"Alright," Esmie said, her hands on her hips. She glared at the Dursleys. "Tell me what's goin' on."

"W-what do you w-want to kn-now?" Vernon stammered. Petunia looked terrified, and Dudley was opening his presents, completely ignoring the situation at hand. Classic Dudley.

"First of all, why did Harry show up here. What really happened to our parents?" Esmie demanded, her eyes like lasers. Petunia fingered the letter gingerly, as if it was a bomb, waiting to explode.

"Seriously, guys?" Harry scoffed. "You didn't tell her?"

Petunia mumbled something about protecting Esmeralda's young mind from such horrors, and Vernon was muttering furiously. Esmie caught a few words.

"Got... Because... Spell... Sorry..."

"What?" Esmie whispered dangerously. "I cannot hear you!"

"Sis, calm down!" Harry said through his teeth.

"I will not calm down!" Esmie snapped.

"Okay, okay..." Harry backed away, then when he thought Esmie's attention wasn't on him anymore (it was), he ran into his cupboard, and latched the door.

Dudley finally realized what was going on. "Everyone knows what happened, Esmie. Your parents got killed-"

"They what?"

"Let me finish. They got killed," Dudley paused, seeing if Esmie was going to murder him. Esmie decided to kill him after he finished.

"In a car crash. At least, that's what Mommy and Daddy told me. Ooh!" He exclaimed, attention back on the mountain of presents. "Another alien blasting game!" He checked the image on the front. "I've been wanting this since last month! About time..." Dudley spat at his parents.

"Dudley." Esmie warned.

"Fine." Dudley sighed. "Thank... You..." He squeezed the words out.

"There you go."

"Even when she's angry to the point of explosion, she's still worried about manners..." Dudley said under his breath.

"Wait," Esmie realized something. "I thought my parents were magi-"

"We don't use that word under this roof!" Petunia said, trying to stay calm.

"Then let me read that letter!" Esmie exclaimed.

"No." Vernon didn't even shout. It was complete defiance. "Now, Dudley, my boy. What would you like to do for your birthday?"

"Stop." Esmie couldn't hold it in any longer. "Give me that letter."

"But we sai-"

"Now."

As if in a trance, her aunt handed the letter to Esmie.

"Petunia! I thought we-"

"Thank you." Esmie said, her heart pounding. Making eye contact with her aunt and uncle, she turned around, and ran. Up the stairs, into her room. She closed the door, then locked it.