Posted 22-05-2022

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Chapter Seven

Dinner With the Dursleys

44 Primrose Avenue, Greater Whinging, Surrey, England

15th July 2015

Laura smoothed out the skirt of her sapphire blue silk wrap dress nervously before patting at her hair, making sure it was neatly tucked into a bun with two loose locks of hairs framing her face. She knew that Petunia would find something to comment on either way, but Laura didn't have to make things easy on her. She glanced at her vanity mirror for the third time, wondering if she ought to re-do her make-up again.

"Will you stop?" Dudley asked her gently, grasping her small hands in his own. "You're beautiful. Just ignore my mother. She's a bitter woman and nothing ever satisfies her."

"I know, I know," Laura sighed fussily. "But I just know things are going to go terribly tonight and I don't want to give your parents any more ammo than they have already."

"They have no ammo," Dudley insisted firmly. "If she and Dad won't accept Jas, then fine. Our family is better off without them." He kissed her forehead and embraced her. She could feel the tension lining his back when she returned the hug.

Despite his words, she could see the regret and stress in his clear blue eyes. Petunia and Vernon Dursley were neither good nor kind people, but they were still Dudley's parents and he loved them. The kids loved them too, in spite of everything. It would be hard on them when contact was cut over Jas' magic, and Laura knew it would be up to her to be strong for her family, something she silently promised herself she would be. There was, of course, the slim chance that Petunia and Vernon's love for their granddaughter would overwhelm their fear of magic, but they were such selfish, hateful people that Laura couldn't bring herself to believe they could put aside their loathing for anything 'unnatural' even for the sake of the grandchildren they had spoiled and doted on since their births.

"Are you ready to go?" Dudley asked her after they released each other. She nodded as he picked up his suit jacket and tugged it on before helping Laura into her own white trench coat. She smiled to herself. Dudley was old fashioned in the best of ways, treating her like a lady from the fifties in that he opened the door for her, always paid for their dates and helped her in and out of her coat. It might have bothered other women, but it always made Laura feel special. She liked to both take of others and be taken care of and she didn't think there was anything wrong with that.

They got into the car and began driving to the restaurant where they would be meeting the elder Dursley couple. They had decided it would be best to have the conversation in public in the hopes that Petunia and Vernon might control their reactions more due to the audience. The kids were spending the evening with Lea's lot, Teddy have gotten babysitting duties for the night as it was the Potters' monthly date night. Dudley and Laura had gotten to know him a bit while at the dinner and had swiftly realized that despite his rebellious appearance he was a kind, clumsy and gentle young man, one they had no qualms trusting with their children. Furthermore, the kids had taken to each other like a house on fire and become fast friends, even with the cultural divide. Even Jas seemed to get on very well with them, despite her continuing hesitation with magic.

Still, she wasn't flinching at the word anymore, and she'd only had two Mind Healing sessions! It seemed that therapy really did work.

They entered the restaurant holding hands and gave their name to the maitre d' who brought them over to the table where Petunia and Vernon rose to greet them.

"Diddykins! Oh my darling!" Petunia exclaimed, hurrying over to embrace her son and kiss his cheek, a gesture he returned with an uneasy smile his parents didn't seem to notice. "Oh, I've missed you terribly Dear," she said dotingly, ignoring Laura entirely. "It's been three weeks! Far too long." The look she gave Laura indicated clearly whom she felt to blame for the three-week separation from her only child.

"It's good to see you, Son," Vernon said gruffly, giving him a slap on the back. "Laura."

"Mr. Dursley," she returned the greeting in a slightly weak voice. Vernon and Petunia had always intimidated her. But thoughts of Jas and the damage her timidity towards her parents-in-law had caused her daughter made her square her shoulders determinedly. She wouldn't fail her baby girl a second time. "Mrs. Dursley." It had always been made clear to her that she wasn't welcome to address them by their names.

