Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
" You're welcome" James Potter, Sirius Black, Fabian and Gideon Prewett chorused then shot each other matching smirks
They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.
"That's boring" Evan Rosier commented, his nose crinkled in distaste.
Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills. He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache.
"Man of my dreams," Marlene said, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
" What a shame he is married" Alice added, her tone matching Marlene
Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.
Lily, who was quiet the entire time, suddenly straightened herself. Alice shot her questioning look which she dismissed with a smile.
Recently her sister introduced her boyfriend to her family who had the surname Dursley. But it could be anyone else, like why would Lily's family be mentioned in a book about Potters future son? Being the smartest witch of her age, she knew the possibility why but her heart wouldn't accept the explanation her mind provided.
The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion, there was no finer boy anywhere.
" Is the world divided between unimpressed and overly proud parents?" Asteria Black mumbled to her brother while looking at their parents.
" Guess so" Regulus replied with a sigh.
The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters. Mrs. Potter was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister, because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband were as unDursleyish as it was possible to be.
It was amazing that Lucas Leroy was able to complete the paragraph without anyone's interruption. As soon as he stopped, a girlish scream echoed. everyone turned to look at the culprit of the voice who was looking at James in terror
" You are related to these people" Sirius cried out
Laughter echoed in the hall but one person became tense as her speculation was coming true.
" She is my wife's sister" James mumbled, looking at Lily. How he wished to marry her, to show her how much he loved her. But after all these years, he was not sure he would be able to. He didn't say anything else as he didn't want to degrade his future wife, who might not be Lily.
"Well we are proud that our son and daughter are undursleyish" Fleamont Potter mumbled, being one of the few who noticed the insult
"Not even a word," His wife said, shaking her head.
The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street. The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potters away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.
" I don't even want my son near you" James snapped, then thought. My son? It sounded so foreign yet so sweet.
"Why do I think they are going to meet" Asteria mumbled to her brother, who shot her a questioning look "I mean, we started the book from these people, they surely hold some importance in future Potter's life"
Regulus hummed back, accepting the theory.
When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work, and Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.
"Why will he pick his most boring tie?" Sylvie Lyrant, a half-blood Ravenclaw, questioned her friend.
" Um.. because they are boring?" Lucas Leroy replied. Sure he was a muggle born but he had, thankfully, never come across such a lot.
"That's not how you parent!" Molly Weasley cried, looking at her sons
' strange and mysterious' Arcturus Black thought. Interesting
None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window.
At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase and pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley goodbye but missed,because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls. "Little tyke," chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive.
The women looked appalled. There is spoiling then there was this.
It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of
something peculiar -- a cat reading a map.......... As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.
All eyes turned to Minerva McGonagall as she turned a bit red.
" What are you doing there minnie?" Sirius Black questioned with a mischievous look
Some people, mainly the first years, looked shocked at how he addressed the professor . Also why, why will their professor have anything to do with that cat.
" It's the future Mr Black and you are not even sure its me" the Professor replied sternly and Sirius waved her off.
"10 galleons it's Professor McGonagall" Rabastan Lestrange asked his friends.
" No one will -" Regulus Black started only to be cut off by Evan Rosier
" Sure I will take the bet"
Regulus stared at the Rosier heir, wondering how can someone be this stupid.
But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks. .......The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.
" Cloaks are normal?" Asteria Black's words came out louder than she intended as the entire hall turned to look at the famous ice queen of Slytherin.
" In the muggle world, Cloaks are very much out dated" Lucas Leroy replied, earning a nod back. He continued reading, saving the black heiress from stares and glare from her mother.
. He didn't see the owls swoop ing past in broad daylight, though people down in the street did; they pointed and gazed open- mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime.
" Owls are not common in the muggle world?" Arthur questioned.
"Not really" Lily replied, at last socialising " owls come out only at night in our world"
This statement raised more questions
" How do you communicate then?" Marlene McKinnon asked curiously.
" A man posts our letter from one place to another, we are also developing technology so we can communicate by sitting at our home" Remus said, unable to decide how to explain the concept of telephone.
He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin.
"Merlin's sake, he is so annoying" a third year Hufflepuff said and all agreed silently
It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard yes, their son, Harry"
The Potters straightened up, scared for their son and future heir.
Mr. Dursley stopped dead. Fear flooded him. He looked back at the
" Sadly he didn't drop dead" Barty said, earning raised eyebrows from his friends. "What? That man is getting on my nerves."
He dashed back across the road,.... Potter wasn't such an unusual name.
" It is" James and Sirius exclaimed, irritated by the suspense
" Not in the muggle world" a muggle born mumbled.
He was sure there were lots of people called Potter who had a son called Harry. -- if he'd had a sister like that... but all the same, those people in cloaks...
"How dare he!" James snapped, he doesn't know who his future wife is but he was already protective of her.
