The Boy: Brandon Dursely

Chapter 2: The Letter

The next day, Bran woke up early and showered early, too. He was going to meet up with some friends later at the nearest skatepark. He loved skating! It made him feel like flying, like a bird.

"Early, are we?" His father greeted him at the garage as he squandered off to fetch his skateboard. He nodded excitedly at the man and Vernon ruffled his son's hair.

"Just don't forget about your helmet, alright?" vernon reminded his youngest, "Also, please go up first, change your shirt. You look like a..." Vernon stopped, not finding the right words to speak.

"What's wrong with my shirt, Dad?"

Vernon looked at the hole and a tear near Bran's chest.

"It's... A bit... Torn? On some sides? Where's your Mum, anyway?"

"Uh... At her garden, I guess?"

"Are you asking or telling, Bran?"

"Oh! Sorry. Telling, sir. She is at the garden."

Vernon nodded approvingly, "Now go and change your shirt."

Bran politely nodded. Between his Mum and his Dad, Vernon Dursely was always the one who was strict and stern. Petunia was strict, yes, but nowhere near Vernon. His Dad was born a perfectionist! Their shirts should always be presentable and he always wanted them to wear suits and formal shirts during special occasions, or smart-looking vests. Brandon found this good, since it made him look smarter, or something like that. Besides, he valued his Dad's advices highly.

Brandon pulled one of his looser shirts from his wardrobe, and he made sure that it had no holes or anything defective. He settled on one of his plain black shirts and reminded himself to take note about mending the small holes and rips on the shirt he was wearing earlier.

As he turned to go, he looked back to check that his room was neat, or else his parents would let him have it. He then proceeded to open the window he forgot to open earlier when something caught his attention.

There was a neat looking envelope sitting silently on his windowsill. It was very... He could not put the word to it.

He touched it and stared at it, not trusting himself to turn it over. He could feel something, like words, or something like that. Maybe his name. He doesn't want to see it. His heart went 'badum-badum-badum' and more 'badum-badum-badum' whenever he dared to do so.

Until he finally did put a word to describe it.

It was magical.

He could feel the little tingling magical vibrations on the paper, especially from the back.

He clutched the paper tight, but gentle enough so that he wouldn't crumple it and ruin it completely.

He didn't dare to move a muscle and just stared at the envelope.

What could the envelope contain? What was written at the back? Why does it feel so magical?

Suddenly, he found his Mum at his bedroom's doorway. She was staring and smiling at him gently. She was about to open her mouth to say something, when she saw what he was holding. The glint in her eyes told him that she recognized it.

Brandon's heart still went on to the rhythm of an ecstatic 'badum-badum-badum'.

Then the next thing he knew, she was kneeling in front of him, crying, but they weren't sad tears. They were happy tears, tears of joy. He never saw her look like that before. It made his heart clench, but in a good way. He didn't know why.

"Oh, my baby. My baby!" She hugged him tight and kissed his cheek, and he just stood still, looking at the woman who raised him as if he was her own, who loved him and made him feel like he belonged.

This was the woman who stood as his mother, and Bran loved her. With all his heart.

But he was barely grasping at the way she reacted. Bran wanted to know why.

"Mum?" His voice was croaked and his was throat dry. He spoke, voice barely above a whisper, "What's wrong?"

"Oh, Brandon! Nothing! Nothing wrong, baby. It's really great, actually!" She said enthusiastically and she hugged him again, "Oh, if only Lily was here to see this day!" She said as he bestowed a kiss upon his hair.

"Mum? What's..."

"Oh, Bran! You're off to Hogwarts!!"

----

Vernon and Dudely smiled widely as they saw the envelope. Their family was now gathered in the living room, the skateboarding adventure now forgotten. Brandon eyed the paper in his hands, then to his family and back to the paper again.

"Go on then, scamp," Dudley encouraged, "Why don't you open it?"

"I..." Brandon stopped. His heart was still thumping and thumping and thumping, and the magical vibrations were still there.

"What's wrong?" Vernon asked, sensing the boy's unease.

"Is there something written on the back, Bran?" Petunia asked, brows furrowing. She noticed that her son seemed to be afraid to turn to the other side of the envelope. She then stood up from the sette and walked towards the boy. She then placed a reassuring hand on his shoulders and he looked up to smile gently at her. Oh, she could see her sister at the smiles and laughs of this boy!

If only you're here, Lily. If only I was not too late, or too selfish, or too afraid. Maybe... Just maybe... You'd be here right now, seeing your boy. Our Brandon and your Harry.

Petunia was on the verge of tears as she thought of Lily. She, at some point, despised her beautiful, intelligent sister. But when Lily was killed, and the father of the boy was nowhere to be seen, she couldn't help but love her sister again. Of course, she was forever sorry for being too late. It was her greatest regret in her life, and she hoped that by rearing Lily's child, whom she named Harry, and who, in turn, they called Brandon, would help in atoning her sins.

She knew, when the baby was left at their doorstep, that she had to protect him. They had to hide him from whoever demon would want to harm him.

They did. They raised him as one of their own, telling him of his birthright: his mother, his life, and later on, his magic. Although she was no witch, Petunia knew a lot about the Wizarding World. She had learned from Lily's schoolbooks which she secretly loved to read and Lily's personal stories. She now passed her knowledge to her nephew, and her adoptive son. And they all loved and adored him.

Now, his destiny unfolded before them. They all knew that the time would come when Brandon would be taken away from them by Magic, and it brought sadness to their hearts. But she knew this is what Lily would have wanted, and what he was born for.

"Go on now, child," Petunia urged.

Brandon, with hands trembling slightly, turned over the envelope. He read the golden, embossed words and then turned to look at his Mum, his eyes filled with confusion.

"M... Mum? If this is for me... Why's Harry Potter's name written on it?"