Dudley Dursley considered himself a good man. He had once been an awful boy, but he had changed. Honestly, he was glad for it. If those demon things hadn't tried to kill him when he was fifteen, he would probably still be the same bully he had been back then. He would be like his father; no, worse even. Not that he didn't love his father. He did. He was just aware that Vernon wasn't the best man in the world, and certainly hadn't been the best father and influence. His mother had hardly been better, but he knew they had spoiled him rotten out of a genuine love for him, so he couldn't bring himself to be too upset with the way they had raised him.

Of course, he was still a bit resentful about it. If his parents had been a bit more understanding…perhaps him and his cousin would have had a happy childhood together. He honestly regretted causing the man so much grief when they were children. Perhaps the people he had bullied wouldn't still eye him a bit warily from time to time. He tried not to dwell on this, however, because what was done was done, and he couldn't do anything about it. He just tried to be the best man he could be, the man that his wife had fallen in love with.

God, how he loved his wife. She was the sweetest little button he ever did meet. She was just the right height, with dark hair cut in a cute little bob, and the most gorgeous smile he had ever seen. He counted himself as very lucky to have been smart enough to get married to her. If he had still been a bully, he knew she never would have given him a second glance.

She had even given him two beautiful children: Clayton and Daisy. Clayton was a good kid-he teased other children quite a bit, but rarely crossed the line of bullying. The few times that he had, Dudley had given him a stern talking to. Daisy was the epitome of her mother-sweet, innocent; she could hardly hurt a fly. Spiders, on the hand…

Dudley Dursley was a good man.

So, when he first realized his darling Daisy was a witch, he did not freak out, and lock her in the cupboard under the stairs. (He shuddered at the thought of his baby sitting in the dark little room among the spiders, terrified out of her mind.)

…Okay, so maybe he freaked out a little.

Dudley heavily sat down on the living room couch, desperately trying to control his breathing. Daisy, his darling little flower who could make the world seem brighter with just one smile, had just levitated her sippy cup right into her hands. From across the room. She had been fussy minutes earlier, wanting more of her grape juice, but Dudley had been firm. He knew what too much juice did to her: it wound her up so tight that Tigger looked tame by comparison. It wasn't the sugar that did it, either. She would just get so excited about drinking juice that she would be a bit wild for a while after. However, Dudley wasn't in the mood to deal with a hyper four year old.

So, of course, that meant Daisy had to get it herself.

The next thing the poor father knew, Daisy's sippy cup was flying through the air, straight into her little hands. That was when he had to sit down. Sweet Daisy was innocently unaware of her daddy's impending mental breakdown, content to nurse from her cup.

Dudley, contrary to popular belief, was not stupid. He certainly wasn't as intelligent as some people he knew, but he wasn't stupid. He knew what this meant. He could remember the incidents his cousin Harry had caused when they were still children.

His daughter was a witch.

Surprisingly, it wasn't this thought that bothered him. He was on Christmas card terms with Harry, after all, and the man would sometimes visit with his own kids if he was in the neighborhood. If he truly had a problem with his cousin being a wizard after all these years, then he certainly wouldn't be letting the man into his home. No, Daisy's being a witch didn't bother him quite as much as he would have thought.

No, instead he was remembering his encounter with those-those demontors, or whatever Harry had called them.

His baby was a witch, and what if something in that world hurt her? What if she encountered one of those things, and had the life sucked out of her, like what had almost happened to him? What if she got killed? What would he do? What would he do?

All Dudley really had to go off of from the "wizarding world" was the violence. The dementors, the evil wizards he and his family had had to hide from for a year, the…the huge man who had given him a pig's tail! And his baby was going to have to deal with all of that?

For a moment, Dudley wondered if these were the same thoughts his parents had had to go through. If they were, he was suddenly feeling a little more empathetic toward them.

I need to call Harry, came the sudden thought, crystal clear. He wasn't his parents, he knew he couldn't…beat the magic out of Daisy. The very thought of ever laying a hand on his baby girl made him want to puke. He also knew he wouldn't be able to keep his daughter from the magical world. She was probably going to get a letter, just like Harry did, and then she would be curious, and there would be no hiding it from her then.

