My name is Dursley. Veronica Dursley. I am the eldest child of Dudley and Arielle Dursley. My grandparents are Vernon and Petunia. I have an Uncle Harry, but I was always told he was a bit strange. That is, until I found out the truth. I, unlike my parents, am a witch. My family moved to America when my papa was almost eighteen; my granddad liked to tell me it was because "the English government was going to shit." I now like to remind him that American politics are not much better.
My sister and I were raised to not speak of the Potters unless absolutely necessary. The Potters, however, clearly did not have this same attitude about my family because Leanne and I receive birthday cards and fabulous Christmas presents every year. My sister and I often teased that we saw the pictures on the cards move, or at least we did until we were scolded by my parents.
"Pictures do not move." I remember our father telling us sternly on the evening of my eighth birthday. Of course he was right, Papa was always right. But still, I couldn't help but think that those bunny rabbits had been on the other side of the card that very morning.
It turns out, of course, that my father was right, mostly. Muggle pictures did not move, but I don't spend much time in the muggle world these days…
"Veronica!" Hearing my name broke my train of thought. I sighed and closed my new leather bound journal; it was a gift from my aunt and uncle and I thought documenting my last year at Hogwarts would be a good use for it. The voice was very soon joined by my hyperactive thirteen year old cousin, Lily.
"Veronica," she whined, "Al stole my new charms book." She pouted her lips apparently expecting me to flip and rage on her older brother. "Not today, Lily-kins" I thought.
"Lily, honestly, it's the last two weeks of summer. Surely you aren't worried about schoolwork already. Plus, it's Albus that should be worried; he's got O.W.L.'s this year." This didn't seem to calm her. I sighed again and got up off my bed. I swear, she practically skipped down the hallway. The only reason I had to deal with things like this is because Auntie Ginny and Uncle Harry went on a holiday with a group of their friends; almost like a class reunion, except a vacation, in Paris. This left James and I as the only of-age wizards in the house, and therefore, in charge.
"Albus Severus, you open this door right now." I called as we reached his bedroom door. The door cracked, but instead of seeing familiar green eyes, I was greeted by grey and a flash of blonde hair. There was a small yelp of surprise and the door slammed shut again. I chuckled to myself and flashed Lily a mischievous glance. "Scorpius Malfoy, I know you're in there. Open up!"
This time when Scorpius opened the door he leaned against it in a vain attempt of looking suave. I smiled at him and rounded on my cousin who was sitting on his bed. He was lounging causally, holding Lily's charms book.
"Surely, Albus, you don't want me telling Auntie Ginny how you've been tormenting poor little Lily, instead of getting ready for one of the most intense years you'll ever have at Hogwarts." I gave him my sweetest, most dangerous smile. The cool grin disappeared from his face and he tossed the book at Lily's feet.
"We were just messing around with her. It's not a crime you know." He muttered the last bit under his breath as Lily and turned to leave. I scoffed at this response. Honestly, I'd expected him to grow up a bit, I mean, he is fifteen. As we walked out the door Scorpius gave me his best seductive look. I rolled my eyes.
"Scorpius, what's wrong with your face?" Lily cocked her head to the side with the question. I stifled my laughter. God, she was such a great child. Scorpius' face fell into a scowl and we escaped the slytherin cave Albus had created. Lily skipped off to her room and I headed back to mine, hoping to get some more writing done. Just then, a door to my left opened and I was pulled inside. The room was dark and a thick musk hung in the air; it was rather difficult to breath.
"V, I need your help." I sighed again. Today was just not my day.
"What is it, dearest James?"
"Olive," Of course. I sat down on the bed, this time covered in red and gold satin. "I've just gotten a letter from her and I don't know how to respond."
"Well, what did she say? And why is it so dark in here? Turn a light on or something." He ignored my second question and I assumed, from the rustle of parchment, that he was holding the letter. How he was reading it, I had no idea.
