Petunia and Vernon sat in the living room, watching the news. Ironically, it was the same thing they were doing the night before their nephew had arrived on their doorstep over thirty-five years ago. Now, they were expecting a new infant into their lives. Dudley had told them afternoon that his wife was pregnant and expecting delivery very soon. Petunia sensed the time coming. There was a tense silence that seemed only broken by Vernon coughing every minute or so after reading something he didn't approve of in the paper. The television set was turned on, but the sounds and pictures were distant, as if the television was very far away.
For seemingly the thousandth time, Vernon coughed again, and sniffed with disapproval. However, for the first time, he spoke. "Oh, not those silly nutters again! After all these years, that other Ministry, the one that regulates…those…wizards," Even after all these years, Vernon had trouble accepting the idea of wizards living amongst normal people like themselves. "They're making it into our papers again! Fireworks over at Charing Cross…there aren't any shops that would sell fireworks, and in the midst of pouring rain. Great big shocking pink Catherine wheels! No one could put them out…. they're traveling…someplace over London right now if they haven't run out of whatever they run on." Vernon's mustache fluttered like a pair of wings as he sniffed again. "It's got to be his lot… causing ruckus and disrupting the peace. No, they haven't changed a bit."
Petunia thought it wasn't without good reason that they were setting off fireworks. Just the other day, Harry had written a letter (thankfully not sent by owl) telling her that he had become head of a Ministry department…well, in the other Ministry, of course. That would definitely be a cause for celebration. These days, Petunia and her nephew seemed to get along rather well. Mainly because they saw so little of each other these days, as Harry only came over once a year with his two children during the Christmas season. But Vernon didn't know about the letter. In fact, Vernon had refused to have anything to do with the other world once Harry left. He liked the quiet life. He liked the quiet, normal, boring life, in Petunia's opinion. She didn't have much respect for wizards either, but life seemed dull in comparison to when Harry lived with them. It was nice to have a little conflict break the monotony, even if it involved magic.
"Err…Vernon. Harry wrote a letter to me, and he said he's been promoted. Maybe that's why there're fireworks. Their lot is celebrating. Harry did say they would throw a party…and he even invited us. Of course, I turned him down, but…" Petunia felt so awkward. If she defended Harry, Vernon would become angry, and his blood pressure was awful enough without any help from his temper. However, if she didn't say anything, she knew she would regret her indifferent silence later on.
"Should be more subtle, then. And the mess they're creating! Half the shop owners are asking for compensation for their supposedly "ruined property"! With all the confusion that went on when the windows just happened to repair themselves over night! I don't envy anyone in Parliament right now." Vernon grunted, still in the same disapproving tone.
Secretly, Petunia wished she were a witch. Then, she could do spells, be able to ride on broomsticks, and flash from place to place. Most importantly, she would not be stuck in a little suburban town where nothing ever changed and suffer the utterly pathetic existence of a housewife. Lily had been the one given the magical powers. Why only Lily? Why did she have to be the normal one?
Dumbledore had told her that her child had a possibility of being a witch or wizard. She held on to that dream for a while, but nothing ever came of it. Of course, there was an inkling of a chance that her grandson would be capable of magic. But, as Dudley was not a wizard in any sense, and cases of magic in non-magical families were so rare anyways, Petunia realized it would have been better if she had not known of the magical world at all. Knowing about it would only torment her; she could never ever become part of it.
It was all Lily's fault, all her parents' fault, everyone's fault but hers. Yes, it would have been better to be ignorant to magic, uninformed of the existence of real magic and magical people. Now it tortured her day and night. Chances were that Dudley's son or daughter would just be another…Muggle. Yes, in this instance, the wizards had created the best word to describe the situation, Petunia had to admit. Her grandson would just another Muggle child, who would grow up to marry a fellow Muggle, have Muggle children, and live the plain boring life of a Muggle. No true excitement whatsoever.
That night, before going to bed, Petunia sat in the bedroom and sighed, acknowledging her fate. Her destiny was to be another dime-a-dozen, mediocre, insignificant muggle. As she looked out the window, she saw a bright light making its path across the sky. Perhaps the work of a high-spirited wizard, but she was sure it was a shooting star. In a childish moment, Petunia remembered her mum telling her that when she wished upon a shooting star, the wish was more than likely to come true.
Perhaps just on impulse, or fueled with false hope and unreasonable despair, Petunia wished her grandchild, or grandchildren (Dudley didn't tell her too many details) would be magical. This would probably be the only way their grandfather would look past his prejudices. This would be the only way she could feel connected, even if rather distantly, to the world she could never be a part of. Of course, it would not allow her to do spells like those of the other world, but at least there was a chance that her internal monsters of jealousy, bitterness, and ingratitude, those demons that had haunted her thoughts and dreams for so many years, could at last be vanquished and quieted forever more.
This is my first fic, so it would be great if you offered constructive criticism. This chapter just sets up the story and starts off the plot, so naturally, it's shorter than the chapters to come. Read and review!