Harry was a wizard. Harry was more tolerant and less crazy than any other magical person Dudley had met (which, admittedly, wasn't saying much). He would be able to help. He would be able to tell Dudley how he should handle this.

Letting his daughter keep her juice (she may get wound up, but he didn't think his heart could handle another magical display if he took her cup away), Dudley made his way to the phone. Harry had once mentioned that he had had a phone installed at his house (Dudley had ignored the muttering of hating "flu travel," whatever that was), and had even given his cousin his phone number. Dudley had yet to actually use the number, but he had still written it down in the family's planner out of a sense of obligation.

Now he couldn't be more glad that he had kept it.

As he picked up the phone and the dial tone reached his ears, Dudley wondered what he would say. What Harry would say. He would have to approach this in a calm manner. He didn't want Harry thinking he was like his parents, especially not with Daisy. Daisy was his baby, just as Clayton was his boy, and he could never hurt them, physically or emotionally.

Dudley dialed his cousin.

He only had to wait three rings before the phone was picked up. It was a woman's voice that answered. Dudley guessed it was Harry's wife, Ginny. He didn't see her all that much. He had the feeling that she didn't really like him.

"Hello?"

He was silent for a beat, lips parted slightly as he tried to think of what to say. This was an exceedingly awkward situation for him.

"…Hello? If this is a prank, so help me…"

Dudley cleared his throat.

"Um, yes-I-I mean, no, this isn't a prank. May I speak to Harry Potter, please?"

"Who is this?" there was a strange suspicion in her voice, and Dudley wondered what she was thinking.

"This is Dudley Dursley, Harry's cousin."

There was a tense silence. For a moment, Dudley thought she was going to hang up.

"Wait a moment, I'll go get him."

His shoulders nearly slumped in relief. He hadn't even realized how tense he had become. All too soon, it was Harry's voice speaking to him, and he found himself fumbling with words again.

"Hello, Dudley? Are you all right? Has something happened?"

There was a twinge of guilt. It said something that Harry would think only something seriously wrong would cause his cousin to call him. Of course, he was right, there was something wrong.

"Oh, uh, yes, I'm fine. I just-something has happened, and-and this might be something better discussed in person. Would it be too much of a bother to ask you to come over?" he asked, nervousness causing his voice to crack a bit.

There was a pause.

"I mean, not this exact moment, of course, but sometime soon?" Dudley quickly added, feeling a bit as though he had been imposing. What right did he have to be making requests of this man?

"No, no, it's fine," Harry was quick to reply. "I was just about to-but no matter. I'll be there in ten minutes. Is it all right if I bring the kids?"

"Yes, of course it's fine! I'm sure Clay and Daisy would be delighted to have some playmates today," Dudley hurriedly said. He knew his son was a bit standoffish to his cousins, and had even made little Lily cry once, but he also knew that Clayton did like playing with them. And Daisy…well, she adored anyone who gave her attention.

Anything to get Harry there.

And that was how, thirteen minutes later, Dudley found himself sitting in the kitchen, opposite his cousin. The kitchen door was wide open, letting them keep an eye on the kids playing outside, and there was a cup of tea sitting on the table in front of the portly man. To calm his nerves, Harry had said as he prepared it with a discrete flick of his wand. Dudley took a sip. It didn't really help.

"So, erm, how are you doing?" Harry carefully asked.

There were many ways Dudley could have replied. Dozens of answers had flicked through his mind to keep the awkward conversation going. His mouth was having none of that, however.

"Daisy's a witch."

Just like that, the awkwardness had turned into a distinct tension. Dudley pretended he didn't notice how Harry's shoulders had risen, or how his jaw had dropped ever so slightly. It was a relief to have gotten it off his chest.

"Y-…You're sure?" the thinner man stuttered, looking terribly surprised. Obviously, he had never considered the possibility of a child of Vernon's bloodline to be magical. Neither had Dudley, truth be told.

He nodded.

"Got her sippy cup from clear 'cross the room," he muttered, taking another sip of tea.

