Pop! Judy Cortez looked out her window at Private Dr. number 8, Little Whinging, curiously. 

"What was that?" she wondered. She peered out the window with her senses tingling. Mrs. Cortez shook herself. She was reading a scary book; she thought it was just her imagination messing with her. As Judy headed upstairs to bed, she checked in on her son Thomas. The eleven year old, blonde-haired, blue-eyed boy was very handsome. Thomas was sound asleep so Judy went to her daughter's room. 

Judy and her husband Robert adopted Crystal Lily Cortez when she was just two years old. She was the same age as Thomas and they both got along with each other. With light-brown hair and bright-green eyes, she was the oddball of the family. The Cortez's got her from an elderly lady, who had told Judy that Crystal had nothing wrong with her except for one thing; she had a scar the shape of a heart on the right side of her neck. The old woman thought it had come from when her parents died in an accident. Crystal had been left on the old woman’s doorstep a few days before. The old woman said that when she found Crystal, there was a note saying that her parents were dead and that she had to be placed in a good home. Judy met the old woman while she was visiting a friend across the country. Judy took Crystal, promising to find her a good home. Judy had no intentions to keep Crystal. After a while, the family began to grow attached to the playful little girl. Finally, Judy decided that she didn't want to give up Crystal and she kept her for her own. 

Judy closed Crystal’s door, walked down the hall to her bedroom, climbed into bed with her husband and fell asleep. 

As the clock in the living room struck midnight, a young girl shot up from her bed. She rubbed her eyes, shook her head, and laid back down, but couldn't sleep. The dream she just awoke from was still swirling around in her head.

'Why do I keep having these dreams?' Crystal wondered.

Crystal rolled over and fell into a restless sleep.

As morning came, the family got up and ate a big breakfast. After breakfast Crystal and Thomas went outside to play. They had a glorious time running around chasing each other and playing whatever game came to their minds. Four houses away from Thomas and Crystal, a boy, the same age as them, was having a very different morning. 

BANG BANG BANG! 

"Get up! Get up right now! Hurry UP!" 

Harry James Potter woke with a start. He had been dreaming the same dream for seven nights in a row and he still never figured out what it was. 

"Will you get up already?" Harry's aunt, Petunia Dursely, was yelling at him through the cupboard door under the stairs. 

"Yes, Aunt Petunia. I'm up." Harry called. 

"Good. I need you to watch the bacon." Petunia ordered.

Harry sat up, put on his glasses and made his way out of the small cupboard. When Harry entered the kitchen he was surprised to find that he could barely see the kitchen at all because it was hidden by brightly colored packages. Then he remembered it was his cousin, Dudley's, birthday today. As he was flipping the bacon, Dudley arrived and began noisily ripping open his gifts. Harry was paid no attention to but he was used to it. His aunt and uncle hardly ever spoke to him unless it was to bark orders at him. Dudley only mentioned Harry when he was looking for a punching bag. Harry was a lot smaller and faster than Dudley, so he was able to get away from him easily.

Once Harry had made breakfast, cleaned up, washed up, and then did housework he was allowed to go outside. Like he did often, Harry wandered down the street towards the park. On his way there he saw two kids, who looked about his age, playing in their yard. One was a boy with blonde hair. Harry knew this boy, his name was Thomas, and he went to the same school as Harry. Harry didn't understand why everyone liked him so much and why he got all the attention. Harry didn’t think there was anything special about this boy. The other kid was a girl with light-brown hair; Harry knew her too. Everyone at school thought Crystal was sweet and they all loved her and wanted to be friends with her. Dudley and his gang always chased Crystal, trying to get her to hang out with them. As far as Harry knew, Crystal hated Dudley and his gang. As soon as Thomas saw Harry he marched off in the house with his nose in the air. Crystal, however, stayed behind, not noticing Harry coming. When she finally heard Harry walking past, she turned around and gave him a small smile. Harry thought it was strange for someone to smile at him. Everyone else didn't even want to look at him because they thought Harry was a crazy and psychotic lunatic, thanks to the Dursely’s warnings. Harry saw Thomas come back outside and pull Crystal by the sleeve inside. Harry trudged down the street to the park. 

As soon as Crystal was inside she questioned Thomas. 

"What is the matter? Why did you have to go and drag me in here? I was just fine outside." 

Thomas replied, "Didn't you see who was walking by? It was that Potter boy. You know what would have happened if he would have come over and talked to you, right?"

"No, I don't know what would have happened, but it's probably something dumb. Now, I'm going outside." Crystal snapped, irritated with Thomas.

Thomas stepped in front of the door and said, "Dudley Dursely would have found somehow and then you would be toast. Anyone who has anything to do with Potter is asking for trouble."

"Oh please, I'm not afraid of Dudley or his gang of idiots. He can't do anything to me just for looking at someone he doesn't like." Crystal rolled her eyes. "Besides, why would they do anything to me? They ask me every day to be part of their stupid gang, and Dudley thinks he’s my best friend."

"Alright, you have a point," sighed Thomas, "but I don't want you to get hurt. You're my sister after all."

"I'm only your step-sister Thomas, but thanks. And don't worry about me; I can pretty much take care of myself." Crystal gave him a quick hug and went back outside. She wanted to find out where Harry went. She walked all over; up and down the street. Crystal decided to look around the park; maybe she would find him there. She turned the corner at the end of the street and saw the boy sitting alone on the swings, staring at the ground. Crystal stood there for a minute and just watched him until she plucked up the courage to sit by him. For a few seconds neither said anything. Crystal was first to break the silence. 

