Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Thank you to J.K. Rowling for allowing me to play with her world.
Authors Note: Here is the reworked Chapter One of Dumbledore's Mistake. Not a whole lot of changes this chapter. Mostly just some grammar changes for a better flow.
Chapter One:
Vernon Dursley was a pragmatic man. He expected everything and everyone to follow facts; instead of this wishy, washy way of them following feelings. It was pure ludicrousness to follow 'feelings'!
He had woken that morning ready for the big order of drills that he knew was coming in. Looking at the mirror while tying his tie he saw a large man with a small neck and a very respectable mustache. While finishing getting ready for work he could hear his wife hustling about down stairs cooking breakfast admist his sons happy babbling. He heard a sudden crash and wailing ensued.
Shaking his head and mumbling to himself about young toddlers Vernon figured it was just one of those mornings. He gathered his things and made his way down for breakfast. What he saw upon entering the kitchen was his blonde, slender wife struggling to teach his son Dudley to eat with his spoon. His sixteen-month-old son was throwing a royal fit about it too. The boy kept throwing the spoon at his wife and wailing his head off.
Having finished his own meal while fighting a twitching mouth at his sons antics Vernon gave his wife a kiss and left for work. With the weather looking unpredictable he grabbed his umbrella before opening the door and headed to the car.
It was there that the strange things started to happen and Mr. Vernon Dursley became one of those 'feelings' people. There sitting on the roof of his car was an owl with a tied to its leg.
Walking slowly up to the car; he slowly took the umbrella and was about to poke it when it barked at him and flew off over the house.
Sighing in relief he continued on his way. But things were even going to get stranger. For on the corner there was a cat reading a map.
Seeing this Vernon muttered, "What on earth is going on?"
Looking back once he had passed, he now saw that there was no map. The tabby just stared at him as he passed.
This deeply disturbed him. For he remembered a conversation that he had once had with his Brother-in-law James Potter. James had been telling him about animangi. Apparently some wizards could turn into animals at will. Thinking about the conversation disturbed him; but Vernon, decided that the strange actions of the cat just proved the strangeness of the animals themselves.
Muttering to himself about strange animals and the drill order he was hoping to get. Vernon did not realize when he had reached the edge of town. There he became unsettled. For there were people with cloaks on everywhere, and he knew what they were. Wizards.
Having wizards out and about like this worried him even more than the owl or the cat. For something big must have happened for them to act so rashly in the muggle world. Add to the fact that some were whispering excitedly over something set Vernon even more on edge.
Once in the Grunnings parking lot his mind was back on drills. His office had a big window in the back. It was unfortunate that his desk faced away from it. Or he would have seen all the owls flying by.
After having closed a few deals and yelling at his poor secretary a few times. Mr. Dursley felt that his day was going quite well despite the morning's happenings.
Around lunch time having decided to stretch his legs he went across the street to the bakers to buy a bun. He had forgotten about all the wizard around until he passed a group next to the bakers. Seeing them made him uneasy. They were whispering excitedly as well. It was on his way back that he heard a few words.
"The Potters, that's right, that's what I heard-"
"Yes, their son Harry-"
Hearing these words filled him with fear. He hurried back across the road to his office. Only stopping to tell his secretary he was not to be disturbed. He seized his phone and had almost finished dialing when he slammed the phone back down. Sitting down and stroking his mustache, as was his habit when worried or stressed. He thought of what he heard.
Did they really say Potters? Did they mean a different name, like Porters? No, He knew they had meant the Potters. And that was what worried him.
Petunia and he had not heard from Sister and Brother-in-law in a while. In fact it had been over a week at most since they had last heard from them. They knew why they had gone of course; Lily and James had told them. A Dark fanatical wizard was after them. Petunia would be devastated if anything had happened to her sister.
They had just barely made up after years of animosity a few months before they had to go into hiding. During that time Vernon and slowly come to like and admire his prank inclined Brother-in-law.
"Oh James, what have you gotten into." Vernon whispered to himself worriedly.
Thinking about it had made Vernon realize that he would just worry his wife. And since he did not have the answers to her probable questions felt it best to wait. As it was he was unsure what was going on himself. So Vernon worried anxiously through the afternoon as he fruitlessly strived to keep himself busy with work.
It was later that he got another piece to the worrying puzzle. While walking back to his car after work; he was so worried that his hands had begun to shake, and Vernon found he could not think straight.
It was in this frame of mind that he walked straight into someone.
"Sorry," He grunted as the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell.
It was a few seconds before he recognized the violet cloak the man was wearing and knew that he was a wizard. The old man did not seem upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary his face split into a huge grin and in a high squeaky voice making passers-by stare said:
"Don't be sorry my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles like yourself should be celebrating this happy, happy day!"
With his face now white Vernon barely felt the diminutive man hug him around his middle and saunter off. It was in this phase of mind that he got into the car and drove home.
He was just pulling into Number four Privet drive when he noticed the cat.
It was the same one as this morning with the same square marking around its eyes. It was now sitting on his garden wall. Very disturbed and worried by now Mr. Dursley told the cat:
"Shoo" making shooing motions with his hands.
When the cat just gave him a stern look he knew that his family was being watched. Why? And by whom?
Pulling himself out of his worried state he went into the house determined not to mention anything to his wife till later in the evening.
