Chapter 2.) The Truth Is Revealed

It had been over three weeks since the trip to Smeltings and the end of July was fast approaching. Donald glared uniform in his cupboard as he got dressed and headed downstairs. As he approached the kitchen he could hear his grandmother, who had been staying for the last week, humming and as he entered the room she shoved a plate full of Bacon and sausages into is hands.

"All for my little Donny Bonny," she cooed calling Donald by one of her numerous, ridiculous names. Donald found it hilarious that she still referred to his father by such names as well.

Madeline walked in and sat next to Donald. "Has the mailman been yet?" she enquired as began to eat. "Francine has gone for a holiday in Portugal and I'm expecting a postcard."

"Not yet dear," Her grandmother replied, trying her hardest not to look into her 'demons eyes'. Donald knew that this annoyed Madeline greatly as she had always liked her eye colour. She had once told him that her eyes made her special and unique as she had never met anyone with eyes of the same bright green.

"Morning Paula," Grandma greeted her daughter-in-law as she entered the room, "would you like some bacon."

"No thanks Petunia," Mrs. Dursley replied, "I'm on a diet." Donald and Madeline looked at each other and rolled there eyes as their mother got herself a glass of water. Donald had never met a woman he needed to go on a diet less than his thin bony mother.

"I think that was the postman," Madeline commented as she got up ad headed to the door, "Yes, Francine sounds like she was having so much fun."

She handed her mother a pile of letters and then to his surprise gave Donald one too. Seeing that his mother and grandmother were arguing over the bills and hoe 'expensive' it was to raise a family 'properly' he glanced at the strange homemade looking envelope the letter was in. It was sealed with a wax seal with a crest consisting of a snake, a badger, a lion and an eagle all wound around a letter H. Turning the letter over he read,

Mr Donald Dursley,

The second largest bedroom,

4 Privet Drive,

Little Whinging, Surrey.

The letter was addressed in unusual looking green ink. Opening it up two pieces of parchment fell out. One looked like a list of some sort and the other a letter. Grabbing the letter Donald read,

Dear Mr. Dursley,

You have been accepted into Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Term starts on the first of September. Find enclosed a list of all books and equipment required by students in their first year. If you wish to attend we expect an owl back by the 13th of August. All students are to be at platform 9 ¾ by 10am on the 1st September and the train will leave at 10:30 sharp.

As a muggleborn student (that is a student with non-magical parents) it is extremely likely that you have ever heard of Hogwarts. You may feel this is a joke or completely ridiculous but I assure you it's not. A representative from the department of muggle affairs and communications will be arriving later this afternoon to explain more about our wonderful school to you and your parents. Hope your having a great holiday,

Filius Flitwick,

Deputy Headmaster,

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.

"What have you got there Donald," his mother asked, finishing up her complaints. Completely silenced he handed the note to his mother who looked up in shock at her son and said, "I've never heard of such a place, I guess we'll have to wait for this representative to turn up and see what this is all about. Petunia, being nosey as always, grabbed the letter out of her daughter-in-law's hands.

"No," she muttered, her face darkening, "he can't be, HE IS NOT A FREAK."

The three Dursley's looked up; they had never heard their grandmother lose control like that before. Donald felt highly affronted; of course he wasn't a freak.

"When this freak comes today you'll just have to tell them that you're not interested and that you never want to hear from their kind again." Petunia told her daughter-in-law.

"So you've had contact with these magic people before?" Donald's mother asked.

"Unfortunately yes," grandma replied, "My sister and nephew were both their kind."

Despite his grandmother's obvious hatred for magic, Donald was extremely interested in this magic school and hoped he would be able to go. 'It would have to be better than Smeltings, anyway," he thought.

Mr. Dursley arrived home by lunchtime. A benefit of being a manager, he had told Donald once, is that no one bosses you around and you can work whatever hours you want. As soon as Dudley entered the door he saw his mother and grandmother confront the obese man and speak to him in whispered conversation. Donald was just able to hear what was being said and was surprised to hear his father disagreeing with his grandmother.

"We'll have to let him go," his dad sounded terrified at the thought, "You saw what Harry did to Aunt Marge, if its left untrained things like that might start happening." Donald wondered who 'Harry' was and hoped it was something horrible that had happened to Aunt Marge. He disliked the large, rude, woman who treated her dogs better than she treated people.

"I will not have another blemish on the family tree, I will not have another shameful secret in my family" Grandma had raised her voice now.

"Don't act like I like it," Dudley replied, "But you and Dad showed that it isn't something that will just go away with Harry."

"I thought it actually looked interesting," Donald's mum added in. Both of the other adults stared at her as if she was crazy.

"Well if you are going to encourage this freakishness then I'm out of here," Grandma shouted as she grabbed her bags. "Your father would have been ashamed of you. I thought we taught you better than this. I'll be back when you've come around." And with that Petunia Dursley stormed out the house slamming the door behind her retreating form.

"I'm going to write to my cousin. He might be able to help," Dudley muttered to his wife, "he left us an address and told us to contact him if we ever needed him for anything. We haven't of course."

Donald felt his hopes rise. By the sound of his parents he may have a chance of attending Hogwarts. He grinned, even the name sounded fascinating.

At 3:00 there was knock at the door. Donald's mother opened the door. A woman in a yellow dress smiled at the Dursley's and his father winced. "May I come in, I am here to discuss with you the world in which your son may be entering into."

"Of course," Donald's mother ushered the woman into the living room. Now you were probably surprised at the arrival of your letter,"

"You can say that all right," Dudley murmured,

"So I am here to explain about the secret wizarding world to you to answer any questions you may have. At least your reaction is better than most. The last three families I visited thought the letter was a joke and weren't expecting me."

"I already knew it was true," Donald's father admitted, "my cousin went to this school." Try as he may Dudley couldn't bring himself to say the words 'magic' or 'Hogwarts'.

"That explains it then. By the way my name is Hannah Macmillan. You must be Donald," she smiled at Donald and he smiled back. She really seemed like a nice person and he wasn't sure why his Grandma had called people like her freaks. "and these must be your parents Dudley and Paula" Both parents nodded.

"What sort of things will Donald learn at this school?" Paula asked, not unkindly.

"Well as a first year she'll learn transfiguration, which is changing one thing into another like this," Hannah took out what Donald supposed was a wand and waved it at the empty couch on the other side of the room and it turned into a bed. With another wave it was back to normal. Paula looked impressed. "Charms," Hannah levitated a cushion, "herbology, you know the study of magical plants, Astronomy, History, potions, and of course defence against the dark arts."

Dudley looked over at his son's face. He looked so excited and in truth, Dudley couldn't blame him. It would be fun to do some of the thing this Macmillan woman had just shown them.

"How much does it cost," Dudley asked, dreading the answer.

"Oh the tuition is free. The only cost will be that of the equipment and books young Donald will require."

Donald saw his fathers face light up at this. He knew he was contemplating on what to spend the money that they had set aside for Smeltings, on.

"Are their any more question," Hannah asked. But in truth the Dursleys were unable to think of anything so she got up to leave. "Oh," she started before she left, "Here is the address to the leaky cauldron. It's where you will have to go to get Donald's school supplies. And here's your train ticket." She handed Dudley a small piece of paper. "You will need to send an owl to Professor Flitwick at Hogwarts to say whether you will be attending. If you decide to you can send one from the post office in Diagon Alley when you get your school supplies." And with that the Dursley's said good bye and Dudley started to wonder what was wrong with him – he had actually liked that freak.