A few days later a thick letter dropped onto the doormat. Dudley was at work, as was Vernon, so the letter addressed to Dudley Dursley of 4 Privet Drive, Little Whinging was picked up delicately by Petunia's perfectly manicured hand and placed neatly onto the coffee table along with the rest of the post.

It was many hours before Dudley and Vernon would both return home, and although Petunia's fingers were itching to take the envelope and rip it open she resisted, remembering Dudley's fury last time she had opened his post. But as the morning passed, and then the afternoon, Petunia couldn't stop herself from returning to the table and fingering the letter. The parchment envelope was thick, and crisp. The ink that formed her address was the neatest calligraphy she had ever seen. As she turned it over, attempting to see who it was from - although in her heart she knew, knew exactly who had sent it - she noticed that a red wax seal held the envelope together. It confirmed what she had been trying to pretend she didn't know, and she dropped the letter hastily, pushing it back into it's place on the pile with the tip of her finger as if any more and it would contaminate her with it's magic nature.

Even so, the presence of the letter sitting on her table seemed to beam out a signal, and as such Petunia, wherever she was in the house or garden, or even in the corner shop two streets away, could feel the letter burning a hole straight from the pile of post directly to the corner of her eye.

Eventually, with dinner brewing on the stove, her husband and son returned from work. Vernon had managed to secure a place for Dudley in his office, but neither of his parents knew that Dudley spent all of his free time applying to other jobs in an effort to gain a career on his own merits and move out from his parents home. As the letter made it's presence known to Petunia throughout the day, the cupboard under the stairs did to Dudley and he was itching to get away from it and his past.

Vernon and Dudley walked in the door, greeting Petunia who stood by the door to take their coats and kiss them each, before they walked through to the living room. Immediately, Dudley spotted the envelope on the table and grabbed it, frowning as his father immediately noticed and tried to grab it, his face and clammy hands turning purple as his efforts proved futile.

Dudley regained control and placed the letter from his cousin in his room. Normally she wrote her letters using muggle paper, envelopes and ink to disguise them and he didn't understand why on this occasion she had reverted to showing her true self and displaying her culture openly.

Once he had consumed his fill and retired to his room, he spotted the letter once more on his bed. He gently lifted it and broke the seal, opening the envelope to reveal another piece of parchment. The parchment was simple, a snowy white colour with black writing inscribed upon it.

Sirius Black and Remus Lupin

request the pleasure of your company

at the bonding of Lyra Potter to her fiancé Charles Weasley

In the garden of 6, Church Lane, Godric's Hollow

On the second day of August, 1999 at 11am.

Lyra was getting married? Of course, Dudley had known she was engaged, having had an extremely excited letter a week after she had returned from Romania. But marriage seemed odd, even knowing there was a difference in her culture to his. He was older than her, and while she was getting married, he was still single and living in his parents house.

Suddenly, a piece of muggle paper fell out of the envelope, upon which was written in Lyra's familiar hand,

Hi Dudley,

Sorry about this! If you just RSVP to my normal PO box - don't worry about owling us or anything, just send your reply like you normally would - and ignore the Wizarding aspects of the invitation, it's one we've sent out to everyone and I think you're the only muggle invited.

If you can come, well... You're used to apparating by now aren't you? My Uncle Remus said he would pick you up if you want to attend and you can stay with us for the night or you can drive - whatever's easier really! Sorry that it's a Monday - Sirius wants me to spend my birthday with him and Uncle Remus, so we couldn't marry before or we'd be on our honeymoon. Or it would be too quick to make any arrangements for a wedding and we'd have no guests. We would do the Sunday.. But that's Charlie's brother's wedding anniversary and we didn't want to disturb that. So I'm hoping a Monday is ok for you..

If you want, you are welcome to bring a guest provided they know about us. Don't spring it on them - it breaks the Statute of Secrecy! (So if you want to bring a partner, let me know but feel free! - just so long as you've told them about magic. Which sort of means you have to be serious about them. Sorry)

Lyra

Dudley smiled, trust Lyra to somehow sound teasing even in a letter! He put the invitation and her letter on his desk and immediately checked his calendar. His said he was available, but just to make sure he went down and checked the calendar that his mother kept in the kitchen. Flicking through the months he found August, and noticed that the first weekend was thankfully free, other than a visit to Aunt Marge. Dudley quickly penned in that he would be away, but didn't specify the details. He'd noticed that they hadn't received an invitation, not that he was surprised, and so wouldn't tell them his plans until he was asked.

He knew what his father's reaction would be if he found out Lyra was getting married. Dudley would probably feel the same - 19 years old? But after interrogating Dedalus and Hestia in the Year-that-was-never-mentioned and finding out about Lyra's life, and then seeing Lyra together with her boyfriend, he knew how much they loved each other and knew this was the right decision.

That same night, before he went to sleep, Dudley penned a response.

Hi Lyra,

Don't worry about the Monday, i'll book a couple of days off work. I will be attending, thank you for inviting me. As of yet, and as you know very well! I don't have a girlfriend. So it will just be me unless something staggeringly surprising happens in the next few months.

Is it alright if I let you know how I'll arrive nearer the time? It's only June!

Thanks again

Dudley.

Thank you for all the lovely reviews I've had for the last chapter! I know I said to one reviewer (BaltaineShadow) that I had an idea that I'd use.. I'll put it in next chapter, it's not in this one but I'm dying to use it and you'll probably know it when you see it!