Chapter Text
Many people have known about Lily and James Potter and how they were betrayed by one whom they called a friend. Everyone knows the story of how little Harry had to live with his Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and his cousin Dudley. However, there is another story, one that has not been told. For years, the Evans family was thought to have had only 2 daughters. One a witch, and the other a Muggle. It was also thought that they had been born and raised in Britain, but that was not the case.
In reality, the 2 sisters actually were 3 and had been born and raised in the United States, the state of Nevada, to be exact. While it was true that Lily and Petunia moved to Britain for their own reasons, their other sister, Diana, stayed right where she was. This was mainly because she had not been well and needed to stay. But it was also because of her own young son, Spencer, of whom she had relied on and still does. However, Diana's mental illness was not the reason why Lily and Petunia left the country. For Lily it was for education purposes and Petunia for her work. However, the 3 sisters kept in touch mostly by letter as they knew and understood that Diana got very frightened of talking on the phone at times. But the correspondence through letters kept up until Lily had to go into hiding. All of the witches and wizards knew what that meant, but for Diana, who was a Muggle, the cover story was that Lily had to be in witness protection. This cover story was used because it not only made sense, but it also protected the secret society of witches and wizards from those who would otherwise expose it. After that, it was Petunia who still kept in touch via letter to tell Diana all of the news. And in November 1984, Petunia wrote to Diana, telling her of Lilly's death and asking for a favor.
Dearest Diana, I am sorry to tell you that our sister Lily and her husband, James, were killed by a terrorist, leaving behind their young son, Harry, our nephew. The headmaster of a school who knows Lily wanted me to take Harry in, but this I cannot do. I know Harry is a lot like Lily, including her abilities. I do not hate magic, but Vernon does, and I would hate to find out what would happen to Harry if he would stay with me. The headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, asked that a blood relative take Harry as it is the strongest protection for him. As you are also a blood relation to Harry, I ask you to take him and raise him as your own. I have explained this to Dumbledore and I am willing to come back to the states and drop Harry off with you if need be. I am truly sorry for springing this on you, Diana, but Harry needs family, family who will love him. I do love him, but I am too afraid of what Vernon will do to him. I will do what I can to help, but I cannot stay. My life is in England now. I will be bringing Harry over to the states sometime tonight. Good luck, and I love you.
Love,
your sister Petunia.
P S. Give Spencer a hug for me and tell him I love him.
So, late that night, little Harry Potter was on an airplane with Petunia. She could not stay, but she knew how important Lilly's sacrifice was and she was going to make sure that Harry would have a reasonably good life with the Reids. Petunia knew that Diana did not have the best mental health, but she also knew that in spite of that, she loved her own child even if she did not always recognize him for who he was. Petunia dearly hoped she was not making a mistake, but she also wanted Harry to be safe, so that was what she was going to do. So, after staying a few days in the states with her sister Diana and nephew Spencer, and explaining what Dumbledore had told her and how it would work exactly the same, Petunia hugged both of her nephews and told them she would see them again someday before heading to the airport and flying back to England to be with her own husband and son. But that was many years ago now and Harry, now 7 years old, barely remembered his life in England other than the strange dream he had every night; a dream about green light and a burning pain on his forehead. Other than that, Harry was very well-adjusted and very close with his cousin Spencer.