
But it didn't seem to matter. They didn't change back. It seemed that during their time under his wish it had taken root, and they'd accepted this version of reality. They chose to love Harry anyway. Harry made sure to hug them both for dear life. They loved him for real.
Opportunity presented itself when Uncle Vernon announced a client and his family were coming to dinner. Said client had been given to Vernon in the hopes of landing a fairly sizable contract. Unfortunately the client was known for dragging his feet on anything and squeezing Vernon's company for every penny he could. Vernon had simply been chosen as the lamb to the slaughter.
So when they'd been lined up in the hallways to greet their guests, Harry made sure to look the client right in the eye as he shook his hand.
I wish you'd give my uncle a good deal.
And so he'd wished, so it was.
The dinner had been a roaring success, the client taking to Uncle Vernon immediately, he even laughed at his jokes. The man's wife looked perturbed as she watched her stern looking husband being jovial on a business occasion. Luckily Aunt Petunia was able to distract her by sharing mutual gossip, both women tittering occasionally.
The client's son Justin had ended up in Dudley's room with the two cousins, playing board games and talking about their mutual love of science fiction. Justin was a nerd like them, if maybe not as clever. Their friendship developed very quickly. By the end of the night they'd made a pact to write to each other every week.
From that night on the Finch-Fletchley Household became frequent visitors. Vernon landed his contract far beyond expectations and had been fast tracked up the company for it. Before long Petunia's necklace returned and Vernon had an even shinier car. Harry stood proud that he'd helped his family. Life was good.
It was near the end of that school year that Dudley and Harry found themselves sitting at desks in the hall surrounded by year sixes. They were sitting the end of primary SATs four years early. He and Dudley had shared a surprised look from across the hall before beginning their tests. They both passed, with flying colours.
The school brought in the newspaper to boast on having two young geniuses among their students. The newspaper article had spread to a nationwide paper. Soon they'd been on the news for the BBC and ITV. They even got invited to be on Blue Peter, earning a blue badge each that they wore every day. For a few weeks they were everywhere.
It had been a fun adventure, but it eventually came to an end. People's interest moved past them and life went on.
Days turned to months turned to years. Dudley and Harry continued to progress while staying with their yearmates. They'd even begun gently helping the nicer kids in their class. Both with helping them with school work and also with a little bit of Harry's power.
Evelyn Waters, who had very nearly fainted when reading her line in the Nativity play the previous year, found herself singing a solo all on her own the next. Marcus Hemming, who was deathly afraid of dogs, was soon seen walking a large German Shepherd around the neighborhood. Rachel York, who had trouble remembering things, was soon able to recall what she had for breakfast a week ago.
Harry was happy.
It was late January, when Harry was nine that he noticed that his Aunt was sad. He didn't like seeing her sad but the extra hugs didn't seem to lift his Aunt's mood much. Even when he got Dudley to help his Aunt's smile would waver not long after. Uncle Vernon assured them that she would be fine and not to worry. But they did worry.
They had not been prepared when they were called downstairs one night. Uncle Vernon held his wife's hand tenderly as she told her boys that today was Lily's birthday. Harry's mother's birthday. It was the first time Petunia had ever really spoken about his mother in detail. The most he'd been told was that she was smart, like him, along with being kind and brave, like him. She'd given him a picture of her from when she was a kid, her green eyes mirroring his own.
But beyond that? Not much or anything.
His Aunt poured her heart out that night. How they'd been inseparable as children. How a boy had dragged them apart and how one day she'd left for a boarding school, leaving Petunia behind. How instead of trying to keep her sister close she pushed her away in jealousy. How their grandparents had died while Lily was away and Petunia resented Lily for it. How she regretted not fighting harder for her sister and now never could.
Then she revealed the missing piece of information that explained everything. Lily Potter had been a witch. Harry was almost definitely a wizard.
Dudley was rather disappointed he wasn't a mutant.
Harry let out a whoop as the blue hedgehog on the screen in front of him jumped towards him. He'd done it, he'd beaten the game before Dudley. A smug grin slid onto his face as he let himself fall backwards. He could milk this victory for days!
"Harry! Dudley! Can you come down please!" The voice of his Aunt came from downstairs, causing him to raise his eyebrows. Standing up he stretched, hopping a little to get rid of the pins and needles in his foot.
"I beat Sonic the Hedgehog~!" Harry sang with a wide grin as he met Dudley at the top of the stairs.
"Damn it! I hate you." His cousin groused with a mock glare, gaining a dignified show of the tongue from Harry.
"You're just mad I'm better at games than you." Harry challenger playfully.
Dudley simply gave a gesture that Petunia would be cross about. Harry snickered in response as they finally entered the dining room. Aunt Petunia had a slightly worried look on her face as she looked up at the two. In her hands was a letter made of very fancy looking paper. Both boys widened their eyes as they instantly knew what it was. They'd looked over Harry's mother's letter enough times after all.
"Is that…?" Harry asked, just to be sure.
"Yes." Petunia said with a nod, worry in her eyes. "Harry, you don't have to open it if you don't want to-"
"Why wouldn't he want to Mum? It's magic!" Dudley interrupted incredulously.
His cousin continued his rant about the ridiculousness of everything, Aunt Petunia's jaw going taught as he continued. Harry watched as she looked between her two boys and her eyes began to well with tears. As smart as Dudley was, he couldn't help himself but run off with things sometimes, ignoring things around him.
"Dudley." Harry warned, tapping his cousin on the arm. It didn't stop him. "Dudley! DUDLEY!"
His final shout brought his cousin back to the present, allowing him to notice the state his mother was in. He was quick to close the distance, hugging her and repeating that he was sorry. Harry moved to her other side, wrapping his arms around her and Dudley. Petunia let out something halfway between a sob and a laugh.
"Oh my two beautiful boys." She cooed, kissing them both on the head. "I just… I don't want you two to turn out like me and Lily."
Holding back the correction on the tips of their tongues the two cousins looked at each other and nodded. "We've already discussed it, Mum. Harry's gonna learn to be a wizard and I'm gonna learn how to be super good with normal things." Dudley began.
"Then we'll be able to be superheroes. Like Doctor Strange and Iron Man!" Harry finished with a megawatt grin.
His Aunt looked between the two of them before a fond chuckle escaped her, shaking her head in amusement. "What am I going to do with you two?" She asked the open air before looking down at the letter once more. Taking a breath she handed the letter to Harry.
Harry looked at the untouched seal on the back, eyes dancing with interest as he took it in. The seal on his mother's letter had long since been lost, so it was interesting to see the crest of his new school. Flipping the letter over, he read the address slowly, a frown forming on his face.
"How do they know which room is mine?" He wondered aloud.
"Magic." Dudley responded, wiggling his fingers mysteriously.
"Shut up!"