Author's Note: This is what I would have liked to have happened in the Harry Potter world post Voldemort. Also, I'm going to be ignoring the majority of what's canon post books cause I'm not a fan of it all.
Originally Published April 2020 - Coming back to this now (March 2025) and modifying to address hard to read dialogue comments as well as some adding some other edits. I will try to be consistent with this story as I'm using it to practice my writing.
Also, I have changed the rating on this piece from Teen to Mature as there might be some darker scenes or sexually explicit scenes to come.
Chapter 1: Can We Go Home Now?
Vernon Dursley sits at a shabby kitchen table eating breakfast as Petunia Dursley fusses over a kitchen counter that refuses to look clean no matter how many times she attempts to scrub it. They glance at each other every so often, anxious.
It was around midnight when a silver Dog had woken the family, the voice of Dedelus Diggle booming through the entire house.
"Harry Potter has been killed, stay alert."
Though Hestia Jones had stayed behind to guard the Dursleys, she is itching to join the fight at Hogwarts. She paces back and forth in the kitchen, but pauses as a crash sounds from above. The three adults stop what they're doing to look up at the ceiling. When no more sounds come from above, Hestia resumes her pacing and Petunia her scrubbing.
Dudley Dursley had taken the news of his cousin's death surprisingly hard. He had retreated upstairs and seemed to be taking his grief out on the cheap furniture from the safe house they had been occupying for months.
"My poor Diddykins, Vernon I'm going to get him to come down here," mutters Petunia as she leaves the kitchen.
Vernon glares at Hestia.
"I thought we'd be in the clear now that the boy is dead. Why are your people still after us?" he asks angrily.
"There is powerful magic in your wife and son's blood, the same blood they share with Harry Potter. The Death Eaters will want any and all traces of it gone," replies Hestia, looking down at Vernon with disgust.
"You've cared for Harry since he was a wee little thing, and you don't even care that he's dead? You're a monster," she continues, anger dripping from her voice.
Mr. Dursley doesn't respond.
t was true that he hated the boy, but he never wished death on him, no matter how many times he had threatened to wring his neck in the past. In fact, maybe the boy would have been fine if he hadn't always posed such a threat to Vernon's family, or if he hadn't been a constant reminder of his wife's familial loss.
Petunia and Lily always had a complicated relationship, and Harry was the reminder that she'd never get to reconcile with her sister. Petunia's grief had morphed into a monster, stripping her of any kindness she once held.
Mrs. Dursley walks back into the kitchen with her large son. His shoulders are hunched over as she guides him into the seat next to her husband. Dudley had struggled a lot with the relocation. He missed his friends, his school, and surprisingly his cousin. However, Hestia suspected this was because he no longer had anyone to torment. It had really shocked her how shaken Dudley seemed to be over the loss.
His reaction was the only thing battling with her instinct to join the battle at Hogwarts. The wizarding world's last hope was gone, why continue to protect his abusers instead of joining the fray? Wouldn't she rather die fighting than protecting these idiot muggles? However, if the Dursley boy was actually mourning his cousin's death, then maybe there was something worth protecting.
How sad, a son destined to repeat the same grief as his mother. They'd never get closure, they'd never get the chance to outgrow their bitterness, their jealousy, and their fear. Would Dudley lean into the anger and double down on the cruelty his insecurities caused, or would he honor Potter by trying to change?
Suddenly a loud crack sounds as Dedelus appears in the kitchen. The Dursely all scream in terror. They all duck under the kitchen table as Hestia spins on the spot, raising her already drawn wand.
It was almost eight in the morning and hours had passed with no news.
"Harry Potter is alive, he killed He Who Must Not Be Named. We won. It is over! We won!" Dedelus yells hysterically, jumping into Hestia's shocked arms.
"What? How? You said Harry was dead?" Hestia exclaim as, confused but delighted as ever.
Dedelus excitedly recounts the entire story of the fight between Harry Potter and Tom Riddle. When he was done telling them the story, the witch and wizards looked over eagerly to see the muggles' reactions. As the family slowly come out from under the table, hopeful tears fill Dudley's eyes. However, Petunia and Vernon's reactions are unreadable. There is an uncomfortable silence for a few moments before Vernon finally speaks.
"Great. So can we go back home to Private Drive now?"
Hestia and Dedelus roll their tear streaked eyes as they stare at the muggles in disbelief.
"We can't," Dudley mutters, "I can't leave her."
Petunia's head snaps towards her son.
"Leave who Diddy darning?"
"My girlfriend. She's pregnant," he replies evenly, eyes avoiding his parents'.
"I BEG YOUR PARDON, WHAT!?" Petunia screeches.
Hestia and Dedelus look at one another, jaws slack with shock. How had Dudley been sneaking out to meet a girl without any of them noticing? What kind of girl would want to sleep with that inbreed looking bully? Hestia would most definitely be in trouble once excitement cooled down enough for her superiors at The Order to notice this failure on her part.
"Seems like a family matter. We'll go ahead and give you some privacy," Hestia chimes in quickly, preparing to disapperate.
A loud crack sounds as the witch and wizard leave, and for the first time in almost a year, the Dursely's are finally alone.