Mr Dursley started the engine of his new silver Bentley he had been saving for.
"Petunia" he shouted in the direction of their new, white house.
"Coming" she screamed back.
Petunia was peering through the kitchen window at the neighbours, who were relaxing in their wooden, garden chairs, and surrounded by a delicate array of vines entwined around the surrounding pillars. After a final glance out the window she pulled closed the dull, white curtains, dust protruding from them. She strutted over to Dudley who was stuffing his face with a raspberry tart and gave him a light kiss on his cheek.
"Are you sure everything will be alright popkin, you can always call us and we will only be at the café two streets away," whispered Petunia sounding very worried.
"I'll be fine," Dudley exclaimed spraying tart all over the kitchen bench.
"Ok then sweetums," said Petunia "bye."
"See you mum," mumbled Dudley.
Petunia strolled over to the front door and shut it behind her as she made her way to the car. Vernon opened the passenger door for her with his stylish "automatic door opening button" which meant he didn't have to do any hard work.
"What was it you wanted to talk to me about," muttered Vernon as Petunia hopped into the car.
"Not now dear," said Petunia watching to see if anyone was listening, "I'll tell you at the café."
Vernon revved the Bentley, put in reverse and drove straight over the new flower bed Petunia had spent several hours on.
Backing out further, the damage of the plants could be seen. The flowers were crushed under the heavy tyre like a ant is crushed by a foot. The stem of many of the flowers were broken, only holding on by a thread and most of the others were flat agianst the soil.
"Oh no," exclaimed Petunia, "They were my new flourishing marigolds that I planted a month ago."
"Sorry, I didn't see them," stuttered Vernon.
Vernon reversed the car further onto the street when a truck came hurtling at them. He quickly put his car in gear and accelerated, narrowly missing the mailbox. He shouted a string of swear words at the truck driver. As he backed the car out again and set off down Rose Lane, Petunia saw Dudley opening the fridge again through the window. Dudley was eating even more than he used to these days. The Dursleys now lived in Oxford and occupied house number six on Rose Lane. Mr Dursley turned left at Abberbury Avenue which continued onto High Street.
When they arrived at the Grand Café, a dark haired man greeted them and accompanied the Dursley's to table three. Mr Dursley noticed the table was made out of Bolivian Rosewood, and its joint was a dovetail joint. His carrer in the making of Grunnings had taught him the basic elements of timber. Staring blankly at the vibrant paintings on the wall Mr Dursley thought about the different ways of getting to work, for his mind was so boring that he had nothing else to think about. Eventually Mr Dursley decided he would like coffee, with sugar and milk, and Mrs Dursley asked the waiter for a hot chocolate.
While waiting for their drinks they watched the snow fall outside through the decorated windows.
"Ere is your hot chocolat madam," said the waiter, who was obviously French.
"Thanks," replied Petunia.
"And ere is your coffee monsieur," said the waiter to Vernon.
"Cold day isn't it," said Vernon.
"Yez, it is," replied the waiter.
After the waiter had gone, Petunia looked around nervously to see if anyone was listening.
"Ummmm, Vernon," she whispered.
"What is it Petunia," Vernon asked.
"Well, I've got some big news, ummmm, I'm having another child," whispered Petunia.
"WHAT," shouted Vernon. Vernon was standing up and his chair had been knocked over. He looked around and saw everyone's eyes were on him.
"Sorry," he muttered sitting back down again.
"Petunia, aren't you a bit old to have another child," whispered Vernon aware that others in the café were still watching. "What I mean is, your 46, are you sure you can cope with another child."
"Yes, I'll cope," replied Petunia.
"Hmm, so how to we tell Dudders," asked Vernon.
"Well I think we can put it off for another month and then we will have to tell him," said Petunia.
"Vood you lake to order," asked the French waiter coming across to their table.
"Yes please," replied Petunia.
NINE MONTHS LATER
"Push," yelled the nurse.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh," screamed Petunia
"There she is," said the nurse, "your own baby girl."