Lily had stopped denying the fact that there was a high possibility that she married Potter in future. She didn't have time to ponder about that due to the continuous jabs coming from her sisters family. It hurt. After all this time, it still hurt. Knowing that even in future, she was unable to mend their relationship.
"Sorry," he grunted, as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell.
" He knows that word?" Remus Lupin asked, as people laughed at his shocked tone.
It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir,for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"
It took a moment for everyone to realise what Lucas said and then the hell broke loose.
The Light and neutral side cheered and sighed in relief.
" No" Bellatrix screamed, earning warning glances from the blacks and Lestranges
The dark lord supporters tensed up, looks like they chose the wrong side.
After 10 minutes, everyone calmed down,, especially James and Sirius who had started chanting "We won! We won!"
And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off. Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was.
" It will not be surprising if we get caught" Professor McGonagall muttered.
"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look. Was this normal cat behavior?
" Nah it's normal Minnie behaviour" Sirius whispered to James and they burst into a fit of giggles.
. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!").
" Call the news paper" A seventh year raveclaw said, annoyed. This was not something to be extremely proud of.
Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:
"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Jim?"
The pure bloods nodded at the already explained explanation.
"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. But I can promise a wet night tonight."
"Looks like you became a reporter in the end" Andromeda said softly to Ted Tonks. Ted had already told her he was more interested in a muggle job, which was better considering the blacks were out for blood.
Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters...
" Why is he being so dramatic? It's not like 3rd world war is being declared" a muggle snapped, earning laughs from other muggle borns and muggle raised half bloods.
Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er -- Petunia, dear -- you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"
As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.
" Lils, you alright?" Alice asked in a concerned filled tone.
Lily, who was unaware of the tears leaking from her eyes, nodded her head.
he wiped her eyes while ignoring the stare of a certain messy haired boy.
"No," she said sharply. "Why?"
"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls... shooting
stars... and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today..."
"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.
"Well, I just thought... maybe... it was something to do with... you
know... her crowd."
Many people blinked, astonished by how he was treating witches a and wizards.
Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursued lips."What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?".
"Harry. Nasty, common name, if you ask me."
"And Dudley is such an amazing name, isn't it?" Sirius said, rolling his eyes.
"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quit
agree. He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did... if it got out that they were related to a pair of-- well, he didn't think he could bear it.
"Related to a pair of what?" James snapped
" Magical people" Lily said slowly, but James heard it.
The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr.
He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything tha t might be going on -- he yawned and turned over -- it couldn't affect them....
" Petunia.." Lily thought as she closed her eyes
" He jinxed it" Rabastan Lestrange said
How very wrong he was.
"Called it"
Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep.In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.
" I want this amount of patience in my life" Marlene McKinnon said.
"We are not even sure if it's McGonagall" Evan said
Regulus just shook his head.
A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.
' apparition' everyone thought
Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. This man's name was Albus Dumbledore
The Gryffindors cheered and Albus Dumbledore smiled at them.
" How was your nose broken professor?" Sirius asked with a grin
" That's a story for another time mister Black" Albus said with a smile.
" What is he doing in a muggle street?" Asteria asked, her eyes narrowed
" Well looks like your theory was correct sister" Regulus mumbled back.
Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.
" I am pretty sure he just doesn't care" Frank long bottom said.
He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."
"Get your galleons ready Rosier" Rabastan said with a smirk
He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be a silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop. He clicked it again -- the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes of the cat watching him If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer back inside his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.
"Daym" Sirius mumbled.
" We want it" Sirius, James, the Prewett twins chorused. People looked at them wide eyed.
" Sadly boys, it's one of my own creation" Albus Dumbledore said with a chuckle.
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."
Evan Rosier grumbled as he handed the money to a smirking Rabastan Lestrange.
He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the markings the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.
" I can't imagine her being ruffled" Marlene McKinnon said
"How did you know it was me?" she asked.
"My dear Professor, I 've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."
"I was unable to see her. If I had- " Rosier started only to be cut-off
" Quite it" Asteria Black hissed causing him to shutup.
She was not known for being the scariest Black for nothing.
"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said
Professor McGonagall.
"All day? When you could have been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."
Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.
"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently.
" Ofcourse you will be the only one not celebrating" James said as his professor gave him a stern look.
"You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no -- even the Muggles have noticed something's going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls... shooting stars.... Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stars down in Kent -- I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."
" He is real cool" James said , defending Dedalus Diggle. Sirius Black nodded in agreement.
" How do you know him?" Euphumia Potter asked, her eyes narrowed.
James secretly gestured Lucas Leroy to carry on who obliged.
"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."
" 11 years?" Amelia bones and mad eye moody shared a look. This was not good.
"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."
' Rumors about the Potters" Arctus Black whispered to his wife.
She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her
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