"Laura," Petunia said in a fake nice tone. "How are you dear?" She embraced Laura and muttered in her ear. "Your hair is out of place dear. You might want to slip into the restroom to fix that."

"Actually, that's how it's meant to look," Laura replied with a forced light tone. God, her parents-in-law were such a trial, especially Petunia.

"Oh," was her mother-in-law's flat response. "Well, if you think it's nice then that's all that matters." Laura's cheeks hurt from forcing herself to maintain her fake smile. Dudley grasped her hand beneath the table when they sat, silently giving her strength.

"How are you, Dudley dear?" Petunia asked sweetly as they took their seats. "How are my darling grandbabies? Really, it's been far too long. How can you keep my darlings away from me for so long? You must bring them over soon for me to see them."

"Of course Mum, it's just that we've been busy recently," Dudley replied uneasily. Vernon raised a thin blonde eyebrow at his son.

"Busy with what? Problems with that job of yours?"

"I-"

"Really, Dudley, if you're having trouble than maybe you should consider coming to work at Grunnings," Vernon went on, ignoring his son's attempt to speak. "I still have connections there, I can get you a proper job."

"My business is fine," Dudley gritted out, irritated. How many times had they gone through this rigmarole? His father was determined to get Dudley to go work at Grunnings, and made secret of his contempt for the small handyman business Dudley had worked hard to set up. Although he would only ever admit it to Laura, it actually hurt a great deal the way Vernon looked down on the business that was practically Dudley's third child, with all the work and effort he had put into setting up and maintaining it.

"Hello, my name is Kate and I will be your server tonight," a blonde waitress arrived, pad in one hand and several menus in the other, preventing Vernon from responding. "Here are the menus. Today's special is steak with colcannon and roast vegetables and the soup is garden vegetable. Can I get you any drinks?"

They placed their drink orders and Vernon and Dudley exchanged frowns when Vernon ordered a brandy (his go-to drink) and Dudley a Coke.

"Dad, you're driving," Dudley stated disapprovingly. He knew it would be his father. His mother didn't believe in a woman driving unless in an emergency.

Vernon waved him off. "Honestly Dudley, don't be such a pussy, son," he said. "You sound like a woman, throwing a fuss over nothing. I've had a thousand brandys while driving and never had any problems."

Dudley opened his mouth to argue but Laura placed her delicate hand on his knee, silencing him. Things would be tense enough when they revealed their news without another argument over Vernon's drinking.

"Fine, whatever," he sighed instead. "Mum, how're things? Have you any news?"

Petunia launched into the latest gossip about the neighbours and Dudley tried to refrain from grimacing in distaste. The older he got, the more he disliked his mother's nosiness and her cruel glee whenever she discovered some gossip or one-upped a neighbour. He certainly wouldn't appreciate one of his neighbours acting that way towards his family.

Soon after their food arrived, Petunia turned to her son. "So, not that I ever need a reason to have dinner with my favourite person, but what's going on, Darling?"

Dudley swallowed the bit of pork was eating and glanced at Laura, who carefully put down her cutlery to smooth out her dress.

"Well," Dudley said edgily. "We have some news. Uhm, Jas has been accepted to a school in Scotland. It's very prestigious, the best of its kind." He was stalling and he knew it, but he couldn't help it. The minute he admitted the truth he would be severing ties with his parents forever, and despite everything that truly pained him.

"Its kind?" Vernon asked gruffly, furrowing his brow.

"Oh, did you finally decide to send her to a finishing school like I said you should?" Petunia asked brightly. "It's about time, Darling. A finishing school is the right place for a girl to become a proper lady. If we'd had a girl, she'd have had her name down at birth. So, what is its name?"

"It's not a finishing school Mum," Dudley said, voice strained. "It's actually the same school that my cousin went to."

His parents froze, their expressions horrified.

"What?!" Vernon finally choked out after several minutes of sputtering incoherently. Petunia was still catatonic with horror. "You mean to say that Jasmine is a is a freak?!"

