Number 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. The Dursley residence.
Vernon stepped out of the car with Ashley in one arm, using his other hand to unlock the door. Behind him, Petunia was gathering Ashley's things from the car, her face glowing with quiet happiness and satisfaction.
Ashley stretched her neck like a curious little creature, looking around.
To be honest, it felt smaller than she had imagined. Once a car was parked out front, the road looked a bit cramped.
There was a patch of grass beside it, bordered by a low fence. It didn't serve much practical purpose, more like a symbolic boundary marker.
Still, all the houses along the street were arranged in the same neat, orderly fashion. Clean, simple, almost obsessively tidy. The kind of place that would be deeply satisfying to anyone who loved order.
As they stepped inside, the first thing Ashley saw was the staircase leading to the second floor.
Something clicked in her mind, and her eyes lit up with excitement.
That's right.
This was it.
Harry's little "world." The cupboard under the stairs. The place where Dudley's stomping would send dust raining down…
Objectively speaking, as Ashley Li, she didn't feel any particular dislike toward a place like this.
After her parents died in a car accident, she had spent a long time hiding in small, enclosed spaces. They made her feel safe.
So to her, this cramped little space actually seemed interesting. If it weren't so dusty, and if it were made a bit more comfortable, she might not even mind living there.
But when she thought about it from Harry's perspective…
All she felt was sympathy.
The thought made her lips twitch.
After all, she was now a Dursley.
Who could possibly understand this kind of helpless irony?
She could only repeat to herself, over and over, that she would treat her little cousin well. She would never let him go through what he had suffered.
That was for the future, though.
Right now, Ashley was far more interested in the cupboard itself.
Wrapped in blankets, babbling "ah, ah" in baby sounds, she reached out with her tiny hand and tugged lightly at Vernon's beard, her eyes fixed eagerly on the small door under the stairs, clearly asking him to open it.
Her adorable enthusiasm made Vernon grin from ear to ear.
"Oh? Does my little darling want to play a treasure hunt with Daddy? How cute! But there's no treasure here, you know. Just a storage space."
He opened the door anyway.
Ashley peeked inside.
Indeed, Harry hadn't arrived yet. The space hadn't been turned into a bedroom. A few brooms, mops, and small unused items were scattered inside.
Her interest faded instantly.
Vernon chuckled and closed the door, carrying her along for the rest of the tour.
Past the hallway beside the stairs was a large open space combining the living room, dining area, and kitchen. It wasn't especially spacious, but the furniture was arranged so thoughtfully that it felt warm and inviting.
When Ashley had watched the films before, she had never seen this house from the perspective of someone who lived in it.
Now, everything felt strangely new.
She knew Petunia was meticulous about cleanliness. For the past few months, however, she had spent most of her time at the hospital caring for Ashley, so the house had fallen into a bit of disarray under Vernon's management.
A tin of formula sat open. Powder had spilled across the table.
It was easy to imagine the flustered new father behind it.
Thinking of the chubby baby being cared for like this, Ashley couldn't help but laugh silently.
Vernon didn't seem to notice the mess at all. In his usual overly sweet tone, he gave Ashley a simple tour.
"This is where we eat. This is where we make delicious food. And over there is where we watch the little people on the telly…"
Ashley had long since grown used to his tone. She didn't even react anymore. Instead, she turned her gaze toward another door nearby, babbling insistently.
"Oh, no, my little darling, that's not a fun place," Vernon said quickly. "That's where we… well… go to the toilet. It's smelly, you see."
Alright then. No need to investigate further.
Ashley was only trying to understand the layout anyway.
Vernon, quite perceptive, turned and carried her upstairs.
The second floor had two bedrooms and a study.
At the end of the hallway was the master bedroom. Across from it were the study and a smaller bedroom.
The smaller bedroom, slightly more cramped than the study, belonged to Dudley.
Which explained everything.
No wonder Harry had ended up under the stairs.
For a brief moment, Ashley entertained a thought.
So the real reason was simply that there wasn't enough space?
She quickly dismissed it with a wry smile.
Lack of space might be true.
But Petunia's dislike of Harry was likely just as real. No proper relative would be left to live in a cupboard otherwise.
Ashley felt the weight of a long road ahead.
Then suddenly, another thought struck her.
The house was already cramped. Later, Dudley's room would be given to Harry. That meant the study would probably be converted into Dudley's bedroom.
And now there was her as well.
So how exactly was this going to work?
For the first time, she truly felt how small the house was.
She even found herself wondering whether Vernon's salary as a manager at Grunnings would be enough to afford a larger home.
After all, Petunia would soon be raising three children. Working as a secretary would hardly be practical anymore.
"My little darling," Vernon said suddenly, his tone soft and affectionate, "Dudley will have the small bedroom, and I'm thinking of turning the study into another bedroom for you. Petunia can decorate it nicely. A proper little princess's room."
His face was filled with anticipation and joy, his eyes shining so brightly it almost felt dazzling.
Ashley was moved.
Truly.
But at the same time, a chill crept in.
If that was the arrangement…
Then Harry might still end up in the cupboard.
The thought left her emotions tangled once more.
Of course, Vernon had no idea what thoughts were running through the mind of a three-month-old baby with the soul of an eighteen-year-old.
To him, whether she was lively or quiet, his little darling was always the cutest. No arguments allowed.
He carried her over to admire two small cribs, imagining how adorable Ashley and Dudley would look sleeping side by side.
Only then did the house tour come to an end.
By this time, Petunia had finished organizing the belongings, tidied the house, and even made some fresh juice.
Now, she and Vernon each held a glass, smiling as they watched their daughter lying in her crib, drooling as she stared at them.
It was a rare moment of rest after such a long, exhausting stretch.
"My dear, your birthday is in a week," Vernon said suddenly after taking a sip. "What would you like as a gift? You've worked so hard taking care of Ashley."
Petunia blinked, momentarily surprised.
"Oh, you're right. It's already August 20th. I nearly forgot…"
She looked at Ashley, her eyes soft and full of warmth.
"I don't need any gifts. Dudley and Ashley are the greatest gifts I could ever receive."