The One Time I Met You - A Standard by BananaCarrot5

Shoutout to Bea and Charlotte, who are awesome!

19 August 1979

Surrey, UK

James Potter and his fiancée, Lily Evans, were currently outside the house of Vernon Dursley. Lily had been surprised when Petunia had sent her a letter informing her that she had a boyfriend, and that they were serious. Vernon was four months older than Petunia and his family was well off.

His father ran a drilling company called Grunnings and Vernon was being trained to take over one of their major departments in a few years.

James looked over at Lily who's eyes looked sad.

"You okay, Lil?"

Lily nodded. "Yeah. I just hope that she didn't ruin my name to him before we've even met. She still hasn't forgiven me, you know."

James nodded in agreement, in thought. After a moment, he took off his seatbelt and hopped out of the car.

Lily followed his every move. She followed him with her eyes as he rounded the car to the driver's side and opened the door to let her out.

Lily chuckled. "Still the helpless romantic, eh James?"

James gave her a grin and looped his arm around hers. "C'mon, Lil, let's meet your sister's boyfriend."

Vernon Dursley was the definition of a stuck-up, spoiled, entitled rich kid. He strutted around the house like he owned the place, he didn't, this was his parent's house, and when he met James and Lily at the door it was a bit different than what they were expecting.

Vernon had a "get over it" look on his face when they first saw him. He was standing in the middle of the main room and looked between them.

"Vernon Dursley? I'm James Potter." James stepped forward and extended his hand. Vernon glanced at his hand before quickly shaking it.

"That means you're Lily," Vernon stated flatly, eyes turned on Lily. Lily responded with a barely noticeable nod. After a moment Vernon sighed and waved his hand. "Well, come on. Tea is in here."

After everyone had been seated with a cup of tea Vernon spoke, looking between the two. "Petunia has said a lot about you two." James and Lily nodded. "What do you do for a living?"

Lily looked towards James who looked between Lily and Vernon before speaking.

"I can't tell you much, but we work for the government."

Vernon gave James a "really?" look before he took a deep breath. "So you won't tell me-"

"We can't tell you exactly, Vernon," Lily corrected.

Vernon shook his head.

"Disrespectful too. Pity, my father has many connections that I could ruin your lives if I wanted. Don't tempt me with the possibility of it."

James leaned forward. "Vernon, I would shut up while you still have some dignity left. You asked a question and we gave an answer. Let. It. Be."

Vernon thought it over and had the decency to look a bit ashamed. "Tell me this, why does your sister drag your name in the mud, like a thorn?"

Lily looked to the floor and sighed. "Petunia and I haven't seen eye to eye on things in years. We go to different schools and she is jealous of me. She hates that I am with James and I guess I am supposed to hate that she is with you. I'm not. As much as we don't like each other, I don't wish her a bad fortune. Merlin knows me and James and our friends have experiences of our own with that."

Lily looked like she wanted to say something but shook her head.

"I'll be honest with you, I don't know what she sees in you. But, I'm not going to hate you. I don't like you, but I don't hate you. All I ask is that you treat her right. She may be her own woman but she is still clueless to the world. Don't hurt her."

Vernon stood up and stared at her. "I won't hurt her. I can promise you that."

James "hmm'd" before speaking. "You should drop your egotistical attitude too. Do that and you might be slightly less unbearable."

"James!" Lily yelled.

Vernon looked like he was deciding who to go after and he gritted out, "Of course, James," before walking out of the room. More like stomping out of the room.

Lily glared at James before sitting down again and putting her head in her hands. A while later when everyone had calmed down Vernon returned, this time with Petunia. The latter was staring daggers at her sister.

"Hello, Tuni," Lily greeted diplomatically. "I've heard a rumor that my name is still being ruined. You wouldn't know anything about that, would you?"

Petunia gave Lily the stink eye before turning to Vernon. "Why are they still here?"

Vernon shrugged.

"We are here because we wanted to meet the man that you love. And because we are going away for a while."

Lily gave Petunia a look and she looked down with a frown.

"Your job?" Vernon asked.

James nodded. "Yeah. It's partly also why we came here. Y'know, just in case."

"Is it that dangerous?" Vernon asked.

"It is. It's also secret. So be quiet. I trust you can do that?" James responded.

Realization dawned on Vernon and he glanced at Petunia. James and Lily grabbed their things and went to walk out the door.

"Guys, I'm sorry. And stay safe."

Lily turned. "Thank you. You two live a good life together and we'll visit you as soon as we can."

James and Lily left the house that day, having only met Vernon the one time before their deaths almost two years later. Petunia, never having forgiven Lily, had subtly influenced Vernon's opinion of her over time. After their marriage, Petunia told Vernon about magic, and he almost exploded in the same spot he met them. When baby Harry was delivered on their doorstep, Petunia's hatred for her sister, now transferred to Vernon over the two years of constant discussion over it, caused all the Dursleys, including baby Dudley, to hate Harry for simply existing. In the end, Petunia's hate for her sister and her influence over her husband caused the years of torment and abuse that Harry endured.

The Houses Competition

Round 1

House: Ravenclaw

Class: Charms

Category: Standard

Prompts chosen: [Restriction:] only happens at one location, [Event:] James and Lily meeting Vernon for the first time.

Word Count: 1028

Warnings/Trigger warnings: None.