Disclaimer: I only own Diana Dursley

Chapter Three

Conscience

Diana couldn't help but notice how boring summer in Privet Drive was without Harry. All Vernon and Petunia did was watch the news, all Dudley and his friends Piers, Malcom, Dennis and Gordon did was play in the back garden, and Diana's only friend was Harry, so summer was boring without him. Sure, there was her birthday on 1 July, but that was boring without Harry.

Finally, after three long weeks, Vernon finally let Harry out of the cupboard.

"Good to be back?" Diana asked him.

"Good to be able to walk around," Harry replied.

"Come on, let's get away from Dudley's gang."

When Harry wasn't having time-out in his cupboard, Diana usually spent the summer holidays hiding from Dudley's gang in Little Whinging, and when she knew the coast was clear, she'd play with Harry. She did this all summer, as Petunia and Vernon hardly ever took Diana and Dudley on holidays, as Vernon thought they were too expensive. Diana had last been on an airplane when she was seven.

But the summer wasn't all that fun for Diana. The next year, Harry would be going off to Stonewall High, and would leave her at Stonewall Primary. Since Diana didn't have any friends at school, she was worried. Harry was the one who always saved her from the bullies in her class (by using his 'abnormalness') and she didn't know what she would do without him.

But there was a ray of hope. Harry wasn't the only one leaving Stonewall Primary. Dudley was leaving to go to a private school, Smeltings. The Smeltings uniform consisted of maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers and flat stew hats called boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other when the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life.

The night he got his uniform, Dudley paraded around the living room, occasionally hitting Harry with his stick.

"Stop hitting me!" Harry cried as Petunia snapped a photo of Dudley hitting him on the head with his stick.

Diana rubbed her temple. She'd never get a break from her family, would she.

The next morning, Diana walked into the kitchen and immediately wrinkled her nose. There was a horrible smell coming from a large metal tub in the sink. It looked like there was dirty rags swimming in grey water.

"Mum, what's that?" Diana asked.

"It's Harry's new school uniforms, darling," said Petunia. "Now, would you like some toast?"

Diana accepted the toast, knowing she couldn't change her mother's mind about the dirty rags.

When Harry walked in, Diana shot him an apologetic look. He looked confused but then saw the dirty rags.

"Aunt Petunia, why are you dying dirty rags?" asked Harry.

"They're not dirty rags!" snapped Petunia. "They're your new school uniform. I'm dying some of Dudley's old clothes grey. It'll look just like everyone else's once I'm finished with it."

Diana sent him a pitying look. When Harry joined her at the table, she whispered, "I'm sorry Harry. There's nothing I can do about it."

Harry sent her a defeated look, and Diana said, "Don't look so defeatist. I'm sure the other kids will understand that your aunt made you where bits of old elephant skin."

Harry smiled, and said, "At least Dudley won't be there to tease me."

"That's the spirit," said Diana.

Dudley and Vernon walked in holding their noses from the smell of Harry's new uniform.

Vernon brought out his newspaper as usual, and Dudley hit the table with his Smeltings stick, which he carried everywhere. They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.

"Get the mail, Dudley," said Vernon from behind his newspaper.

"Make Harry do it," snarled Dudley.

"Get the mail, Harry."

"Make Dudley do it."

Vernon sighed. "Get the mail, Dudley.

"Make Diana do it."

"Get the mail, Diana."

Diana rolled her eyes and got up. She just didn't understand boys, even if they were her own blood.

There was three letters on the doorstep. One was Marge, Vernon's sister, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and a letter for Harry.

Mr. H. Potter

The Cupboard Under the Stairs

4 Privet Drive

Little Whinging

Surrey

Diana looked at the letter. Harry never got any letters from anyone. His only friend lived in the same house as him, and his only family also lived with him, and he said he didn't belong to the library, so he never got any rude notes about returning books, so who was writing to him?

Another thought occurred to Diana: Vernon. He would be very suspicious if a letter showed up for Harry, including where he slept in the address.

Diana decided to go back into the kitchen.

"Harry," she whispered, "there's this letter for you..."

She showed Harry his letter.

"A letter? For me?" asked Harry. "But-"

"I know, I know," Diana hissed. "Stay quiet."

"Marge is ill," Vernon informed Petunia. "Ate a funny whelk."

Dudley suddenly noticed the letter in Diana's hand, and ran towards them.

"What's that," he snarled as Vernon and Petunia discussed the bill they had.

"Nothing," said Diana, hiding it behind her back.

"Liar, I know you have someone in your hand!"

Diana passed the letter to Harry, but Dudley saw this, and snatched it out of his hand.

Dudley read the address and said gleefully, "Oh, you're in trouble now." He looked over at Vernon and said, "Dad! Harry's got a letter and he and Diana were trying to keep it a secret."

"A letter?" Vernon asked. "Who'd be writing to..." His face turned bright red. "P- Petunia, what was the age you said?"

