When with Rome {Sirius Black}

30.2 Vernon Dursley

To say Barbara wanted to leave on the spot was the understatement of the century.

Vernon was hideously normal, no wonder Petunia liked him so much. He bragged about his work place, claimed to be near a promotion, and reeked of narcissism. Barbara ended up drumming her fingers on Sirius's knee to make sure he was there and ready to hold her back st any moment.

Finally, after the hours-long conversation about his work, Lily was able to get her words in. "So, Vernon, as you know I'm a witch. Barbara was supposed to be coming alone to introduce you to the Wizarding World; but I guess one more explaining it isn't a bad idea."

"Oh, are you two together?" Vernon asked the pair of friends across from him. Barbara and Sirius laughed, apparently making Vernon mad because he didn't receive a straight answer right away.

"No, merely friends. Sirius is staying with my family and I for a while. He's best mates with my brother."

"And where is your brother? Why didn't he show up with you all?"

"James is busy. He had prior commitments with helping my parents around the house. They're an older couple, you see." Barbara lied smoothly. She threw a sideways glance to Lily, who seemed relieved that her best friend was so good at lying.

"And then what do you do if he's the caretaker?" Vernon asked. His tone made Barbara want to kick him where Petunia was sitting.

"My parents just needed another helping hand. We already have a couple House Elves, who are creatures in the Wizarding World that are the equivalent to servants. We treat them well, mind you. And my folks don't need a caretaker. My dad's a successful potioneer and my mother is a retired magizoologist."

"What do those do? Good money? My job pays just as good as five janitors." Barbara refrained from rolling her eyes. Yup, he definitely overcompensates with his big talk.

"A potioneer makes various potions and creates more to help others. My father's side of the family is made up of potioneers; and he has been able to expand the Potters' wealth. My mother is infamous in the magizoologist committee; and she's even met Newt Scamander, who's extremely famous in our world." She felt proud of herself for getting Vernon to shut his mouth about wealth. She never liked talking about it but had no problem putting the man in his place with his tail in between his legs.

"Then you plan to live off of the wealth, right? As a woman-"

"- As a woman who what, Dursley? Care to finish that sentence?" Sirius growled. Barbara was surprised with how protective Sirius was but didn't blame him. Lily was just as shocked as she was with the misogynistic comment as Barbara was. Even Petunia seemed slightly taken aback, but never uttered a word.

"Well- I just thought- uh-" Vernon sputtered. Barbara and the rest of the magical beings let him choke on his own words for a few moments more until Barbara spoke up again.

"Granted, I'm only fifteen; but because I'm a bit more advanced than other students my age, I had a grand opportunity. I'm an Auror, which is like your Scotland Yard detective. That means I'm the youngest Auror in history, and I've just finished my trials to become one. I had to go up against the best Wizard of our time, Albus Dumbledore, and Mad-Eye Moody."

"Well," Vernon tried to one-up Barbara, "I'm very important in the business!" He sounded like he was trying to impress himself and Petunia more than Barbara, Lily and Sirius.

Barbara wasn't going to allow anybody to one up her. It always annoyed her when people bragged to begin with.

"I'm pretty important as well, being Royalty and all..." She didn't expect Vernon to be more red than the Gryffindor Emblem; but she found out a lot of shocking things that day. Barbara was also pleasantly surprised neither freakishly normal Muggle asked about the royalty comment. It seemed Vernon was too focused on being better than anybody else in the whole room.

"You think that you are so important when you're only fifteen! Well guess what!? I don't believe anything you're saying! Might as well turn me into a pig!"

Vernon suddenly looked frightened; and Petunia took refuge behind him. He was staring down the most angered young woman he had ever seen. Her eyes became an eerie yet mesmerizing icy-blue, her eyes hot with anger. What scared him the most was how calm her posture seemingly was; and her calm, cold voice chilled him to the bones. He knew he would never forget her even if he tried.

"Lils, do you want to sleep over for the next couple weeks? We will go to Diagon Alley tomorrow and then just hand out for the rest of summer break." Lily nodded, not wanting to be in the room with an angry Vampire. She dashed upstairs.

Barbara kept her eyes trained on Vernon, her looking point practically drowning her. Though Vernon never took notice because he was focused on her eyes, Barbara's hands were shaking with anger. She loathed people who didn't trust her word just because she was different.

"Oh, you know how you said 'might as well turn me into a pig' just a few moments ago? Well, I'm going to take you on that offer, you freak." Barbara made it a point to look behind Vernon and straight at Petunia. Barbara wanted Petunia to feel how much that word hurt her sister, Barbara's best friend.

With a wave of Barbara's wand, a pig tail was the only thing that changed Vernon Dursley's appearance. Apparently, he was too much like a pig already.

Barbara and Sirius sprinted upstairs to Lily's room, where she was coming out of with her Hogwarts trunk and everything else she needed. "Quick! We have to leave now! You can stay at my place for the rest of the summer!"

Without warning, Barbara grabbed Lily's hand and then Sirius's and apparated them back to her home.

She didn't mention her idea of inviting Dursley and Petunia for dinner before their summer was done.