It had been seven days since Vernon lost his temper, shouting and going to strike Harry. Seven days since she made herself the promise, 'Never again.'
Petunia had kept her word.
Or rather — she had begun to build the machinery that would make it possible.
---
ONE WEEK EARLIER
After that first day full of tension, that night as Petunia prepared to another night's sleep in the nursery's rocking chair (she didn't want sleep by that man):
[Mission Unlocked: Protect Dependent Units]
]Subtask: Establish Evidence Record of Hostile Adult: Progress: 0%]
[Recommended First Action: Begin Documentation]
Petunia stared down at the softly glowing interface only she could see.
Her previous life had taught her too much about abusive men.
Her current life… gave her tools.
And she would use them.
---
DAY 1 — The Decision
Petunia took Dudley and Harry on an afternoon walk, pushing the pram slowly while accessing the System in quiet, hidden glances.
She whispered aloud only once, under her breath:
"I want to be ready next time."
The System responded instantly:
[Acknowledged: Preparing Preemptive Plan]
[Photo Capture Module — Enabled
Audio Replay Buffer (48 hours) — Enabled
Concealed Journal Archive — Synced
Legal Strategy Codex — Locked (Level Requirement: Bond 4)]
Bond 4 wasn't far.
She would reach it.
For them.
---
DAY 2 — Recording Patterns
Vernon was in a foul mood about petrol prices.
Perfect.
Petunia set Harry on her hip and moved into the kitchen, leaving the System to do what it did best.
It recorded:
* Vernon's tone,
* pacing behavior,
* Dudley's flinch response,
* timestamps.
Petunia didn't outwardly react.
She only held Harry a little closer.
---
DAY 3 — Establishing a Safe Stash
Petunia found a loose floorboard in the bedroom closet.
The System highlighted it with a faint gold halo only visible to her.
She slid her growing cache of printed system-photos beneath it:
* timestamps
* facial expressions
* Vernon's body language
* documented comments
The System generated one more thing — thin, silvery, almost papery:
A forgery-resistant record strip.
Petunia whispered, "…you think of everything."
---
DAY 4 — New Ability: Calming Aura
Dudley had a fussing spell. Harry mirrored it.
The Bond surged.
A soft, pastel light shimmered around her — gentle, warm.
[MLP Passive Calming Aura — Level 1 Active]
]Stabilizing emotional bleed… SUCCESS.]
Both boys breathed easier in seconds.
Petunia wrote it down that night:
'My sons calm faster when I hold them now. There's magic in it. I will use it.'
---
DAY 5 — Anticipation
Vernon slammed the front door because she hadn't ironed his shirt crisply enough.
The System vibrated in warning:
[Risk Probability: 64% — Verbal Hostility Likely]
Petunia positioned herself so she stood between Vernon and the boys' playpen.
The confrontation never escalated — he stormed upstairs instead.
But the System recorded his tone, his gait, the tension.
More data.
More patterns.
She thanked it silently.
---
DAY 6 — The Countermeasure Plan
That night, with the boys asleep, the System unfolded a new panel:
[Mission: Gather Evidence Against Vernon — 27%]
[Sub-Mission Unlocked: Long-Term Exit Strategy]
[ Identify threats (in progress)
Build legal foundation (locked)
Establish independent resources (concept stage)
Prepare emotional support system for dependents (passive)]
Petunia exhaled slowly.
"This is real now," she told the empty kitchen.
But it wasn't fear she felt.
It was readiness.
---
DAY 7 — The Mask Weakens More
It was small.
Barely noticeable.
But Petunia had trained herself to see the signs.
Vernon's pacing.
The twitch in his jaw.
The raised voice — not shouting, but sharp.
He scolded her for spending "too much money on fruit."
(They had bought apples. Just apples.)
Harry stiffened. Dudley whimpered.
Petunia stepped in — calm, composed, glowing faintly with Calming Aura.
"Boys," she murmured, "Mama's here."
Their breathing steadied.
The System lit up:
[Bond Trigger: Emotional Bleed Suppression — SUCCESS]
[Mission Progress: 36%]
Vernon stopped mid-rant.
Not because of guilt.
Because he felt something.
Petunia straightened slowly, holding Dudley on her hip, Harry leaning against her leg.
She wasn't shrinking from him.
She was strong in a way he couldn't name.
He took a single step back.
"Petunia… you're being dramatic."
Her eyes were steady.
"No, Vernon. I'm being careful."
He didn't understand the difference.
But the System did.
And for the first time in this life, Petunia felt like she wasn't facing him alone.