"Eleven," answered Petunia shakily. "But he's not... not yet... we can't let him... can't be like her."

"I'm right here!" cried Harry. "You could tell me what's going on!"

Petunia shot him a disgusted look and said, "Like we'd ever tell you. Go to your cupboard."

"NO!" Diana yelled. "HE'S NOT GOING TO THE CUPBOARD WHEN SOMEONE HAS WRITTEN TO HIM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HIS LIFE!"

Vernon walked over to Diana. "Oh yes he will, and you will not speak to any of us like that ever again young lady. Never again."

Diana stared into Vernon's angry face, before whispering calmly, "It's not right, what you're doing, and you know it."

She darted out of the kitchen and into her bedroom. She had no time to think about the injustice of how her family treated Harry. No, she was wondering about the letter.

Who sent it to Harry? How did they know where he slept? Did Harry have some sort of unknown relative? What was going on?

Later that night, Harry came up to Diana's room with a pillow and a thin blanket.

"Hi, Harry," Diana said. "What are you doing?"

"Vernon's giving me a proper room," Harry said bitterly. "I'd rather the letter."

Diana smiled. "So you're finally getting a real bedroom?"

"Yes, but I'd really prefer the letter."

"Which room?"

"Dudley's second bedroom."

4 Privet Drive had five bedroom: Petunia and Vernon's room, Dudley's room, Diana's room, the guest room and Dudley's second room. Diana had always supposed Dudley's second room was a treat for Dudley and a smack in the face for Diana.

"Come on," Diana said, "I'll help you."

"Diana, it's only a blanket and a pillow," Harry protested, but Diana grabbed his pillow and dragged it across the hall.

Once Diana and Harry had put a new sheet on the bed and made it, Diana locked the door.

"What're you doing?" asked Harry.

"Dudley," Diana responded.

Downstairs, you could hear Dudley whining to Petunia. "I don't want him in there... I need that room... make him get out."

"Good point," Harry said.

The next morning, Dudley was in shock. He'd screamed, whacked his father with his Smeltings stick, thrown up on purpose, kicked Diana and Petunia several times and thrown Diana's tortoise Celine through the greenhouse roof and he still didn't have his room back.

Breakfast was tense. Dudley was sitting with a red face, crossed-armed, angry about not having his room back. Diana was glaring at Dudley from across the table, angry at him for throwing Celine through the greenhouse roof and kicking her several times. Harry was eating his bacon bitterly, most likely thinking about his letter, and occasionally shooting angry glances at Vernon. Vernon looked so tense that it was unhealthy, and Petunia was looking bitter, as if recalling a terrible memory.

Diana buttered her toast angrily, cutting through it, but eventually couldn't stand the silence and said, "So, it looks like a nice day outside."

Three heads turned to her and glared at her. Harry continued to eat his toast bitterly.

Of course, all they want to do is sulk about is the letter.

"We'll, I'm going to the park."

Diana got up and out on her shoes, and she saw a second letter addressed to Mr. H. Potter.

Should I open it, or give it to Harry?

Opening it would mean that Harry would never get to see the letter, and it would be rude if her to open his letter.

But on the other hand, the Dursleys would probably spot it before him, and they would never let him see it.

It's now or never, Diana. Take it or leave it.

Diana picked up the letter and ran to the park. She hid behind a tree and opened the letter.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Supreme Mugwump, International Confed of Wizards)

Dear Mr. Potter,

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 owl by 31 July.

Yours Sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

Diana took a deep breath and read the letter again. Harry was a wizard. He was going to a magical school. He needed to owl them (that sounded quite strange to Diana) by his eleventh birthday.

But as crazy as the idea was, it also made a lot of sense. Harry had always been able to made weird things happen. It must've been magic. But if Harry was a wizard then she must be a witch.

This is absolutely crazy. It must be a prank letter.

There. It was a prank. But something told Diana that wasn't the answer. It wasn't really a prank, because if it was real, then Diana's life was about to change forever, for the good or the bad.

But this also meant something else. Petunia and Vernon had been keeping Harry's magic a complete secret. For ten whole years.

Diana saw red. Yet another horrible thing to add to her list of horrible things her parents had done.

But how would they feel about Diana? They hated Harry most likely for his magic, and they would certainly hate Diana as well, wouldn't they?

Diana looked back at the letter in her hands, and suddenly remembered that it was Harry's, and he deserved to see it.

Diana took a deep breath, folded the letter and put it it in her back pocket. She was going to fix her parents mistake. She was going to tell Harry about his magic.

Diana nervously took a step forward, then two, and soon she was running back. She needed to tell Harry. He needed to know.

When she reached the door, Diana tensed. The letter wasn't hidden well enough. She stuff it into her hoodie pocket.

Diana entered the house and immediately walked stealthily up the stairs. She went into her bedroom and hid the letter in her pillowcase.