"Dear James, I hope this letter finds you well. I'm on holiday with my parents in Italy. It's so warm here I don't know if I'll be able to stand the winter at Hogwarts this year. How are things back home? Give my love to Veronica. Always, Olive." I had lit my wand while he was reading so when he finished I could actually see his expression. He flung out his arms in an exasperated motion. "What," He emphasized, "am I supposed to say to that?" I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath.
"You tell her how awful your summer has been since she hasn't been coming around the house as much. You tell her you can't wait to see her and you stop freaking out about nothing. She's a girl, big deal." I held up a finger to silence him when he tried to interrupt. "You are seriously worse than that poor Malfoy boy. You're a seventh year, quiddich star, head boy. Olive absolutely adores you. Quit. Freaking. Out." I slapped his arm with the last three words. "And seriously, open a window or something." I flicked my wand at the curtains, which flew open and flooded the room with the warm orange glow of sunset. He flinched at the sudden brightness and I whisked out the door and to my room before I could be disturbed again. I shut the door with my foot, flicked my wand at the lock and plopped down on my bed. Alone. Alone at last.
August disappeared. I don't know what happened to it, but I think someone stole it. I was sitting on my bed going through the last few things to be packed in my trunk. This was our last night home and then my cousins and I would be heading to Kings Cross station early in the morning. My newest journal lay on my bedside table waiting for its time to be packed away. I put my exploding snap pack in the trunk and got down on the floor to look under my bed, making sure I had gotten everything. I noticed a lump laying in the middle of all the dust. Reaching my arm as far as it would go under the bed my fingertips just barely grazed whatever it was. Shaking my head at my silliness I grabbed my wand, muttered "accio" and held in my hands something I had long forgotten about. It was a heart shaped book with a silly metal lock. I rubbed the dust off the glitter letters that spelled out my name and the year, 2015. It was my journal from when I was eleven. That whole year was documented in this little book, even the incident… I broke off that thought and pushed myself back onto my bed. I charmed the lock open and flipped to the page marked with my birthday. That was the day my whole life changed.
7/15/2015
Eeeeee. Oh Diary. Today is my birthday; I just know it's going to be wonderful. Emma, Susan and Rylie are coming over and then Papa is going to take us to the zoo. I already got my gift from Leanne. She came and woke me up really early. The whole thing was wrapped so nicely I'm wondering if she got Mama to help. She gave me the prettiest locket, oh Diary, I wish you could see it. It's simple and silver and heart shaped. I opened it and saw she had cut out tiny pictures of herself and our dog, Macylyne. She and I had a big hug session and then she went back to her room and I'm telling you. Oh! There's less than a month until I start school. Rylie is being shipped off to some boarding school in New York, but Emma, Susan and I are going to the local middle school. I've never been so excited.
I remember hearing my mom call my name and putting the journal down. I had expected to return and continue my girlish rant about school and my birthday. The next couple of pages were watermarked, I had clearly been crying when I wrote it.
Oh Diary, this is just awful. I'm not even sure what I did wrong to make them hate me so much. Mama called me down for breakfast. While we were eating, Leanne went to get the mail. She tossed me three or four cards and handed the rest to Papa. I eagerly ripped them open and was not disappointed with the first three. They were funny and simple, each with a lovely handwritten message from family members and a crisp twenty dollar bill. As I picked up the last letter though, I noticed something odd. It was addressed to me rather specifically. "Ms. Veronica Dursley, 16 Summer's Way, The bedroom on the right, Richmond, VA." I turned the letter over to look for a return address. All I saw was a wax seal, (honestly who still does that?) and the name Hogwarts.
"Papa, what's Hogwarts?" My father froze and slowly looked up from his paper. My granddad (here for my birthday, of course) was turning a nice purple color. The men exchanged glances and the letter was ripped from my hands before I could protest. My father opened it and scanned the first page. Then he sat back down, sighed heavily and put his hands in his head.
"We need to call Harry." He said at last. I was still sitting, terrified that I'd done something wrong. I chanced a glance at Granddad when Papa said the forbidden name.
"We'll stamp it out of her, it's possible." Granddad said gruffly. I had no idea what he was talking about.