Dudley and Laura's expressions darkened.

"Do not," Laura said slowly and furiously, expression angry. "Call my daughter a freak, ever again, or I'll make you wish you were never born."

"This is ridiculous," Vernon went on, ignoring Laura. "No blood of mine would ever be one of that lot! You whore, you cuckolded my son and claimed a bastard freak as my grandchild! That damn brat should have been drowned at birth! I-" but whatever he was going to say was cut off sharply when Laura stood, grabbed the water jug and flung it over him. Vernon shot to his feet and Laura slapped him as hard as she could, creating a loud 'crack!' The restaurant fell silent, staring at their group is astonishment.

"Never call my daughter a freak again!" Laura repeated loudly for everyone to hear, causing the audience to direct disgusted looks at Vernon.

"Dudley, darling, don't you think you could find someone else better equipped to raise Jasmine?" Petunia suggested desperately. They seemed to have forgotten that they weren't alone. "One of their lot? You have a good, normal child in Matthew. You don't need Jasmine too. Especially not now. Think about everything that world has done to our family, the pain that girl gave us, being dropped on our doorstep and forcing us to waste our money on her. Putting us in danger with her activities."

"She was a child!" Dudley. "Dear God, do you even hear what you're saying? Lea was a baby, she didn't choose to be abandoned with you or targeted by a serial killer. And for you information, when I reached out she let my family into hers with open arms. Seeing as you abused her, I'm amazed she even bothers to speak to me!" The elder couple gasped indignantly at that. A mother nearby having dinner with her family pulled her children closer, looking at the Dursleys with disgust. "Lea is ten times the person you two are combined, and my daughter is one of the three best things that ever happened to me. Stay away from my family, or we'll call the police for harassment," he finished, grabbing his wife's hand as he glared at his parents. With that, the couple turned and stormed out of the restaurant, not even remembering to collect their coats they were so furious.

Cottage View, Godric's Hollow, West Country, England

15th July 2015

"Hey Jas, you alright?" Teddy asked, stopping the young girl from following her cousins out of the kitchen where they'd just finished dinner. He'd noticed she had barely eaten, only picked at and moved around her food, wearing a depressed expression.

The blonde looked down at her feet, a glum expression on her face.

"Mum and Daddy are telling Grandma and Grandpa that I'm a witch tonight," she revealed quietly, not meeting his gaze.

"Ah," Teddy sighed, running a hand through his turquoise hair. He didn't know much about the Dursleys, but he knew enough to expect a bad reaction. "And how do you feel about that?" He asked, copying his Mind Healer's technique. She shrugged, twisting her hands together and staring at the floor. Teddy could see the tremble in her small body and he went down on one knee, opening his arms up in a silent offer. Jas let out a sob and flung herself at him, burying her face in his neck as she cried.

"They won't love me anymore!" She sobbed to him

Teddy wrapped his arms around her and swayed her from side to side, rubbing her back and murmuring soothingly to her. "Everything's going to be okay," he assured her. "I know things are hard right now, but they'll get better. If their love is conditional then you're better off without them anyway."

"Why are they so hateful to wixen?" She whimpered.

"I'm not sure," Teddy sighed. "But if I had to guess I would say that they fear what they don't understand. And sometimes when they're afraid people lash out. But you haven't done anything wrong Jas. I promise. Don't blame yourself for this, alright?"

Jas shook her head, still buried in his shoulder. "But it happening because I'm a witch," she argued. "It must be my fault."

"No," Teddy insisted firmly, pulling away to grip her face and make her meet his gaze. "Look at me Jasmine. Listen carefully, okay?"

Reluctantly Jas nodded.

"This is happening because your grandparents are hateful, angry people," he insisted, making a mental note to alert Uncle Dudley and Aunt Laura as to what happened when they collected their children. "Not because of you. You're the innocent in this, alright? They're in the wrong, never you."

He could see the doubt in her blue eyes, but she nodded anyway.