An Austere Office Fan Fic

Name: Dudley Dursley Birth date: June 24th 1980 Work/Schooling: Finished Secondary school and is now in his final year of university. Went to smeltings… I need a university near little whinging if anyone knows one…. Doesn’t do extremely well, but takes university much more seriously than he did secondary school. School is a little more serious as his graduation date approaches and he has yet to secure a job. Family: Ummm well there is Petunia who is the professional and dutiful stay at home mother. She still fusses about in everyone’s business including her 22 almost 23 year old son. Vernon suffured a serious heart attack last fall and underwent a quadruple bypass surgery. His doctor advised that he not return to work. Not having spent so much time together since their marriage, Petunia and Vernon bicker like children and get in each other’s way. Dudley is mostly responsible for supporting the family although his mother still is abhorred that her diddy-kins works so hard. Dudley lives at home though he often wishes for his own space and dreams about moving out. There is only so many years of diddy-kinning that a guy can handle without exploding. Lineage: Muggle? Middle-class playing the role of upper-middle class, though money has been extremely tight since Vernon’s heart attack. Home: Good old number 4 privet drive, little whinging surrey. Appearance: Dudley is tall and broad, though much slimmer than he was in his HP days. He is still on the heavier side of life, but it is more like chubby muscle that rolls of fat. He is blond and has blue eyes. His cheeks have a tendancy to get very red. He has large hands. His hair is cut into s simple guy-type cut. Personality: Special Skills: Dudley is a hard worker once he get’s off the sofa and sets his mind to it. He is a sports fanatic and can hold his alcohol like a champ. Weaknesses: Dudley is selfish and a tad lazy. He has been spoiled most of his life and likes when the conversation revolves around him. He also has a very short temper. He is also cowardly and will balk and run at the slightest challenge. Romantic Interests:

None at the onset. Though he is very lonely and is the only single bloke in his group of friends. He’d like to have a girl just to say he has one. Although occassionally, from time to time, he can picture himself marrying a beautiful house keeper and having a couple of strapping boys that he can teach to box. Enemies: His largest set back is his lack of self-worth. He only expects so much of himself and this has a tendancy to hold him back. While he is very cocky and arogant at times, it is usually rooted deeper as a over compensation. Also, his family tends to hold him in a certain light that prevents him from changing his ways. Friends: Dudley’s best friend is a friend from university. His name is Michael Bowkley. Micheal is a pretty all around nice guy. He is a respnsible chap who helps keep Dudley in line in class. He enjoys sports and hanging out to take breaks from the monotony of school. He lives in surrey not far from little whinging. He is engaged to be married to his long time girlfriend Samantha Peters who is a student at their university. She is from the London Region. Dudley is their permanent third wheel on their bi-weekly weekend ventures to the pubs to watch footbal. Peirs is a longtime childhood friend who attended Smeltings with Dudley. Their paths split once Peirs went away from Little Whinging for University, but they are still close and communicate often. They hang out whenever Peirs comes home from break. Peirs also has a girlfriend from school whose name is Thea. She is demanding and spoiled and keeps peirs on a very short chain. She is one of the few reasons Dudley is single. Malcom, Gordon, and Dennis are childhood friends from within little whinging. They did not go to Smeltings with Dudley and never went to university either. They hold various jobs and remained local. Dudley hadn’t really talked to them through out secondary school but has become friends with them again since moving back home for university. Travis is a friend from work not sure about his role, appearance or function in the story, although he may be the source of infidelity later in the novel. He is older than Dudley, around 26 and is married with a toddler. Hobbies: Dudley enjoys throwing a few beers back with the blokes on the weekends and watching football. He also is an avid gameshow fan on the TV. He used to box, and still enjoys getting to the gym to work out regularly. He can pretty much have fun doing anything outside his house including people watching. Making fun of people is still a source of great enjoyment in his life… Allegiance/Motivation: Dudley, though very frustrated with his family, is very loyal to them. Although the last time he saw his cousin, he was scared and worried for him, he has not tried to contact him out of compliance to his parents. He is fairly self motivated and has some goals in life. Hope: That he can eventually move out of his parent’s house without betraying them. That perhaps they can start to get on their own feet soon. He hopes that he graduates and finds a real job to replace his two part time jobs. He also hopes to meet a girl that he can marry who will want to cook for and take care of him. He’s a tad hopeless at that on his own. He also wants to be a dad of a couple of boys one day – strapping athletic boys.

