DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN HARRY POTTER OR ANY OF THE MAIN CAST. I ONLY HAVE MARIGOLD AND DEMETRIUS AND THEY ARE MINE SO PLEASE DON'T STEAL THEM. YES, THERE ARE DIRECT QUOTES FROM THE BOOKS IN TERMS OF DIALOGUE SIMPLY BECAUSE I'M GOING BY THE BOOKS AND FOLLOWING CANNON WHILST ALSO GIVING MARIGOLD HER OWN STORY.

Thank you all for reading this story 3

There were no people who could be considered more normal than my family. My father was a director at some large company that made drills and my mother was the perfect stay-at-home mother, constantly doting on Dudley and I. My brother was the apple of their eyes, and to them, there could not be a finer boy in the world. Or at least that is what they'd have you think.

My cousin, Harry Potter, lives with us because of a tragedy involving the death of his parents. Wherever he is, oddity follows. My mother and father resented that about him. I've heard mother whispering things of Harry being some kind of freak, apparently like his mother. It was always strange how my mother could act so loving towards my bother and I, and treat Harry so poorly.

Little did they know that I was just as strange and freaky as my favourite family member.

"Marigold, dearest, it's time to wake up," my mother whispered, kissing my forehead.

"Mother, it's too early, I thought I could sleep in because it's my birthday," I said sleepily, making her chuckle.

"Diddums is already up. We're going to the zoo today, remember?" she told me. I opened my eyes to see her smiling down at me. "I've already set out a dress for you and all your presents are downstairs also. Happy birthday, darling."

"Thank you, Mother." I gave her a small kiss on the cheek as I sat up. She smiled once again and left so that I could get ready for the day. The dress sitting on the end of my bed was just a nice blue dress, made for casual occasions. I slipped into it and put on my black Mary Jane's before walking downstairs to greet the rest of my family.

As I walked in, I heard my father's voice boom, "There's the beautiful birthday girl!" He motioned for me to go over to him. I ignored the copious amount of presents stacked for Dudley and I. I saw Harry by the stove, cooking bacon and eggs. I gave him a warm smile that quickly dropped as Dudley started complaining.

"Thirty six," he exclaimed, looking up and mother and father, "That's two less than last year."

I moved over to Harry to help him with the plating, knowing that Dudley was going to erupt as he did every year. "Here, I'll take these over for you."

"Thank you, Mari," he whispered as we walked over to the table. I nodded as we put the dishes down. We both sat down, trying eat what we could. It wasn't unusual for my brother to flip a table. "Happy birthday, by the way."

"Thank you," I said between bites.

"Darling, you haven't counted Aunty Marge's present, see," my mother said, trying to calm him down, "under this big one from Mummy and Daddy."

"Alright, thirty seven then," Dudley responded, his face turning red.

My mothers eyes widened, "And we'll buy you another two presents while we're out today. How's that, popkin? Two more presents. Is that alright?" She gave a nervous smile as we all prayed it would satiate my brother.

He looked confused as he tried to do the math, "So I'll have thirty... thirty..."

"Thirty nine, sweetums," mother told him as he drifted off.

"Oh," he responded sitting down rather heavily on the ground. He reached over to the pile and grabbed one of his presents, "Alright then."

My father just laughed, ruffling Dudley's hair, "Little tyke wants his money's worth, just like his father. 'Atta boy, Dudley!"

I rolled my eyes. I knew that I would have just as many presents and just like every year, it astounded me how they could afford to spend so lavishly on things that would most likely end up broken or never used. My father motioned for me to also begin opening my presents. I sighed, but still gave a wide smile. It made me feel bad, opening so many presents in front of Harry, knowing he had no chance opening so many from his parents or mine. I got the usual clothes and jewellery. I did get a few new doll sets. The one thing I was glad my parents got me was some new art supplies, it was the one thing truly loved to receive. I also got a new camera, which was one of those Polaroid cameras.

My mother went off the answer the phone and a few moments later had come back with a sour look on her face. "Bad news, Vernon," she said, gaining everyone's attention, "Mrs Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him," she explained with an indiscreet motion towards Harry. Secretly I was happy, hoping that Harry could come with us. I didn't want to be alone with Dudley and his friend. "Now what," she said disdainfully.

"We could phone Marge," my father suggested.

"Don't be silly, Vernon, she hates the boy," Mother said with a scowl. I tuned out, giving Harry a hopeful smile which he returned.

"You could just leave me here," Harry piped up hopefully.

"And come back and find the house in ruins?" my mother snarled at my cousin.

I heard Harry say something as my mother spoke, "Perhaps we could take him to the zoo and leave him in the car?"

"The car's new," Father cut in quickly, "he's not sitting in it alone."