Petunia wept with happiness and pain.
"What shall she be called," the nurse asked Vernon.
"Abigail," replied Vernon.
ELEVEN YEARS LATER – ABIGAIL'S BIRTHDAY
Vernon, Petunia and Abigail were sitting at the kitchen bench. Dudley had moved away from home four years back. Abigail had blonde hair, like Dudley, and was very slim, unlike Dudley.
"Mommy," squealed Abigail.
"Yes ickle Abikins," replied Petunia.
"Who is Harry Potter," squeaked Abigail, "I found his name on a pencil in the upstairs bedroom?"
Vernon choked on his coffee, which is extremely hard to do, and sprayed it all over the kitchen.
"Don't ever mention that name again Abigail," shouted Vernon
"How come …,"started Abigail, but she was cut off by a "hoot hoot" from outside.
"What the devil," grumbled Vernon as he waddled over to the window to see what had made the sound. He knew that sound and had constantly heard it many years ago. He prayed that it wasn't what his memory suggested. His prayers failed him for, he pull back the delicate curtain and revealed a large barn owl with a letter in its beak sitting on top of the mailbox.
"Petunia," he shouted, lips quivering, "Come and look at this."
"What is it Daddy?" asked Abigail hopping off her chair to have a look.
"Stay back Abbi," screamed Vernon. "Petunia, meet me in the back garden," said Vernon as he strode to the door, opened it grabbed the letter and ran back inside. Sure enough it had the familiar Hogwarts stamp on it and was addressed to Ms Abigail Dursley, Upstairs bedroom, Number 6 Rose Lane, Oxford, OX4 . Vernon ran through to house to the back garden with the letter shaking in his hand.
"WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS," he yelled.
"Shhhhh Vernon, Abbi will hear you," whispered Petunia, "What is in the letter and who is it from."
Vernon handed her the letter and she knew what it was. She gasped and clapped her hand over her mouth. She started to open the letter with her fingernail. She took the folded piece of parchment out of the letter, opened it up and read it out loud.
Dear Ms Dursley
We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on 1 September.
We await your reply no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely
Minerva McGonagall
Head Mistress
"How could this happen?" wailed Vernon, "We raised her perfectly normal, and this time I will make sure she will not be going."
"No, I want to go Daddy," cried Abigail running from her hiding place behind the garden door.
"Abbi, we need to explain some family matters with you," said Petunia, now go inside.
Abigail trudged back inside determined that she would go to Hogwarts.
"Abbi," said Petunia, "When I was two years older than you my sister Lily was invited to go to that school and my parents were very proud. She was a very bright girl and when she finished school she married James Potter. At the time there was an evil wizard called Voldemort, I think, and he was killing many people. James and Lily joined a group that were fighting against him and somehow they were made a target of Voldemort. They had a son called Harry, who is your cousin, and one year after his birth, Voldemort came to their house and killed James and Lily. Now something happened that night, if you met Harry he could tell you, but Harry survived and Voldemort died. Harry, being an orphan, was left in our care and on his eleventh birthday he got a letter just like this. We didn't want him to go but he went and in his last year at the school he killed Voldemort who had come back to life and we haven't heard of him since. He saved Dudley's life once.
"Why didn't you tell me about him," asked Abigail.
"Because we thought you wouldn't understand dear," replied Petunia.
"Mummy, I really want to go to this school," whined Abigail.
"What do think Vernon," asked Petunia.
"No, she will not be going. I will not tolerate this," screamed Vernon.
"You are so unfair," whined Abigail, running down the hall. She stomped up the stairs crying and ran into her room. She cried so much that she eventually ran out of tears. She sat up on her bed, looked out the window and saw that the brown, barn owl was still sitting on the wooden post. She quickly sprang off her mattress grab a piece of parchment and a pen. When she finished writing she ran downstairs, when out the front door and gave the letter to the barn owl. She planned to go to Hogwarts.