"No, you couldn't stamp it out of Harry and there is no way you're treating my daughter the way you treated him." My father stood up and slammed his hands on the table. I jumped. I've never seen Papa and Granddad fight before. Sure, over small things, but this seemed different. My mother and grandma were also watching the exchange in silence. They both looked like they knew what was going on though, why was I the only one who was left out. My father strode out the door, surely to find Uncle Harry's phone number. My mother quickly followed him. Apparently, my grandfather saw this as his only opportunity. He grabbed my arm and pulled me over too him so he could speak into my ear.
"Now you listen here girl, and listen well. We Dursleys are of a respectable sort. We don't associate with people like you. Now, you're going to go away. Very far away, because you aren't welcome here anymore. Do you understand? You are no granddaughter of mine." With that he released me and I fell to the floor crying. I still didn't know what was going on. I didn't understand the sudden outburst or why my grandfather seemed to hate me now. I figured all the answers were in the letter so I snatched it off the table and ran from the room. I collapsed on the stairs and with one hand firmly on the slatted railing, I began to read.
"Dear Ms. Dursley. We are pleased to inform you that you've been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31. Yours sincerely, Filius Flitwick, Deputy Headmaster." I didn't care to look at the second page. This was for a school in England, why was I accepted there instead of one in America? If I hadn't seen the looks on my parent's faces or heard the words my grandfather spoke, I'd have though this was a joke. If this was a school for witchcraft then that must make me…No, the idea was ridiculous. Witches only existed in movies and Hollywood. And there was no way I, Veronica Dursley, was a witch. And yet, I was holding proof in my hands. Just then my parents appeared. They sat down next to me on the stairs and put their arms around me.
"Oh my sweet baby." My mother began, stroking my hair.
"Veronica, we've discussed things with your uncle. He's agreed to take you in during your school years." I tried to protest my father's words but he silenced me. "It will be better for you to be around people like you. Please try to understand sweetie, we only want what's best for you." I stared at him.
"You want what's best for me, but you aren't explaining what's happening or why Granddad hates me and you didn't even ask me if I want to move to England. Which I don't. How is this best?" I stood up and faced them. They looked terrified of my anger, as though I would hurt them. Why would they think that? That's when I ran to my room and escaped. Oh, Diary, I'm sure they're going to ship me off to live with people I don't even know. What am I going to tell Emma or Susan? We were supposed to start a new school together, not with me half way across the world. Why is life so unfair?
I closed the journal and wiped my eyes. Thinking back, it hadn't even been a week before I was on a plane bound for a new country, new family, and a new home. Now, I only return to my previous home for the first two weeks of summer vacation. When I'd arrived in England, Uncle Harry was able to explain the whole thing to me. He told me how the other Dursleys felt about magic and how he'd been treated when he was growing up with them. I had been horrified that my beloved granddad was capable of something like that, then I remember our parting words and I believed the stories.
Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry were absolutely wonderful to me. They raised me with their own children, bought all my schoolbooks every year and provided a home that was, for the most part, happy. Uncle Harry always teased me, saying I should've been a Potter; after all, I had the Evens eyes. Aunt Ginny would always jump in at this point and tell him I was as good as a Potter. Then I went to Hogwarts. Thankfully I wasn't alone. James would be going for his first year also. It was so frightening when I was sorted. That silly old hat knew things about me that I wasn't even sure of yet. In the end, both James and I ended up Gryffindors. My first year went by as normally as it could have. I made good marks, had a good group of friends and even humiliated that stupid Slytherin, Marsha Nott.
I moved from the bed to my desk and looked down at the letter I was working on. It was to my sister. My lovely sister. We haven't spoken in almost three years. She didn't get a letter when she turned eleven and I knew she hated me for that. I crumpled the letter and threw it in the trashbin. There was no way I could put everything I wanted into words. I missed her, but she deserved more than a letter. I dropped the hideous heart journal on the floor and kicked it back under my bed, hoping all these hard memories would go with it and stay hidden in the dark space and not haunt me at Hogwarts.