Vernon Dursley was the proud wife of Petunia Dursley, and the Dursleys were proud to say that they were as normal as can be. Their son, Dudley Dursley, was about the greatest son anyone could have, at least to them. The only thing they wanted to forget about their bloodline and family, the 'thing' that they hated more than anything, is Petunia's sister, Lily Potter. This was because Lily was a magician.
Of course, they didn't have reason to think about them very often, and would never expect to become enthralled in their issues again. On this sunny Tuesday, Vernon Dursley was on his commute to work. He was the director of Grunnings, a firm specializing in drills. He thought about nothing but drills, trying to ignore the strangely dressed people on the streets, in cloaks and peacock-feather hats. He had never been one for fashion, and he had always hated the fashion icons young people idolized so much, no matter how crazy they were.
They weren't just going about their day, however. In fact, they seemed to be gathering around and conversing with each other. One young man wearing an ugly black cloak was looking quite nervous while talking to another young man with similar get-up, while some older men and one woman were standing close together and whispering to each other. They must be part of some kind of cult or group, Vernon figured, and he had never been one for cults or groups.
His office was, thankfully, quiet and relatively secluded, letting him concentrate while he made angry phone calls and filled out paperwork. Those on the streets saw the owls in the sky, the loud bangs, and laughter from the strangely-dressed men. But Vernon has never been one for any of that, and he sat in his office until lunch break, when he went to buy a pasty from the nearby bakery. This ruined his good mood, however, as on his way he saw the same people he had thought earlier were part of a religion or group gossiping excitedly to themselves. Eyeing them but at the same time trying not to think about them, he quickly purchased something surely delicious from the bakery. Walking back, he caught them saying something quietly. "The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard, yes, their son, Harry,".
He wondered whether he should keep listening or run away, as he was more frightened than he had ever been before. He decided to run away, but before he could follow up on that notion, he heard one of them pronouncedly exclaim "He'll be a celebrity one day, Harry Potter will!". He was closer than he thought to the group, and before Vernon could react, a man with wavy blond hair and bright blue eyes turned to him, seemingly noticing Vernon Dursley's eavesdropping. Vernon got a closer look at him, noticing he was wearing a blue pointed hat, and the same colour robes, all matching his eyes.
Before he could react, the man, who judging by the way everyone else looked at him seemed to be the most popular of the group, spoke. "My, my! Are you a wizard too?". Vernon spluttered, and it seemed like the man already knew what his answer would be, but Vernon succinctly explained he was not a wizard, stuttering and scared like a sizzling spherical subject. "Obliviate!" the man shouted excitedly, and Vernon Dursley forgot everything he knew about magic.