Astra Potter

Prolouge

Petunia Dursley née Evans woke with a frown on her face on November 1, 1981. She had a strange dream last night. She dreamt of her dear sister and husband murdered. She put on her robe and walked downstairs to the phone. She had to make sure it was just a nightmare. When her sister did not pick up, Petunia hung up. Perhaps her sister was just sleeping in. She will have to call her back at a reasonable time.

Petunia decided to get breakfast ready before her husband woke up. She never knew why she married Vernon. If she had known he had so much hate against Lily and James, she would have never married him. Lily was a wonderful woman. James may be a prankster, but he meant well and was willing to die to protect those he loved.

The woman opened the door to get the milk from the doorstep when she saw her. Her sister's daughter sleeping on the doorstep with nothing but a blanket and what looks like to be a letter. Milk forgotten, Petunia picked up her niece and brought her inside. She made a mental note to take her niece to a hospital. Who knows how long little Astra was outside in the cold?

She laid Astra on the kitchen table and opened the letter.

Dear Petunia Dursley,

I regret to inform you that your sister and her husband were murdered by Lord Voldemort last night. You are your niece's only living relative, so you must take her in. Do not worry about Lord Voldemort's Death Eaters, the Blood Wards will protect you and your family. Do not worry about the money, that will be taken care of. £300 a month will do. Now as a reminder, magic can be beaten out of a child at an early age.

I am sorry about your lost.

Albus Dumbledore

Petunia's eyes weld up in tears. Her baby sister, gone? After a few minutes, she grew angry. How dare that meddling old man tell her to abuse her niece?! If the roles were reversed, she knew that Lily and James would be happy to raise little Dudley. If Dudley hadn't been born a stillborn, that is.

Her niece cooed. Petunia smiles at her, it would seem that her niece had awoken. "Why, hello, little one!"

"Ma? Pa? Pa'foo?"

Tears were brought in Petunia's eyes again. "Their gone. Mama and Papa went to Heaven with Grandma and Grandpa."

"Gone?" Tears were now in Astra's eyes. She whimpered.

"Shh. It's okay now. You get to stay with Auntie Petunia."

Astra gave Petunia a watery smile. "Tuney?"

Petunia smiles." Yes, Tuney."

Petunia froze as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Her husband was awake and she wasn't sure what Vernon would do. She knew he didn't like anything from her sister's world. But if it comes down to it, she'll kick him out of the house and divorce him. He won't be able to do anything besides taking Dudley with him. The house is in her and Lily's name. The house, after all, was their parents.

"Pet?" Her husband called. "Why isn't breakfast ready?"

"I'm sorry, dear. I was so busy with Astra that I didn't check the time. Maybe I can whip something up for you." Petunia got up and went to the fridge. Big mistake.

"What the hell is the freak doing in my house?!" Vernon demanded.

Petunia turned and quickly grabbed Astra. "I found her on the doorstep. I couldn't just leave her there, Vernon."

"Give her to me. I'll drop her off at an orphanage when I head off to work." Vernon said as he took a step forward.

Petunia held her niece as she glared at her husband. She refused to let her niece, the last link to her sister, be carted off to an orphanage. She knows what they'll do once they find out Astra is different from the other children. They would try to beat it out of her. She would not allow that.

"The hell I will!" Petunia said.  Vernon's face went purple with rage.

"I WILL NOT HAVE ANY FREAKS IN MY PERFECT LIFE! YOU WILL TAKE HER TO THE ORPHANAGE BEFORE I RETURN FROM WORK OR THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES!!" Vernon shouted before he walked out of the kitchen. A few minutes later, Petunia heard the front door open and was slammed shut.

Petunia smiles at her niece. "Don't worry. I won't allow you to go to any orphanage. You have my word."

Petunia was not able to bear any more children after the complications of Dudley's birth. This might be her only chance to raise a child, since Vernon refuses to adopt. (He still insists that the doctors are wrong and there might be a chance of Petunia getting pregnant once more.)

She made her decision. She was going to divorce Vernon, something she should have done a long time ago.