Go. Tell him. He needs to know.

She knew it was selfish of her, but Diana just couldn't do it. She didn't even know why she couldn't. She just couldn't.

Stop being a selfish coward and do it already!

But Diana couldn't. Not yet.

Hours later, Diana lay awake. She'd fallen into an uneasy sleep, but woke up in the middle of the night. Every so often, Diana would check her old alarm clock. She checked it again.

It was 2 in the morning.

Do it now! Do it!

"But I can't," Diana whispered.

He deserves to know! Now!

"No."

Do it! Do it!

"Stop."

Diana hated her conscience. A nasty little bugger, always yelling at her to change her mind or something.

Why don't you want to tell Harry?

That was a very good question. Diana didn't want to tell Harry because...

Go on.

...because she wanted her parents approval.

That's the reason.

Her mother and father had always favoured Dudley for hating Harry and being normal, and if Diana told Harry about this letter then he would surely ask them why they never told him, and Diana would confess about how she was freaky, something her parents had forgotten after she covered up her magic with being bullied.

Harry. He needs you to tell him this.He doesn't know it, but he needs this letter. It'll change him for the better. And it'll change you. Imagine how fun a school of magic will be. Give him the letter and in one year you'll be going as well.

Diana had made up her mind. It was time to tell Harry.

She managed to drag up all the courage from underneath her and get out of bed, and creep down the hallway.

Diana was just about to open the door to Harry's room when she saw the doorknob turn. Before she could run away, Harry came out.

"Diana?" he asked. "What are you doing in the middle of the night?"

"What are you doing out at 3 in the morning?"

"I was going outside to sleep on the doorstep," Harry admitted. "To try and get a letter."

"About that," Diana said, "well, let's just say things will change between forever. I got one of the letters earlier."

"You did?" Harry asked eagerly. "Do you have it."

"Yes," Diana said. "Why don't we go into your room. We have a lot to talk about."

Once they were in Harry room, Diana sat down in the armchair across.

"This will be a lot to take in, Harry," Diana told him. "Sit down."

Once Harry sat down on his bed, Diana got up and gave him the letter, and went back to the armchair.

Harry read the letter twice, and for a while there was a tense silence, before Diana said, "It's true. You must be a wizard. And that means I'm a witch."

"How?" Harry asked. "How?"

"All the stuff we've been able to make happen," Diana responded. "It's magic. Magic that we can't really control."

"But you can control it," Harry pointed out.

"I think that's because I sort of embraced my magic," Diana said. "I used it as a way of life. You, however, knew nothing about magic, and try to stop yourself from doing it, so you can't control it."

Harry thought about that for a while, before saying, "That time I made my teacher's wig blue, and the horrible jumper Aunt Petunia made me wear, and when I made the glass disappear."

There was a tense silence. Diana stared at her feet, wondering what would come next.

Suddenly, the mirror in the room smashed. Diana jumped and looked for the source, and realised Harry was growing angrier by the second.

"Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon," he growled. "They kept this a secret from me. For ten years!"

"Shhh," Diana begged, but it was too late. She heard the creak of her parents' door opening, and Petunia walked in.

"Diana! What is going on?" Petunia spotted the letter in Harry's hand, and her confused face turned into a horrified face.

"That letter is a fake," she said. "Give it to me, Harry."

"YOU KEPT THIS FROM ME FOR TEN YEARS!" Harry yelled.

By this point Dudley had arrived, and asked sleepily, "Wasgoingon, Mum?"

"It's nothing, Diddykins. Go back to bed."

"No! I wanna see this!" Dudley demanded.

Petunia looked at Harry sternly. "So you snuck out and stole the letter? It's the belt for you."

Say something.

"No, Mum," Diana said quietly. "It was me. I stole the letter yesterday."

Petunia turned to Diana, and then back to Harry. She didn't say anything, but went downstairs. She came back with Vernon.

Diana knew her father was angry as soon as she saw. His face was red with anger and his eye was twitching.

"Which one of you did it?" he snarled. "Which one of you stole the letter."

"It was me." Diana's voice was quavering. She was trembling from head to foot, but she couldn't just let Harry take the blame.

Good, Diana.

Vernon actually growled, and grabbed both Diana and Harry by the arm. He turned directly to Diana.

"You've always been strange and a nuisance! You will never be welcome in this household again! Never! I wish you'd never been born! From here on, I only have a son! You're weak, pathetic and you've betrayed your whole family." He turned to Harry. "Me and Petunia should never have let you stay in our house! You've gone and turned Diana on your side, you made her betray us! All of this is your fault! You will never be welcomed in this house again! I won't have any freaks living here!"

Diana could barely hear anything. There was a buzzing in her ears, and the whole room was silent.

Eventually, Vernon snarled, "Pack a bag! Meet me at my company car in five minutes! We're leaving!"