Chapter Text
Prologue:
Blasted Bloody Letters
Vernon Dursley sat skulking at a cracked window watching as the weather worsened. Head ducked low, dark rimmed eyes leering over the window sill. His mustache swept over it picking up dust from the long forgotten ledge. He was trying, and failing to be inconspicuous.
He was scared. Manic even. Not that he'd admit it of course, he was Vernon Dursley. He did the scaring by God and no bloody owls would be getting to him. No sir.
Except they had hadn't they? No sane man arms himself with a last minute rifle purchase on a family holiday. No. Vernon was on the run, creeping around a disused shack in the middle of the sea, watching for owls.
“Agh!!” He yelped, when three letters flew through a gap in the poorly sealed window, slapping him in the face.
“Vernon my sweet come away from the window,” Petunia pleaded, voice tremulous, worry plain on her face.
“The audacity of these people, Petunia!” Vernon growled, making quick work of the letters. He tore them up one by one until he was left with a bitter little pile of confetti. He stood over his mess heaving deep breaths and giving it his most baleful glare.
They just won't leave him be!
These letters had driven him and his family all the way to this godforsaken rock in the middle of the sea. And at what cost? Petunia was huddled in the corner of their bed looking for all the world like this was the end, the rapture had happened, and they were left behind. End times! Bloody end times in the Dursley household. Dudley was miserable, the poor boy practically starved.
It was these letters, it was these people. It was that Boy.
He had thought they’d finally beaten this weirdness out of him. The boy was still strange, but he hadn’t acted out in years. He didn't fuss like he used to, smiled when it was pleasant. Did his chores without lip, and seemed grateful. Finally. For all he’d been given. He barely had to break the cane out anymore. Yes, things had finally started pulling together in the Dursley household. Then July came and with it all these blasted letters! The little freak—
THUD!
There was suddenly a loud crash from downstairs, the constant howling of the wind grew to a roar!
“Ahhhhhhh!!!
His Dudikens was screaming! Petunia had already scrambled out of bed and ran past him. Vernon summoned his courage and followed close behind clutching his new rifle to his chest like a shield.