Fear: Dudley is terrified of being alone and of people judging him. He is afraid that he will never be good enough and that people think he is fat. He is also afraid of what will happen with his parents if he ever does leave to be on his own. Goals: Dudley hopes to graduate. His grades of late are a little shaky. He also hopes to be able to secure a decent job in some high end business upon graduation. Once these things are acomplished… he hopes to move out of #4 privet drive. Pet: Animals make too much of a mess and require too much attention. What would they say about themselves: Not much. Dudley isn’t that talkative. Although if goaded into it, he would probably say that he is a normal sort of guy in a bad place that he just needs to get out of. Back Story: Dudley has matured a lot since his year on the lam from Lord Voldemort. Upon his downfall, the Dursley’s were premitted back into their home. Dudley finished secondary school during this year with Diggle. Once at home, he began taking courses at the university near his house. He partied more than he studied and wasted a lot of time. After his father’s heart attack, he was forced to become more serious about his life. He began working two part time jobs while still attending classes at the university. During this shift in his life is when he befriended Micheal who has been a remarkable influence on his life. A bit about the plot: Dudley is going to meet a lovely woman and fall in love with her. Downfall, she’s a witch with plenty of her own emotional problems. The story, entitled An Austere Office, is about the sacrifices and responsibilities of love and what of your self you give up for love. Kind of the opposite of most romances since it focuses on the challenges as opposed to the rewards. How do you (the author) plan to use them: Main Character. 3rd person…. Omnipotent.

[b]Name:[/b] Cho Chang [b]Birth date:[/b] May 5th 1979 [b]Work/Schooling:[/b] Cho was home schooled by her father in writing and reading and arithmetic untill the age of eleven. She then attended Hogwarts and was sorted into the Ravenclaw house where she spent her seven years. As a fifth year, sho took her OWLs and received them in Transfiguration, Potions, Charms, Ancient Runes, Athrimancy, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology. As a NEWT student she decided to study each of these courses except for Potions having only received an A on her OWL. She received a NEWT in each of these courses with an O in Charms and Ancient Runes. [b]Family:[/b]

Cho is second generation chinese english. Her paternal grandfather was a muggle who served in the Brittish Armed Forces. He met her paternal grandmother while on a tour of duty in the far east. Her grandmother was a chinese witch who left her country with her new husband upon his completion of service. Cho’s father was born months after their their arrival in London. He took after his mother and was a wizard who was accepted to both Hogwarts and a Chinese school of magic. His father being a muggle and his mother only familiar with the chinese schooling system sent their son off to china to be educated. While in school, Mr. Chang met Cho’s mother a witch in his class. They returned to London and married soon there after. Mr. Chang runs a tradditional oriental magic shop from the back of his wife’s resturaunt. Cho is an only child who was born almost a decade after her parent’s marriage. Her paternal grandfather has since passed away, and her widowed grandmother lives in the family home about the store and resturaunt in down town London. Having integrated with the English culture and not wanting to send his daughter far away, Mr. Chang sent Cho to Hogwarts for her magical education. [b]Lineage:[/b] Cho’s mother is a pure-blood chinese witch. Cho’s father is half english and half chinese and is a half blood getting magic from his mother’s side. Cho’s paternal grandmother is muggle born. [b]Home:[/b] While growing up, Cho grew up in a spacious apartment above her family’s resturaunt and magical shoppe in down town London. Once she graduated school and found gainful employment, she moved out and obtained her own flat also located in london which she shared with her fiance until their recent break up. [b]Appearance:[/b] Cho is of slight frame. She is short and slender, but is broad shouldered giving her an athletic appearance. She has rich brown almond shaped eyes and shoulder blade legnth sleek black hair. She has a fair complexion. Overall, she is an attractive girl who knows it and usually welcomes the attention that she recieves from the guys. [b]Personality:[/b] Flighty, un committed, careful, doubtful, suspicious, big talker and loves company [b]Special Skills:[/b] Cho is particular fond of charms and ancient runes, but never pursued careers in either subject. She is athletic and was a fair seeker for the Ravenclaw House quidditch team. She is very social and flourishes talking and interacting with other people. She is intelligent and enjoys reading in her limited spare time. Cho is a very loyal and passionate. [b]Weaknesses:[/b] Cho has a very poor self image as far as men are concerned. She sells herself short quite often and falls back on her looks when interacting with a man. Cho is also rather psychologically damaged from a series of romantic relationship disasters which ties into the poor self image. [b]Romantic Interests:[/b] Where to start. At the age of fifteen she fell in love with a seventh year, Cedric Diggory. He was murdered as one of the first victim of the second wizarding war. His death affected her very negatively and overhangs all of her relationships. After Cedric’s death, Cho dated Harry Potter as a bit of a therapuetic experiment gone very badly. Harry

