Goddess

A Random Black Dog

Persephone bounced up the stairs happily. She'd just gone out to the mall with Rosella and had her hair cut. She thought it looked wonderful. She had straightened out her waves and shortened her waist long hair to mid neck. It was a big change but it suited her.

She was wearing a white turtle-neck a black denim vest and a pair of jeans. She skipped down but her face contorted into an expression of hatred as she spotted the large, beefy, purple-faced woman.

Marge Dursley was a horrid, nasty, detestable woman who was Uncle Vernon's sister. Aunt Marge lived in the country in a house with a large garden where she bred bulldogs. She didn't often stay at Privet Drive because she couldn't bear to stay away from her precious dogs.

"Where's my Dudders?" roared Aunt Marge. "Where's my neffy-poo?" Dudley came waddling down the hall, his blond hair plastered flat to his head, a bow tie 'round his neck. 

Aunt Marge thrust the suitcase into Persephone's stomach, knocking the wind out of her, seized Dudley in a tight one-armed hug, and planted a large kiss on his cheek. Persephone knew perfectly well that Dudley only put up with Aunt Marge's hugs because he was well paid for it, and sure enough, when they broke apart, Dudley had a crisp twenty-pound note clutched in his fist.

"Petunia!" shouted Aunt Marge, striding past Persephone as though she was a hat stand. Aunt Marge and Aunt Petunia kissed, or rather, Aunt Marge bumped her large jaw against Aunt Petunia's cheekbone. Uncle Vernon now came in, smiling jovially as he shut the door. 

"Tea, Marge?" he said. "And what will Ripper take?" 

"Ripper can have some tea out of my saucer," said Aunt Marge as they all trooped into the kitchen, leaving Persephone alone in the hall with the suitcase. But she wasn't complaining; any excuse not to be with Aunt Marge was fine by her, so she began to heave the case upstairs into her bedroom, taking as long as she could. By the time she got back to the kitchen, Aunt Marge had been supplied with tea and fruitcake, and Ripper was lapping noisily in the corner. 

Perse saw Aunt Petunia wince slightly as specks of tea and drool flecked her clean floor. Aunt Petunia hated animals. 

"Who's looking after the other dogs, Marge?" Uncle Vernon asked. 

"Oh, I've got Colonel Fubster managing them," boomed Aunt Marge. "He's retired now, good for him to have something to do. But I couldn't leave poor old Ripper. He pines if he's away from me." 

Ripper began to growl again as Persephone sat down. 

This directed Aunt Marge's attention to Persephone for the first time. 

"So!" she barked. "Still here, are you?" 

"Yes," said Persephone. 

"Don't you say 'yes' in that ungrateful tone," Aunt Marge growled. 

"It's damn good of Vernon and Petunia to keep you. Wouldn't have done it myself. You'd have gone straight to an orphanage if you'd been dumped on my doorstep." 

"I would've rather lived in an orphanage than with some crazy old lady whose only friends are dogs." Persephone snapped.

Petunia gasped. 

"Don't you talk like that to me!" boomed Aunt Marge.

"What if I do? What are you gonna do about it?" Persephone glared.

"I can see you haven't improved since I last saw you. Still as manner-less as ever. Where is it you send her again, Vernon?" She took a large gulp of tea.

"A boarding school, in America." Uncle Vernon said quickly.

"I see. Do they punish you often, girl?"  she barked across the table.