She hovered in that dazed twilight between wakefulness and dreams—rocking Harry in the soft creak of the nursery chair while Dudley breathed in tiny puffs across the room. Every few minutes, something thrummed along her ribs: a pulse, a tug, a warm thread.
The bond.
Another faint chime blinked into existence.
[Anchor Bond Level Advancing…]
[Stage 2 Unlocked: Emotional Tethering]
[Harry James Potter → Emotional Security: +12%]
It felt like something looping around her heart and drawing taut.
Not choking. Anchoring.
Petunia exhaled shakily.
"Alright," she whispered. "Let's see who—or what—you are."
The System responded as if it had been waiting.
A translucent interface unfurled across her vision like a blueprint unfolding itself.
[SYSTEM ORIENTATION — Welcome, Petunia Evans-Dursley]
Her eye twitched.
"…We'll revise that last name later."
Another text flickered politely.
[Name fields are editable after achieving Self-Stability Milestone 1.]
A small, humorless laugh escaped her.
"Good."
Her gaze slid downward.
[SURVIVAL PRIORITY]
[Primary Directive: Protect the Children:
Harry James Potter
Dudley Dursley]
[Self Preservation Protocol Enabled]
"…Why?" Petunia murmured.
[A caretaker cannot fulfill objectives if deceased.]
That was…fair.
She bit her lip and opened the next tab.
[FANDOM ITEM POOL (Restricted Access)]
[Eligible Fandom Sources:
Harry Potter, My Little Pony (FiM), Star Wars, Star Trek, Stargate, Grishaverse, MCU, H2O: Just Add Water, Infinity Nikki, Animal Crossing, Doctor Who, Warehouse 13, Labyrinth, Bridgerton, 1/2 Prince, I Shall Survive Using Potions, Skip Beat!, Ascendance of a Bookworm, Tolkien, Miraculous Ladybug, Murder She Wrote, Bee & Puppycat, Avatar: The Last Airbender, Phantom of the Opera (Book), Voltron Legendary Defender.]
Items blinked into place—none overpowered, all thematically aligned with caretaking, defense, household management, survival, or emotional bonds.
• Ascendance of a Bookworm – "Gentle Stabilization" Skill (Tier 0): reduces magical burnout in children
• Star Trek – Medical Tricorder (Children's Safety Lock): detects fevers, toxins, accidental magic spikes
• Warehouse 13 – "Mother's Wardrobe Key": opens a temporary safe-space door anywhere
• My Little Pony – Minor Harmony Aura: calms tantrums, magical or normal
• Doctor Who – Psychic Paper (Low Tier): convinces adults of harmless explanations
• Animal Crossing – Pocket Storage Slot x5: small inventory expansion
• Grishaverse – Summoner's Spark (Micro): stabilizes light-based magic flares
• H2O: Just Add Water – Moon Ring Dampener: dampens emotional surges at night
• Voltron LD – Paladin Resolve Boost (Weak): improves courage and grounding
• Star Wars – Meditation Bead (Youngling Tier): soothes distress, reduces fear
• Murder She Wrote – Pattern Recognition Instinct: boosts intuition toward lies
• Avatar: The Last Airbender – Breathing Form I: helps maintain calm in stressful moments
Petunia's throat tightened.
These weren't random.
They were all tools for a woman who needed to keep children alive and stable—magical or otherwise.
A soft whimper from Harry brushed her senses. Petunia settled him higher against her shoulder, bouncing gently.
The System pulsed again.
[Mission Set Generated]
[Mission Unlocked: Protect the Children]
[Objective: Safeguard Harry and Dudley's physical, magical, and emotional wellbeing.
Reward: Random Defensive Item (from approved fandoms)]
[Mission Unlocked: Reveal Vernon's True Nature]
[Objective: Uncover hidden risks or threats inside the household.
Reward: Perk – Pattern Clarity (Social)]
Petunia flinched.
This wasn't vague.
This was a warning.
"…I suspected," she whispered.
[Mission Unlocked: Build Safe Income Independence]
[Objective: Secure a stable income source not linked to Vernon Dursley.
Reward: Tier-1 Safehouse Blueprint (Interdimensional Pocket)]
A bitter, hollow breath left her.
"So even you think I should leave him."
The System remained silent—but silence was agreement.
Petunia's hands tightened around the warm little body in her arms.
Harry shifted, tiny fingers curling.
That, more than anything, steeled her spine.
She opened the [Bond Information] tab.
A small diagram: two lights, one bright and flickering (Harry), one steadier but dim (hers).
Threads connected them.
[Bond Status: Permanent]
[Removal = Metaphysical Damage: Lethal]
Petunia's breath hitched.
"Permanent…"
Not a temporary magical accident.
Not a whim of fate.
Permanent.
A vow.
A tether neither could undo without dying.
A soft ache filled her chest—fear, awe, purpose binding together.
She brushed her cheek over Harry's hair.
"Looks like you're truly mine now," she whispered.
A faint spark pulsed from Harry—comfort, trust, warmth.
Her eyes stung.
She steadied herself, looked up at the faint night sky beyond the window, and let the promise fall from her lips like iron.
"No matter what comes—wizards, war, fate itself—I will protect you both."
A chime responded.
[Primary Objective Confirmed]
[ Keep Harry Alive, Loved, and Powerful.]
Powerful.
Not stifled.
Not broken.
Not starved of affection or magic.
Petunia felt something ancient and fierce unfurl inside her.
"Good," she said softly.
She looked over at where Dudley slept soundly before looking out the window.
"All three of us deserve better than the story they planned."
The System glowed warmly.
[Orientation Complete.]
Petunia smiled—small, tired, dangerous.
"Time to begin."