ended things with her and she moved on rather quickly. They are on good terms today and do not hold any grudges when they happen to meet. Cho dated Micheal Corner soon after Harry. They dated for Cho’s entire seventh year and for an additional year after that until Micheal finished school. They moved in together soon after and he finished school and stayed together for several months untill Micheal decided that he wasn’t ready to comitt and that he wasn’t right for her. He left her without talking about it. After Micheal, Cho became involved in a relationship with who she thought was the man for her. He (still unnamed) was about a decade her senior and moved into her apartment with her. They dated for two years until cho found out that he was married and the father of two young boys. After kicking him out, she returned to him periodically over the next year several times for one or two nights each until his wife found out and he refused to see her anymore. For the past year, Cho has been in a variety of short term whirl wind romances. [b]Enemies:[/b] Cho’s biggest enemy is herself. She blames herself in all of her failed relationships and has minimal self esteem. Her damaged psychee is flighty and makes it hard for her to form relationships. While not an enemy, Cho’s mother disapproves of her daughter’s lifestlye and is very vocal about her disapprovement. [b]Friends:[/b] Cho has not really maintained contact with any of her school day friends. She talks to Harry on ocassion as he is her only confidant from her school days. She is friendly with several of the witches from her office although she doesnot hang out with them outside of work. She is better friends with an older lady who lives beside her. [b]Hobbies:[/b] Cho enjoys going out on the town and meeting new people. She is an avid Tornados fan and follows her team adamantly. Cho enjoys reading in her spare time and curling up on her sofa with her cat. [b]Allegiance/Motivation:[/b] --[b]Hope:[/b] Cho secretly hopes that she can find a man who will actually love her. She hopes that she will find a job she loves instead of just one that pays the bills. And she hopes that one day her mother will approve of her life. [b]Fear:[/b] Cho fears that she will die alone and that her life will have meant nothing. [b]Goals:[/b] She is too far minded to have immediate goals. She only thinks in terms of eventually. [b]Pet:[/b] Cho has a long-haired all black cat named lui. [b]What would they say about themselves:[/b] I suppose she’d say that she is just a normal witch who does her best to get by day to day. [b]Back Story:[/b] I think I’ve filled most of this in… [b]A bit about the plot:[/b]

She is going to meet Dudley who actually falls in love with her. She is going to be a problematic girl to love with all of her psychoses. [b]How do you (the author) plan to use them:[/b] Main character’s love interest.

Dares: Have a character carry out a serious conversation while in the bath. Bonus if it's done in person. Have a character accidentally say something in another language to somebody who doesn't speak that language. Include the phrase: "Oh no, I didn't fall for you. You tripped me." Have a storm scene where lightning strikes a tree -include a black cat that brings not bad, but good luck

Outline: Title: An Austere Office Summary: Dudley Dursley has matured since his days of selfish tantrums and bullying. His father’s massive heart attack inaugurated his increased responsibility within Number 4 Privet Drive. With Vernon unable to work and Petunia the ever dutiful housewife, Dudley was left to support the family while finishing his education at the local university. Now, one year graduated, he has only managed to secure a dead-end desk job supplemented by part-time evening hours. Frustrated with his employment, his residence with his parents, and his friends’ imminent successes, love is the last thing on Dudley’s mind until a beautiful girl magically appears in his life. Love, as Dudley comes to learn, is never easy and is a turbulent ride of mistakes, inconsistencies and secrets. Will this girl’s secrets be too much for Dudley to handle, or will he accept the austere office of real love? Chapter One A day in the mundane life of Dudley Dursley, he goes to work at Wilkins Bros. Accounting firm where he is subjected to tedious chores, Travis’ stories of his perfect wife and son, and criticism from clients and supervisors alike. He then reports for a shift at Marmac’s Grocery Store before finally returning home only to be fussed over by his mother.