"Hi. I'm Crystal. What's your name?" she asked, though she already knew the answer. He didn't answer her. 

"I said, hi I'm Crystal. What's your name?" Crystal said, a little more demanding this time.

"I'm Harry. Harry Potter." He said to his feet. Crystal was trying to get him into a conversation. 

"You're Dudley Dursely’s cousin, aren't you?"

"Yes." He answered, still looking at his feet.

"Ok. So tell me, what's it like living with the ugliest baboon in the whole world?" Crystal giggled.

"He's not a baboon."

"Oh. I'm sorry. I didn't know you actually liked h-" she started.

"He's the wart on a baboons butt." Harry stated so seriously that Crystal burst out laughing. Harry joined in too. After a few more jokes about Dudley, they were both laughing and making fun of him. Just then five boys pranced into the park.

"Crystal," Harry warned "you'd better get outta here. Dudley's coming."

But Crystal shook her head and jumped down from the swings, facing the oncoming group. She was sick and tired of these guys pushing people around and telling them what to do.

"Hey guys look. It's Potter. What should we do to him this time?" Piers screeched. "And look! It's Crystal. What's she doing over there with Ugly Potter?"

Dudley waddled over to where Crystal and Harry stood facing them. 

"Crystal, what are you doing with that freak?" he asked.

"I’m talking to him." Crystal snapped, crossing her arms.

"Why? You should be hanging out with us cool kids, not that freak."

"He's not a freak Dursley and you can't tell me who I can and can't hang out with." Crystal spat at him. Every minute he was telling her what to do, was making her more and more angry. 

"Hey, Dudley, what are we going to do now, mate?" whispered Piers. Dudley had a bright, or what was bright to him, idea. "Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, Gordon; two of you grab Crystal and the other two grab Potter." Harry and Crystal had no time to move. Piers and Dennis grabbed Crystal and held her tight, pulling her closer to Dudley’s side. Malcolm and Gordon grabbed Harry by the arms and pulled him in front of Dudley. 

"Piers, you let go of me right now!" Crystal shouted, as she was struggling. 

"Sorry. I just can't do that. Harry is going to get what he deserves for bothering you." Piers snickered.

"But-" Crystal tried. 

"Just be quiet and watch." Piers said.

Dudley was getting closer to Harry, his fists ready to pound into him. Harry was struggling against Malcolm and Gordon. Crystal knew this was her fault. Everything that Dudley had ever done to Harry made Crystal furious. No one should be treated like that. All of her annoyance and anger boiled inside of her like a volcano, going to erupt at any moment. the next second, Crystal felt a wave of anger go through her like an electric current. At that same moment Piers and Dennis let go of her with a yell and Malcolm and Gordon let go of Harry, screaming. As soon as they were set free, Harry and Crystal ran for it. Crystal grabbed Harry's hand and led him, still running, to her backyard. Once they were in her yard, they fell over laughing. Mrs. Cortez came out back to see what the commotion was. The look on her face when she saw Harry was of horror.

"CRYSTAL!! What are you doing?" she shrieked. 

Before Crystal could say anything, Harry bounded over the gate and disappeared down the street.

"What was Harry Potter doing here!? Did he hurt you!? Was he following you!? What happened!?" her mother cried.

"Nothing, Mom. Nothing happened. He didn't hurt me so calm down." Crystal tried explained.

"What do you mean calm down? I come out here to find that my daughter is rolling around on the ground with Harry Potter! What do you think that looks like to me?"

"It should just look like a couple of friends playing in the backyard." Crystal snapped.

"Don't you talk to me like that young lady. You get inside right now and go to your room. You will never play with him again, do you understand me?"

Crystal was so upset that she ran to her room and locked herself in. Her mother tried to talk to her, but Crystal was furious that her mother jumped to the wrong conclusion about Harry. Finally, her mother said she would listen to Crystal’s side of the story.

“Mom, Harry and I were just playing. Honest. He’s really nice; we shouldn’t believe everything the Dursely's say. Did you know that Dudley tries to beat Harry up all the time? Did Mrs. Dursley tell you that? I just want him to have a friend. He always looks so lonely and nobody ever plays with him.” Judy Cortez saw honesty in her daughter’s eyes and asked Crystal for forgiveness and granted her the freedom to be friends with whomever she chose. 

Crystal didn't see Harry outside anymore; she knew he must have gotten into a lot of trouble. A few weeks passed and it was almost time to go back to school. Crystal stayed up late one night; thinking about Harry, when suddenly she saw something fly past her window. Crystal got up and snuck down the stairs. She went outside, but all she heard was an owl hooting. It was a beautiful night out, so Crystal decided to lie down and watch the stars. She was so comfortable there that she fell asleep. Thomas was awake too, playing video games. He went to Crystal’s room to see if she wanted to play and found that there was no one there. He started down the stairs to look for her. He happened to look outside and saw Crystal lying in the grass. He laughed and went outside. 

“Crystal. Crystal you have to get up. You can’t sleep out here.” He said, poking her.

Crystal stretched and then went back inside and curled up in bed. 

Outside two owls were flying toward her and Harry's houses, dropping a letter in each mailbox; a letter that would change their lives, forever.