𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐥𝐞 | h. granger

i | the vanishing glass

Number 4, Privet Drive

── •✧• ──

𝐃𝐀𝐊𝐎𝐓𝐀 𝐃𝐔𝐑𝐒𝐋𝐄𝐘 𝐖𝐀𝐒 nothing like her older twin brother, Dudley. He was the perfect golden child in their parents' eyes. She was, as her mother and father liked to call her. . .peculiar. Not that she understood why, of course. She didn't know that she was doing anything out of the ordinary, but with parents like hers that were prissy about things being proper and normal with logical explanations, she was constantly finding herself on thin ice for reasons that she couldn't quite explain.

Her cousin, Harry Potter, was the only one who seemed to understand. He had been scolded on many occasions for his hair growing back after it had just been cut, making a sweater that Petunia Dursley was trying to force him into shrink, and somehow making it to the roof of the school kitchens while running away from Dudley and his gang.

Dakota had similar experiences. One time when she was bored during the Sunday service at church, she had wished that something interesting would happen to make the sermon less boring. Almost instantly, the pages of the bible which the preacher was reading tore off and began flying around the chapel. Another time, she had accidentally caused Dudley's nose to bleed without even laying a hand on him.

Her mother would make excuses for her. She'd blame whatever happened on changes in the weather or something. But deep down, Petunia Dursley knew that her daughter was just as abnormal as her late sister, Lily Potter, her husband, James Potter, and their son, Harry. She mentioned nothing of this to her own husband, Vernon Dursley. If it wasn't talked about, then it wasn't real. She had a perfectly normal daughter, and the only strange one was her nephew.

Like normal people are able to make things happen just by thinking about them.

Dakota awoke on the 23 of June with a feeling of excitement bubbling in her stomach. It was the day of her 11th birthday; the one day a year when her parents would be forced to acknowledge her in a positive way. She got out of bed and dressed as usual before leaving her room to go downstairs.

Her twin brother was already out of his own room. Dudley ran down the stairs, stomping his feet extra loud to disturb Harry, who slept in the cupboard underneath the staircase.

"Wake up, cousin!" Dudley shouted, jumping up and down on the step. "We're going to the zoo!" He laughed and bounded down the rest of the way, slamming the door shut on Harry when he tried to crawl out. Harry let out a small grunt of pain and rubbed his head.

Dakota held the small door open for him and reached a hand out to help him up. "Are you okay, Harry?" she asked, concern in her voice.

"Fine," Harry replied quietly. "Happy birthday, Dakota. I made you this." He handed her a birthday card with a drawing of them on the front, the words Happy Birthday, Kody! written across in green crayon.

"Thank you, Harry." Dakota smiled and hugged her younger cousin. Together, they walked into the kitchen for breakfast, which Petunia was already ordering Harry to make.

Dakota frowned. She didn't like how her parents treated Harry as a personal servant instead of a nephew.

"How many are there?!" Dudley demanded to know as he stared at the pile of presents.

Dakota sighed and sipped her orange juice, eyeing the large pile of gifts that her parents had gotten for her twin. She rolled her eyes. He was so spoiled.

She was used to favouritism by now. Dakota, being "peculiar" like Harry, didn't get nearly as much attention from her mum and dad. She got less presents on their birthday and wasn't ever allowed more than what was given to her at meals, whereas Dudley could eat to his heart's content.