It was silent for a bit, then Dudley began to wail. I rolled my eyes, I knew he wasn't really crying. He just stood there and wailed like a baby because he knew Mother and Father would do anything for him to stop.

"Dinky Duddydums, don't cry, Mummy won't let him spoil your special day!" she said, coddling him. Her arms were wrapped around my chubby brother like a vise.

"I... don't... want... him... t-t-to come!" Dudley yelled between huge, fake sobs. "He always sp-spoils everything!" He shot Harry a nasty grin through the gap in his mother's arms. The door bell rung out, pulling everyone's attention from my brother.

"Oh, good Lord, they're here," my mother exclaimed rushing to the door. Dudley had been allowed to bring a friend along so he had invited Piers Polkiss, one of the most annoying boys he could have chosen. Whenever he was around he kept pulling my hair or something else that was annoying.

Today was going to be a long day.

Despite all of the odds, Harry was allowed to come with us to the zoo. I was happy because it meant I wouldn't be stuck having to talk to Dudley and his friend. Piers was rude and arrogant, and as much as I loved him, so was Dudley.

"Harry, look, this lizard is so cool!" I said, pointing to the bearded dragon on display.

"Whoa, that's pretty cool," he said, giving me a rarely seen smile.

I looked over to find Dudley's face pressed against the glass of a snake enclosure. "Would you like to go see what they're looking at?"

Harry simply simply shrugged as we walked over to the enclosure. Inside was a massive boa constrictor. It looked to be asleep, but obviously Dudley wasn't taking that so he ordered out father to try and gain it's attention. Personally, I had an appreciation for snakes... Just so long as they stayed away from me. After a few attempts to stir the snake, Dudley sighed and muttered something under his breath before walking away from the tank.

My eyes widened as I witnessed the strangest thing. The snake woke up and raised its head, looking intently at my cousin before winking. I could see Harry look around, as if not believing what he had seen. I stared at the snake. It motioned towards my family, then up to the ceiling, as if it were trying to say how tired he was of people like them. I suppose I didn't blame him, chubby children pressing their ugly faces and fingers against the glass as they ogled you doesn't seem so pleasant.

"I know," my cousin murmured quietly, "It must be really annoying." The snake nodded, somehow understanding Harry. "Where do you come from, anyway?" He asked, hoping for another response. The snake point it's tail at the sign on the wall of the cage that stated that he was a boa constrictor from Brazil, but had been bred in captivity. Harry mustn't have read the last part of the sign because he next asked, "Was it nice there?" The snake pointed at the sign again and Harry's face fell, "Oh, I see... So you've never been to Brazil?"

Just as the snake shook his head, Harry and I were startled by a loud shout from Piers, breaking the tension that had built up from the interaction. I turned to find Dudley waddling over as fast as he could to see whatever his best friend had been shouting about. I gasped as he punched Harry in the gut, effectively moving him from in front of the tank. I walked over to my cousin, who glared at the boys pressing their hands and faces into the glass, but quickly turned back when I heard them scream. The glass keeping the snake in the enclosure had disappeared completely and the snake himself rapidly uncoiled and escaped the enclosure. I was terrified as the snake came close to Harry and I, but the snake promptly left. My wide green eyes met with Harry's as we shared a look of shock.

The zoo director made a point to apologize profusely for the disappearing glass, serving my mother and father tea as an attempt to calm them slightly. On the way home, Piers exclaimed how the snake had nearly squeezed him to death as Dudley cried about how the snake had nearly bitten his leg off. As if it could fit around it I thought bitterly as I sat in the far back with Harry. My head whipped up to Piers as he mentioned Harry's conversation with the snake, causing my parents o both stiffen visibly, and in that moment I was glad to have Piers around. They wouldn't start anything until he was gone.

But when Piers was gone, hell broke loose. My father's face turned purple with fury and he could barely speak to my poor cousin as he sent him to the room. So mad in fact, that he neglect to open the letter that was left on the door step as we walked in. I picked it up to find the wax sealed letter addressed to me, even stating which room I had been staying in. I took it upstairs as I went to my room to hide from my angered parents, knowing nothing good would come from being around them and an upset Dudley.

I was nervous as I lifted the wax seal and slipped the letter out of the envelope.

HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

Headmaster: ALBUS DUMBLEDORE (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)

Dear Miss Dursley,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at 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, Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry? What kind of a school is that?" I said, unaware of my mother standing in the doorway. I gasped as she ripped the letter from my hands, "Mother, what is Hogwarts and how on Earth have I been accepted? I thought that I would be attending the St Mary's?"

"Never you mind about this letter, you can stay in your room for opening the mail without giving it to us first," She said coldly, slamming my door behind her. My chest was tight, the letter had been addressed to me, could it have truly been so wrong for me to open it? Would I be allowed to attend?

Little did I know, it was only the beginning of my problems.