Chapter Two Dudley returns home from a day at the office only to be told that the bill money is a bit tight this month. He fights with his parents and winds up at the bar where Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon frequent. He talks with them about his life, they don’t understand. Chapter Three An evening off from the grocer!! Dudley declines his mates’ invite to go out to the pubs to stay home and help his dad out around the house. He is in a very foul mood and resentful of his situation. Piers calls from medical school… only further deepens Dudley’s bad mood. Dudley ends up at the pub with the guys and tries to chat up a girl. He fails and by the end of the night is the only single bloke of his friends. Chapter Four A long day at the office. Jokes around with Travis about the office. Finds out Piers has a weekend off from school next weekend and agrees to meet up with him and Thea in London. This puts him in better spirits. He hasn’t met Thea yet and is anxious to meet one of his best mates’ new girl friend and spend some time in the city. Goes to the grocer Chapter Five This weekend however, Dudley goes out to xxxxx in Surrey to stay with Michael in his new flat. They usually meet up with Samantha and go out on the town. Dudley is only truly happy with these friends, although their new engagement makes him feel more alone than ever. Michael and Dudley have a heart to heart. Chapter Six At the bar, Dudley spots a beautiful girl who Michael encourages him to chat up. Slightly intoxicated, he puts his recent failure from mind and approaches her. They hit it off rather well and the four of them go to another pub to hang out. Things get a little hot between them, but he declines going home with her. Chapter Seven Dudley wakes up on Michael's sofa and chides himself for being so virtuous. He realizes he has no way of contacting her except the fact that everyone at the pub knew her name so she must frequent it. Chapter Eight Although Dudley and Michael return the pub the next evening, Cho is not there and so the guys watch a game and have a few drinks before leaving. Dudley returns to little whinging and the hustle and bustle of working two jobs. At least he has his weekend in London to look forward to. Chapter Nine Dudley finishes another horrible week and flips out at dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon a bit about their lack of responsibilities and such. He goes home and flips out at his parents for no reason and then leaves for London to meet piers.

Chapter Ten Meets up with Piers at the pub. Piers talks about how wonderful his life is. Dudley is quiet and pissed but piers didn’t notice. He meets Thea who is a complete pitch with a b. Dudley can’t wait to get back to Surrey. Surprisingly he sees a familiar female face at the bar and he approaches her. Chapter Eleven Dudley talks to Cho who is in the city visiting her parents. She is in a bad mood because she is visiting her parents. They talk and bond a lot. They share a few drinks and Dudley gets up the courage to ask her out. She agrees. He gives her his number and she gives him hers. Chapter Twelve Dudley goes back to Piers’ apartment and feels awkward with Thea and him. He leaves early the next morning and returns to little whinging. He is upset about Piers but in better spirits than he had been. He spends the afternoon with his parents and goes to work the next day where Travis gets the info about Cho out of him. Now the subject of all jokes. Chapter Thirteen Dinner date at last!! They hit it off rather well and end up back at her apartment. Dudley is nervous since he usually bats out with the ladies. To his relief/disappointment, nothing happens and he leaves after a while. Later at the pub with M/G/D they make fun of him. Chapter Fourteen (two – three months) Summary catch up type chapter in which Dudley and Cho get closer together and end up spending nearly all their limited free time together. Weekend with Michael and Samantha. Dudley is falling in love with her but is way to manly to ever tell her this. Cho is really uncomfortable with their relationship since he hasn’t tried anything with her. She feels unwanted. Chapter Fifteen After a long week in which Dudley is not able to see her, Cho gets very uneasy. She confronts him and they have a talk/argument and end up sleeping together. The next few weeks are a whirlwind honeymoon type period. Dudley now knows he loves her and tells her such one evening. She is uneasy because she doesn’t generally trust men and she’s hiding a huge secret. She tells him that he can’t possibly love her since he doesn’t even know her. Chapter Sixteen The secret comes out. Dudley freaks out and leaves her. He is moody and depressive and angry again. His parents notice the change although they never knew about Cho. His friends catch on and tell him he’s better off without her. He works a lot. Travis is particularly annoying.

