My One and Only

Chapter 1 - Year 1

A WOMAN WITH STRIKING GREEN EYES and vibrant red hair smiled at her daughter, who's hair was a pale purple, pulled into two pigtails. At her side sat a boy with green eyes that matched his mother and sisters; a mop of messy dark hair atop his head. Behind their mother stood a man with hair the same as his son's. He smiled as he placed his hands gently on his wife's shoulders.

"Harry, Maia, its time to wake up."

The little girl tilted her head and peered up at her father, jumping as his smile morphed into an angry glare.

"I said wake up!" he shouted, and a pounding sound filled the room. "Wake up!"

Maia gasped as she shot up, smacking her head on the steps above her.

"Wake up now you two. Dudley's breakfast must be ready in time."

The twins' aunt rapped on the door once more, before she stalked away, leaving Harry to comfort his sister, who was silently cursing their relatives.

"I hate these people." She muttered, and Harry smiled sympathetically, before grabbing a change of clothes and slipping out of their room to give his sister some privacy. Room was a bit of a stretch to describe their living space. The Dursleys hadn't wanted to give up any real rooms when their niece and nephew were sent to live with them after the deaths of their parents, so they shoved a few blankets into the cupboard under the stairs and called it a bed. Harry and Maia knew better than to argue, although Maia had to bite her tongue quite often around the Dursleys.

After brushing aside a few spiders, Maia found her favorite pair of jeans and slipped them on, sliding into one of Dudley's old shirts after. The only feminine clothes she owned were her jeans, that her aunt Petunia was forced to buy when Dudley's hand-me-downs fell to the ground after Maia tried them on. Harry fit into the old jeans a bit better, despite being too scrawny for his age. Maia figured he'd look much older if they were fed properly, but often they found themselves going days with only one meal to sustain them. She had gotten used to the pang of hunger in her stomach, but the anger at her family never ceased, and she swore she'd find a way out one day.

The kitchen was empty when Maia entered, but she had her orders and knew there'd be repercussions if she didn't follow them. Her aunt walked in as she was cracking the eggs, and eyed her niece warily. Petunia was a thin woman, with a neck nearly as long as her arm and wispy blonde hair. Her face seemed to be permanently scrunched up in distaste, unless she was doting on her son, which was more often than not. She and her husband were an odd pair. Where she was thin, he was round. Where she had too much neck, Vernon had not enough. The only similarity between the two was their sour attitude and adoration for their son, who was just as cruel and nasty as his parents.

"Don't burn any of the food. Dudley's birthday has to be special." She barked, nodding to her niece, before turning and stalking away, setting one last present on the table that was nearly hidden underneath all of Dudley's gifts. Maia rolled her eyes and began to whisk the eggs together with some milk, muttering under her breath.

"No, we wouldn't want the little angel to have a bad day, now would we?"

Harry wandered into the kitchen shortly after, his glasses crooked due to the amount of tape holding them together, and his sleeves falling far past his hands. He pushed them up and grabbed the bacon, tossing it into a pan to fry, shrugging his sister away as she attempted to smooth his hair down.

"You know it won't stay down, Maia." He said, but she continued to try to tame it, as she knew their uncle would comment on it. He was constantly telling Harry to get a haircut and comb his hair, but no amount of grooming would change the messiness.