I have no excuses. It's been a bloody year and I haven't updated. After I accidently deleted the second chapter (got it replaced though, THANK YOU TO Harry50 for sending it to me) I just found it really hard to update. And then with school and boy troubles and my anxiety getting the better of me, fanfiction just didn't happen.
I'm making excuses again aren't I? xD oops. ANYWAY since there are now so many of you subscribed, I apologize immensely for taking so long to get this up. Thanks for reading this far :D
The Dursley car pulled into the drive way of the Burrow, looking quite out of place among the many magical or simply downright strange objects that littered the yard: broomsticks, enchanted toys, and numerous strange little ugly creatures whose heads could be seen poking out of mole holes in the ground. Not to mention the house itself, many stories, practically toppling over. It looked like something a child would design, and Dudley suspected magic was the only thing keeping it together at this point.
'Alright, we're here. Paisley, you behave yourself, you hear?'
'Yes, dad, of course.' She hopped out of the car and skipped up to the house to meet her cousins. They'd never been her favorite before, but now that she knew they weren't "boring" she was quite excited to talk to them. Dudley only hoped they wouldn't tire of her endless questions.
Sally started for the door as well, but stopped when she noticed her husband wasn't following. She opened his car door. 'Dudley? Aren't you coming in?'
Dudley wanted to go inside; to meet the eccentric family of his cousin, to see Harry again, to see what his life was really like; he really did. But he just kept thinking about the time when the twins had given him the candy that made his tongue grow three feet. He was thinking of his father's warning. Of all the stories Harry had told him, and how unbelievable they all sounded to him. How Harry had seen things he couldn't even begin to imagine. But mostly, he was thinking of his bloody car, an extraordinarily ordinary '14 Civic. And how he felt exactly like that bloody car. Like a silver sedan surrounded by flying broomsticks. Boring. Out of place. He was a Dursley after all. He didn't belong here.
Sally seemed to know exactly what was wrong, exactly what was going through his mind behind those dazed eyes staring off into the distance. She didn't say a word, just took him by the hand and pulled him from the car. With a reassuring squeeze, they went inside.
"Dudley! Molly Weasley, nice to meet you! Come in, come in." Dudley stepped into the house and instantly felt even more like the white kid on the urban dance team. The dishes in the sink were washing themselves, little red haired children were flying through the house on toy brooms, and in the corner a sweater was knitting itself. A large clock stood on the wall, with locations or conditions instead of numbers and dozens of hands, each with a name on them.
"You like my clock? Oh, it's grown much over the years. Gotta keep an eye on my grand kids. Soon I'm certain I'll be out of room if my kids keep going at it like they do." Molly laughed.
"What's that, mum?" Ron gave her a cheeky grin.
Molly ruffled his hair. "Oh, you heard me son. No more grand kids! My house can't take it!"
Ron grinned. "I'll try, mum," he said with a wink.
"Alright, alright no more of this talk. Wash up for supper." She whacked him over the head. "Well, Dudley, Sally, sit down! Harry will be in in just a moment. The boys and Ginny were out playing quidditch."
Sally and Dudley took their seats at the table as the Weasley clan flocked in. Loud and obnoxious, animated and excited, it was certainly nothing like family gatherings at the Dursleys. There was no speak of bills, no grumbling of taxes. Everyone genuinely wanted to be there. Everyone genuinely liked each other.
Molly had roasted a duck, and all sorts of side dishes had been supplied by her kids. Mashed potatoes, green beans, potato casserole, dinner rolls, and several large cases of a dark brown drink Dudley could only assume was a type of beer. Everyone piled their plates high and crowded around the table – even the kids.
Dudley was introduced to the whole family. George offered him a toffee, but he was smarter this time and declined. Arthur made sure to sit near him and asked him all sorts of questions about the "muggle world", and he in exchange asked of wizards. Dudley told them about his job at the aeroplane company and though he found it quite boring, Arthur couldn't get enough. He asked how they worked, what the pieces did, what happens if they crash. He asked what they were made of and how much that cost and how much time it took to build and all sorts of other questions Dudley didn't even know how to begin to answer but he tried his best. Harry told Dudley about his job as an auror, and Ron as well. Hermione told him she worked for the ministry, and Ron interrupted. "You revolutionized the ministry. Brightest witch of our age, this one is. And she married me. I got lucky."
Dinner finished, George took on the responsibility of showing Paisley the best of magic. He grabbed one of the other children to use as a demonstration. Within five minutes he'd become a rat, a frog, a cockatoo, and a koala bear. He started to show her some of his pranks but Ginny hit him over the head. "Don't you dare. You've already soiled my children, don't you go soiling his!"
Dudley looked at his watch. 10:00. "I hate to say it, but we really must be going. I have work early tomorrow." He grabbed Paisley around the middle as she ran by. "Time to go, hun."
"But James was going to show me his chocolate frogs!"
"We'll come back another time, I promise."
And so, the Dursleys lined up at the door saying their goodbyes. Dudley took one last look at the Weasleys. They were happy. All of them, together. He thought of his own family. Molly and Arthur loved each other so much more than his parents ever seemed to. They didn't fight. They didn't throw insults. They weren't passive aggressive or just plain aggressive. And most of all, they were genuine.
Mostly though, he looked at Harry. Their childhood was hardly ideal. Years with Vernon and Petunia had poisoned them both, though in different ways. Harry's certainly hadn't been happy. And though it had taken him many years to realize, his wasn't happy either. Now, Harry was happy. He had his new family, and he was happy.
But was Dudley?
Okay, this wasn't my best chapter I will admit. It has been a while. I needed to get this out, and I'm getting back into the swing of things. I think I will do some oneshots to help warm up my writing again.
For those of you hoping for more focus on Paisley...I'm sorry to disappoint but that was never my intention. There are plenty of stories focusing on Dudley's magical child's adventures. I wanted to explore the effect that would have on Dudley and his family. Dudley is one of my favorite characters I can't even explain why, but he is. And after book seven I felt he had a lot of potential.
It might take a bit to roll out more of this, but I promise it will not be a ridiculous amount like this last one. I don't know what happened. If you're still around after that long hiatus, thank you!
