Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns all the things. I just write this stuff.
Part of the Year Long Scavenger Hunt on HPFC. (#9 of the 40 pointers) Write about Dudley marrying a canon witch or wizard.
Another Freak in the Family
Petunia had vowed not to come to this… this… atrocity. She had sworn to Vernon that they would not be going. In fact, she had dragged Dudley into the sitting room of Number 4 Privet Drive, pleading that he not do this to her. He had only smiled slightly and said, "I'm in love with her, mum."
Dudley had changed so very much since her ungrateful nephew had brought along that little freak with him. They had invited him to dinner one evening, as it was expected. See, all the neighbors were curious about what happened to the boy after he graduated from school, but the Dursleys hadn't bothered to answer them nor was he around at all anymore for them to ask themselves. Petunia told him he could bring one guest, in the hopes that being gracious hosts would ensure that Harry and whoever his guest was would be on their best behavior.
She had wished she had never invited him.
Dudley had always been such a wonderful boy. Ever since that night, he had changed. He was different now, so much so that he had begun to socialize with… them. His old friends from Smeltings had been left to their own devices, and Harry and Dudley were actually—dare she think it—getting along.
The freak that would soon be her daughter-in-law was always polite, but that didn't conceal the fact that she was the strangest girl Petunia had ever met. She read magazines upside down, wore giant multi-colored glasses on certain occasions and looked for things that weren't there. She was an absolute disgrace to their quiet, quaint lifestyle, and from the way she smiled Petunia could tell that she knew it.
"Luna," she had said one evening. Even her name was ridiculous and out of place. "Put away the magazine; we're having dinner."
"Oh, but Mrs. Dursley," she said quietly. She was always quiet and polite. It drove Petunia batty. "I'm simply making certain the mushrooms aren't Horklumps in disguise. They're very hard to distinguish. And I noticed the plums are a little on the dry side. I'll bring one of my father's dirigible plum bushes next time, and you can use them instead."
Petunia made a small gasp while Vernon put a hand on her knee. "D-d-dirigible plums?"
"Oh yes," the girl said, smiling amiably. "They grow upside down."
Dudley had given her a wide smile and placed a hand over hers. "Luna loves her father's garden. She calls it, 'magical'." He had chuckled softly at his own joke.
Well, Petunia didn't think it was funny.
Vernon had put on a suit and was on his way out the door when he turned around and asked her if she was coming.
"He's our only son, Petunia," he said softly. "If you aren't at his wedding, he will never forgive you."
Petunia sat down in the living room armchair, refusing to cry. "I don't forgive him, either."
Vernon closed the door behind him. As she heard the car engine start up, she felt hot tears running down her face.
Dudley looked out at the gathering of people, every one of them a witch or wizard besides his father. His mother hadn't wanted to invite anyone from their side of the family, so as not the embarrass her, and now she wasn't even here herself.
He noticed Harry was here with his wife, Ginny, and Luna's father, Xenophillis, was sitting in the very front with happy tears in his eyes. The music began, and Luna appeared at the back of the room in a beautiful pink dress with white daffodils popping up here and there on the fabric. She looked… incredible.
And in that moment, Dudley had forgotten his mother completely.