"Merlin," Harry breathed, running a weary hand over his face. "I never thought…"

"Yes, well, neither did I," said Dudley sharply. "I don't-what am I going to do? She-She's one of your kind now-"

"One of my kind?" Harry repeated, his tone quiet, but significant.

Dudley immediately shut his mouth. He hadn't meant…

Where is that calm manner you mentioned before, Dursley? he scolded himself. If Claire had heard him say that, she would have quick slapped him upside the head.

Oh, god, how was he going to explain this to her?

"I mean," he began, choosing his words carefully. "I'm not sure as to what I should expect. I remember the incident with Aunt Marge, and you didn't…that wasn't even with your-your wand, was it? What if Daisy accidentally hurts someone? What if she hurts herself?"

Harry relaxed, his expression turning thoughtful and sympathetic all at once.

"I can help you, but you're going to have to keep an open mind."

"I'm listening."

Those were the right words to say, as Harry smiled slightly.

"You're going to have to understand that it's inevitable for magical children to exhibit their abilities sometime during their childhood, especially if they have a temper. Think of it as a sort of defense mechanism. If their emotions are running particularly high, or if they're in danger, then their magic is going to react."

"So…so, this is an instinctive thing, is it?" Dudley's brows furrowed. That was a bit understandable. After playing so many videogames that had magical storylines, he could better understand a few things. "She can't control it?"

"Something like that…and no, it's not really something to be controlled. Daisy's pretty easygoing, though, isn't she? I don't think you'll have to worry too much on that regard."

"Why not teach her to control it now?" Dudley asked curiously.

"Because that would mean giving her a wand, and that is not something I would recommend giving a four year old," Harry smiled wryly. "James and Albus have gotten their hands on my wand a couple times, and if I thought they were bad before…James nearly turned the house upside down, and Albus somehow ended up covering the garden in purple goop. Ginny was furious…now I'm just waiting for Lily to end up nicking my wand to do some of her own mischief."

Dudley wasn't quite so amused at the tale. In fact, he was quite horrified at the thought of what Daisy may do should she get her hands on a wand, and realize she could use it to…oh, she would probably turn the entire house a bright, eye cancer inducing pink, summon a unicorn into the front yard, make it rain candy…and if that didn't get his family run out of town, he didn't know what would.

Or worse, the government would notice, take interest, and snatch his daughter away for experimenting.

That thought left him cold, and Harry was quick to notice the change in expression.

"What is it?"

Dudley struggled to speak for a moment.

"What if…Daisy does something obvious? Like summon a, uh, unicorn in the park?"

Harry's lips twitched upward, and politely refrained from pointing out the extreme unlikelihood of such a thing occurring.

"Then a group from the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes would pop in, fix everything, and have an Obliviator wipe everyone's memory clean of the incident."

"Obliviator?" Dudley couldn't recall ever having heard the word before. He also hadn't been aware that Harry's world had an entire department devoted to those sorts of incidents. It was sort of reassuring. Sort of.

"It's based on the word for the spell-uh, Oblivate. It allows a wizard to erase someone's memories. It's a job in the Ministry that specializes in this, because you wouldn't believe how many muggles witness something they're not supposed to…"

"Oh," Dudley said faintly, and it would be a long while before Harry mentioned the mishaps that could occur should the spell be used incorrectly. "What are muggles again?"

"What we call people who don't have magic, and were born to people who also don't have magic."

"That…sounds very specific."

"Well, that's because we have people called squibs, who were born to magical parents, but can't use magic themselves."

"Oh," Dudley repeated, feeling a bit overwhelmed. Just a few minutes of talking, and he already had so much to remember.

…He should probably be writing all this down.

A/N:

This is the first time I've posted a story on any website, so I'm a bit nervous on how people will take this. It's probably an idea that's been done dozens of times before, but I've had the idea running in the back of my brain for years, and I finally got around to writing it down one sleepless night, so. I may keep this a one-shot, or I may end up continuing it; I haven't really decided yet. I apologize for any OOCness, and may end up editing it in the future. Anyway, I would really appreciate your thoughts, or any advice or comments on this. Thank you for reading~