Rating:
G
House:
The Dark Arts
Characters:
Other Canon Male Muggle
Genres:
Alternate Universe General
Era:
1981-1991
Spoilers:
Philosopher's Stone Prizoner of Azkaban
Stats:
Published: 02/27/2007
Updated: 02/27/2007
Words: 508
Chapters: 1
Hits: 741

Perfectly Normal, Thank You Very Much

Joie_D

Story Summary:
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley of Number 4, Privet Drive were proud to say they were perfectly normal, thank you very much. There was that nasty little bit about Petunia's sister, but after the events of November 1981, they ceased to worry about the connection.

Chapter 01

Posted:
02/27/2007
Hits:
741


When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the first dull, gray Wednesday of the month, there was nothing about the sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things had been happening all over the country. Mr. Dursley's fingers shook as he picked out his second most boring tie for work. He tried not to think of what he'd heard the day before, of the people in cloaks who'd whispered the name of Potter. He had already upset his wife, so much so that she went silently through her morning routine, not even gossiping with Mrs. Next Door as she set out the milk bottles. Where the Potters were involved there could only be trouble. But those people knew not to bother the Dursleys. Nothing abnormal could happen to them, Mr. Dursley thought, but he still avoided his usual morning paper at breakfast.

If he had known that, only hours ago, several cloaked figures had stood in his own front garden, he would have called in sick at Grunnings. If he had known what these cloaked hooligans discussed, he would have taken his wife and son and moved halfway across the country without further notice. However, Vernon Dursley knew none of these things. At half past eight, he left for work. His eyes darted toward the garden wall, but no tabby cat sat there. As he drove into town, he happily remarked on the absence of oddly dressed people. He must have imagined everything. It was the first time he was glad to think of imagination.

The rest of Mr. Dursley's day was blissfully normal. He began negotiations for a large order of drills. He yelled at three separate employees. He came home to find his wife had stopped sulking and his son had a new favorite food. He had almost forgotten his distress by the next day. Then the mail arrived.

"Haven't they heard of paper?" He sneered, eyeing the dead animal skin those beatniks thought it proper to write upon. Petunia huffed and unfolded the thing, holding away from her with two fingers. Her expression changed as she read the letter.

"The Potters are dead," she announced, her voice devoid of emotion. After a pause she added, "And just like them, they've left their son an orphan."

"No one expects us to--"

"Heavens no! Says the boy has a godfather."

Vernon nodded. It was more than he expected from their kind. Well, the boy was none of his concern.

They attended the funeral, of course. The Dursleys had strict notions of propriety. They must show those people how a proper family acted. Dudley was deemed both too young for such an event and too sensitive for the society. He was left with a neighbor, who was told the Dursleys were attending the funeral of a distant relation. They sat primly in a corner and gave curt responses to the few who tried to give their condolences. The Potters went in the ground, and the Dursleys went home. The never spoke the name of Potter again.