Chapter Seventeen After two weeks of heck, Dudley meets Michael and Samantha as per usual only without Cho. He can’t even explain why they aren’t together but Michael is the voice of reason and tells him that whatever she did, if he loves her he has to go after him. Chapter Eighteen Dudley appears outside of Cho’s flat and explains his idiocy. They go back to his house for the first time. And start to work through some magical stuff. Petunia comes home and sees them and Dudley is forced to introduce and explain Cho to her. She is taken aback and a little horrified, but unable to correct her diddikins. They make a pact to not tell his father. Chapter Nineteen Travis notices Dudley’s changed mood and comments. Dudley blows off his friends to hang out at Cho’s. He starts spending most nights there. Vernon gets suspicious and asks. He meets Cho but doesn’t know her secret. Cho is really fond of Dudley and tells him this. They have a talk about their physical relationship and her past relationships. Chapter Twenty Harry comes up. Funny coincidence. Decide to work on their physical relationship. Dudley becomes frustrated with their new lack of physical relationship. They meet up with Michael and Samantha. Who act like the perfect model of a relationship which both Dudley and Cho compare themselves. Chapter Twenty-One Cho is required to visit her parents in London and so is accompanied by Dudley. He realizes their poor relationship. Big fight over her improprieties with the man. They meet up with harry. Awkward conversations. Also stop in to visit Piers whose relationship is fakey perfect but actually a disaster. Chapter Twenty-Two Horrible week at work. Bill money is tight and Vernon blames his son’s relationship with that girl. Petunia tries to coddle Dudley but only pisses him off further. Dudley and Cho have a huge fight about everything including their new lack of physicality. This ends in Dudley’s favour and Cho feels rather worthless and objectified. Chapter Twenty-Three Cho and Dudley barely see each other during the following week. They are civil but something is wrong. Dudley blows off his weekend with Michael and goes out with d/g/m instead. He considers cheating on Cho but doesn’t despite his friends encouragement. Twenty-four Bad week at work again. Next to no money and Vernon suffers another heart attack. Dudley blows Cho off all together until she forces him to talk to her and for the first time

he spill everything to her. She is very consoling but seems slightly off and distant. He forces her to talk to him to. She admits that she slept with another man. Chapter Twenty-five Nuclear fall out. In the course of the argument he discovers that she is pregnant. They’ve only been together once recently and so he “knows” that it isn’t his. She is desperate and wants him to understand and be with her. He refuses and kicks her out of the house. He goes out with M/G/D. Chapter Twenty-six At work, Travis is running his mouth about this beautiful asian girl he’s been seeing. Dudley realizes that Travis is the man that Cho cheated on him with. He flips out and starts a huge fight with Travis. Dudley is fired. Chapter Twenty-Seven Several extremely stressful weeks go by. Vernon is doing better. Bills keep piling up and Dudley is miserable and only hanging out with D/G/M. He hasn’t even told Michael about Cho. Finally, Samantha confronts him and the whole story comes out. She talks to him and helps him through it. Chapter Twenty-Eight (four to five months later) Dudley has realized that D/M/G are poor friends and has quit hanging out with them. He still sees Michael and Samantha on occasion but feels more like a third wheel than ever. Thea and Peirs have broken up also. He has found another mundane office job and is still working at the grocer. Basically the same mundane life as in the beginning. Chapter Twenty-Nine Goes to London to hang out with Peirs. Stops in to visit Harry also. While in a shop to pick up something, he runs into Cho. She is very pregnant and alone. She’s moved back to London. She has no one. Dudley returns to Peirs’ but can’t stop thinking about her. Chapter Thirty Dudley sets aside his pride and returns to confront Cho. He demands that he wants her back. Independent, very untrusting of men, and sorta lying in the bed she made, Cho resists but eventually allows Dudley to return to her flat with her. They talk and Dudley realizes that he loves her, her mistakes included. he returns to little whinging with Cho to explain. Chapter Thirty-one His parents are abashed at the scandal, but take her in none the less. They begin to work on their problems. Dudley and her come to terms with everything. He tells her that regardless of the actual father, he would be their child’s father.

Epilogue Child is about two and every bit Dudley’s son. His mother and father are as much in love as they were in the beginning of their relationships and realize that the hardships made their love stronger. They are now living in a town house not far from Michael and Sam who are expecting their first child soon. His parents are making due in a smaller home with petunia working part time at a salon.