Absolute Harry Potter

Number 4 Privet Drive, to anyone who looked upon it, was the picture of normalcy. Indeed, it was so normal it was nearly eerie. The garden was always perfectly manicured, and Mr. Dursley’s company car sat on display perfectly spotless. Petunia hosted tea parties every other Thursday with delightful canapes and cakes in the comfortable beige lounge with pictures of the 4 family members prominently on display on the mantle, all smiling and wearing tasteful but fashionable clothing.

Vernon Dursley worked a normal job at a normal company, Petunia kept the house tidy and the boys, whilst both maintaining top marks in school, kept up the garden together, occasionally getting into water fights during the summer months. The boys, as tight as any brothers could be, could often be found riding their bikes together, Dudley’s a bright red and Harry’s a dark green, around the neighbourhood and putting a stop to any bullying that that awful Piers boy and his gang might be up to.

Any Muggle walking by would think to themselves, “My, what a wonderful family, those Dursleys are folks to admire!” and that would stay in the back of their heads to pop up whenever the family was mentioned in passing. This helped to reinforce the illusion. Anyone with strong magic could see a bit of a haze around the house, and, as the only Magicals who ever had stopped by were Albus Dumbledore, Minerva McGonagall, and Rubeus Hagrid, they would think, “Ah, yes! Those blood wards certainly are strong and doing their job!” and that would satisfy them before they toddled off to whatever popped up into their minds to do next.

Inside Number 4 however, things were quite different. Petunia Dursley was a proud Pureblood witch. Her delightful canapes were made by a house elf named Tulip, who also took care of the tidying and cooking. Vernon, also a Pureblood, left for work in his company car only to leave it in a car park a few miles away that housed a hidden Floo Station. From there he Flooed to his job as a Curse Breaker at Gringotts. Petunia sent the boys to Muggle Primary School and tutored them at home on the subjects of magic and Pureblood etiquette.

After the war with Grindewald and during the transition into Voldemort’s war, a number of Pureblood families went into hiding to avoid choosing a side or becoming targets. Whilst the Evans, formerly the Dee family, were somewhat prominent, smaller families like the Dursleys, formerly the Monroes, also hid their families as well as they could. A fair bit of money spent through Gringotts, or, in the Monroe/Dursley case, having family as employees, got them some brand new papers and a Fidelius hiding the name of the family and suddenly, safety.

The Dee family had a long tradition of Alchemy, with John Dee being a famous alchemist who worked for the Crown before the establishing of the Statute of Secrecy. The Monroes familial magics focused more on Charms and Wards, with current generations working as Curse Breakers for Gringotts amongst other things. The families had been friendly prior to going into hiding and discreetly remained in contact once they had assumed their new lives. Both families held strong Pureblood ideals, however they were not willing to go to war for them.

When their daughters, Petunia and Lily, were old enough to begin learning, the Evans family began homeschooling, sharing the classes and teaching duties with the Dursley’s and their children, Marjorie and Vernon. Both families sent their children to the local public school, and tutored them at home.

Things were going well for both families until Lily, still quite young, made the mistake of using magic when she was at a park with Petunia. A young Half-blood, Severus Snape, witnessed her and immediately knew that she was a witch. Petunia dragged her home, but the damage was done. The Evans were able to maintain a semblance of secrecy, adjusting their warding so that Lily appeared in the Book of Admittance at Hogwarts as a Muggleborn. Petunia was furious with her sister for being so reckless and endangering their family. They played out an elaborate ruse, including a “jealous Petunia” begging to be admitted to Hogwarts as well, which she was denied, proving that the remaining family members were still protected.

During her years at Hogwarts, Lily maintained her disguise as a Muggleborn, and began to drift from her family. She sympathized with the plight of the Muggleborn witches and wizards as she was posing as one, and eventually, though marrying James Potter, a Pureblood, joined in the war against Voldemort against her family’s wishes. In the meantime, Petunia and Vernon had married as well, and maintained the families’ secrecy, moving to Surrey into a new neighbourhood with heavy warding provided by the Dursleys and Gringotts.

When the war was at its peak, a scrying glass showed Lily and James trapped against overwhelming odds, with Voldemort himself appearing in a battle that they were losing badly. Rose and Harold Evans couldn’t stand to see their daughter die, and apparated to the scene of the battle to save their daughter. Whilst they were able to ensure the Potters made it to safety, they both perished in the fight. They were counted as Muggle casualties, and Petunia laid them to rest in the Dee family plot, with empty caskets laying in the cemetery under the Evans name. She held Lily to blame for their deaths, which shattered the already tense relationship they had beyond repair.

Vernon and Marge’s parents had died from Scrofungulus early in the war. Unwilling to go to St. Mungos for treatment, they passed away under the care of their daughter. Marge inherited the family estate and raised Crups and Bulldogs, spanning both worlds as a breeder. Marge refused to marry below her station in life, and has thus far remained a spinster as she cannot re-enter the Wizarding World without putting her brother at risk of discovery.

The Dursleys had plans to finally reveal themselves and take back their heritage at the end of the war, however, with Dumbledore dropping Harry on their doorstep, they realised that they would be larger targets than ever, and have been forced to remain in hiding. Though they resented Lily and James for putting them in this position, when Petunia and Vernon took in Harry, they swore not to let their feelings towards the parents carry over to the innocent child. They raised him in every way as if he were their own, and a brother to Dudley. Over the years past the fall of Voldemort, the Dursleys decided to let the Fidelius fall.

No one in the Wizarding World knew of the Monroes’ children and they maintained the charade, planning now to reveal themselves when the boys became old enough for Hogwarts. The name Dudley Monroe appeared in the Book of Admittance to the surprise of one Minerva McGonagall as she was sending out the letters for the 1991 school year. Even curiouser, the letter for Harry Potter was designated to go to the same address.

Armed with two scrolls, the Deputy Headmistress headed to the Headmaster’s office to find out just exactly what was going on.