Petunia had had a nice normal day. ( As normal as the mother of a willful toddler can anyway.) She shared how she had chatted with Mrs. Next Door about her problems with her daughter; how Dudley learned a new word (Shan't). She then glossed over Dudley throwing a tantrum for sweets thinking it not important, only saying to Vernon not to give in to such things.
Once Dudley was in bed and fast asleep the couple went into the living room to catch the evening news:
"And finally, Bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern."
The newsreader allowed himself a grin. "Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"
"Well, Ted," said the weatherman, "I don't know about that, but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire and Dundee have been phoning in to tell that instead of the rain that I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating bonfire night early. It's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."
Vernon froze; shooting stars all over Britain, Owls out in the day time, wizards out and about. And a whisper about the Potters and the supposed death of their Dark Lord.
Petunia came in with two cups of tea. It was time, he would have to tell her his suspicions. So carefully he queried his wife;
"P-petunia, dear...you haven't heard from Lily lately….have you?"
Curious she answered, "Vernon, you know we heard from them last week on the mirror."
"Why?" She asked.
"Funny stuff on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls...shooting stars...and a there were a few wizards in town today…"
He had decided against saying anything about the whisper. He did not want to cause his wife any undue anxiety in case he was wrong.
"So.." Mrs Dursley scoffed.
"Well I thought maybe… That...that something had happened. Something to do with why they are hiding!"
Drinking her tea thru now pursed lips Mrs. Dursley thought about what her husband said and what he did not say. She had noticed the inflection he had used when saying why. She had also noticed his worried look and sweaty hands. A sign that he was anxious about something but not yet ready to say anything. With an internal sigh Petunia knew he would tell her when he was ready. Once her evening tea was finished and the evening chores down Petunia bid her worried spouse goodnight and went to bed. All the while sincerely hoping and praying that all was well with her sister and her family.
While the Dursley's were drifting off to an uneasy sleep, the cat was still sitting on the wall, looking at the end of the road, waiting, It was near midnight before the cat moved, its tail twitching and eyes narrowing, for what it had been waiting for had finally arrived.
In his arrogance Albus Dumbledore did not think that anyone would be watching him. With his long white hair and beard reflecting the lamp light he started rummaging in his cloak. Looking up he saw to his irritation that McGonagall was there watching him. With an unheard growl, he continued his search. After finding the Diluminator, and darkening the quiet street did he walk over to the stiff cat.
He may be irate with her presence, but with his mind whirling he smiled an evil smile, and with a twinkle in his eye leaned over to the cat and said:
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."
Turning to the cat and seeing instead the distinctly ruffled woman gave Dumbledore great amusement. He knew that the woman would try to dissuade him out of his plan. Oh yes, he would give her some excuse such as letting the child grow up without his Celebrity Status. Oh no, that would instead go to Dumbledore in his absence. And when he returned for school thanks to all the charms and compulsions he had layered and weaved into the letter for the Dursley's. He would be ready for molding into the perfect Savior, ready to ask his Mentor (Dumbledore of course) for aid.
He was pleased with McGonagall's reaction to James and Lily's deaths. Oh of course he had known about whom Voldemort would choose and so had helped the process along. A few suggestions here and there. Hints and whispers in his Spy's ears made sure that this would be the outcome. For with the Potter brat he could take the child and place him where he desired. That was not so with the Longbottom child. Hmm… He was going to have to do something about that as well. Maybe get rid of the parents. The Grandmother trusted him fully; so she would be easy to sway to certain matters. Yes, that would do wonderfully!
Tuning back into the conversation he had been having with his Professor he realized that Hagrid was almost here. Oh yes, he was very talented (in his own mind), to be thinking so deeply while also holding a conversation. Dumbledore did pride himself on that.
When Hagrid later mentioned young Sirius Black, he realized there was one part of his plan that would need to be taken of tonight. Young Mr. Black would soon find himself host to one Albus Dumbledore.
Turning back into the conversation once more he heard Hagrid say:
"No, sir...house was almost destroyed but I got him out all right before the muggles started swarmin' around. He was asleep when I got there sir."
Chuckling lightly at this Dumbledore did not think much of it. For what is there to worry about a child sleeping?
He was even more pleased to see the curse scar. Oh, yes Voldemort had done the job right. He rebuffed McGonagall's question of getting rid of the thing.
He was fuming inside. Of course not you stupid woman, what would the point be of getting rid of it do? Nothing! Besides make my plan even harder to complete.
Though these thoughts and more went through his head Dumbledore said not a word.
Walking to the front door and carefully laying the sleeping child down, he whispered:
"I am sorry Harry, but it is for the Greater Good!"
And with that he left his charmed letter and walked back towards the others. Hagrid then left to return the bike, and McGonagall transformed and slinked off. While he Dumbledore left to start the next step in his plan. Not realizing that Harry would take hold of the letter and in his sleep nullify all the spells he had carefully placed and inter-weaved upon it.
Young Harry now even more exhausted from yet again doing magic fell into a deeper sleep only to be awakened by his Aunts scream, and would then sit next to his curious cousin watching her cry. He did not know that all across Britain wizards were toasting the Boy-Who-Lived.
Authors Note: Here is the next chapter. Read, review, and enjoy!