Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Stray
For some reason everyone is annoyed about the snake thing. I dunno why. They chased me more than once when I was little, they scare me, I hate being around them. Deal with it. (glare pout glare)
I wrote all of this chapter just this morning, so I'm tired. Please review it? Please?
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., and a number of other people, none of them me. Deal with it.
X
The punishment for the Python Incident was by far the longest that Harry and Stray had ever endured. By the time they were released from their cupboard for anything other than using the loo or the shower, the summer hols were already underway and half of Dudley's gifts had broken and/or used for devious purposes.
Unlike most children, such new s did not fall on grateful ears. Summer meant no school lunch, no teachers to watch out for them, and no alternative activities for big, stupid bullies. Though the twins were very quick under normal circumstances, the summer had a way of slowing them down in their attempts to escape the other boys. It wasn't because of the lazy summer stupor that most children fall victim to. No, it was ridiculously increased workloads and lack of sustenance that ailed them.
But for once in their lives, the boys had something to look foreword to. Come September, they would be going to a secondary school all their own. Dudley, along with all his friends, would be off to Smelting, Vernon's old school, but Stray and Harry were going to St. Brutus'.
Most children would be horrified to learn that they were to go to St. Brutus'. It's whole title was St. Brutus' School for Incurably Criminal Boys. As one can imagine, it wasn't exactly a honor to be there. In fact, more than a few people had been shocked to hear that the two tiny boys would even be considered. But, then again, everyone had heard the rumors about them (courtesy of Petunia and Vernon) about how horrible they were behind closed doors and the lies that they told. But if the Durselys, upstanding family they were, felt that St. Brutus' was needed, who were they to object? No need to cause trouble when it wasn't needed after all.
"They stuff people's heads into toilets every day at St. Brutus'." Dudley, who found the situation very funny, had told them. "Wanna go practice?"
"No thanks!" Stray had chirped.
"I can't imagine the poor toilet's ever had something as horrible as your head down it." Harry had elaborated.
"Yeah, it might get sick." with that the twins had run off, long before Dudley could figure out that he had been insulted.
One day in July Petunia brought Dudley to London to get his Smelting uniform, and Harry and Stray were left with Mrs. Figg. Stray was immediately pinned to the couch by two of her biggest cats (Santa Paws and Demon) and Harry put the TV on. The three of them watched a cooking show together for a long while, Mrs. Figg going on about how cute they were and how handsome the host was at irregular intervals the whole time.
That evening Dudley paraded around the house in his new uniform, a maroon and puke-orange ensemble with a straw hat and a stick to hit other students with. Vernon swelled with pride and Petunia broke down in tears of joy, whilst Harry and Stray excused themselves into their cupboard early, not trusting themselves to stifle their laughter under the circumstances.
X
The next morning was one of the worst Stray could remember. He had woken with his head on Harry's stomach as usual (he really did make for a great pillow) but had immediately been assaulted by the worst smell he had ever experienced. He sat up quickly, gagging, before giving Harry a rough shove.
"What?" mumbled Harry, giving him an annoyed glare.
"You, ya skunk!" he choked out, bringing the collar of Dudley's old shirt up over his nose.
"What're you-- oh!" Harry exclaimed in disgust, copying Stray's actions. "That was not me!"
After they'd managed to stop bickering, they pushed open the door and followed the stench to a huge pot on the counter. Swimming in a murky off-white liquid were dirty looking scraps of cloth. They wrinkled their noses, thoroughly disgusted, before turning to Petunia who had just walked in. Stray moved behind Harry, and Harry looked pointedly at the pot.
Petunia glared at them, before smiling sickeningly. "Do you know what that is, Boy? Freak?"
They both shook their heads.
"That is your new uniform. I'm dyed it white so it'll look just like everyone else's. You should be grateful."
Neither of them were of course. It was disgusting looking and Stray was starting to get woozy. Giving her their thanks, they quickly started about making breakfast, switching setting the table and minding the food between each other as they went.
Vernon lumbered down the steps just as they finished setting the food, glaring at them until they moved to the corner to await their families bidding. They didn't have to wait long. Not even a minute later they were ordered upstairs to wake up Dudley.
They walked quickly and silently out of the kitchen and to the steps. Barely even pausing they each grabbed half of the mail on the way, flipping through vaguely. "Aunt Marge." mumbled Harry, wrinkling his nose. "Everything else's junk or bills."
Stray blinked down at his pile, coming to a complete stop outside of Dudley's room. "Look. We got letters."
"Both of us?" said Harry incredulously, leaning over to get a better look. Stray was holding two envelopes made of unusually thick paper with curvy green ink lettering. "Why would we get mail?"
Mr. H. J. Potter
The Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Mr. S. C. V. Evans
The Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
"Why do I have more letters in mine?" asked Stray, confused. (they had given up on trying to figure out why their last names were different a long time ago. They figured that they must have different dads or something).
Harry shrugged, taking his letter and looking it over. "Maybe you've got 2 middle names."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Why do I have one?"
"You've got a point I guess. Should we open them?"
"Well, it's addressed to us, so, I guess so."
They both hooked their fingers into the edges of the flap. "On three?" asked Stray, moving so that his rather long nail was in a position to cut through.
"K.... One.... Two... Thr--"
Just as he was about to finish Dudley's door flew open and he barreled through, knocking them both over. Stray squeaked indignantly as Dudley landed on top of him, while and Harry grunted as his head hit the wall. Before either of them got their bearings back, Dudley had grabbed their letters and was running down the hallway.
Stray and Harry, although shocked by Dudley's unusual display of energy, shook off their surprise and chased after him. By the time they caught up Dudley was already in the kitchen, waving their letters around. "They got something! They got something! They stole it, Dad!"
"They're our letters!" protested Harry, clenching his fists, noting vaguely that he was still holding the rest of the mail. Stray placed a hand on his elbow to placate him, but he ignored it. "They've got our names on them!"
Vernon snorted and Petunia smirked. "Who'd be writing to you?!" taking the letter from Dudley, who smirked triumphantly, Vernon opened it and shook open the papers inside. His beady eyes widened and his face started changing from red, to green, to white. "P-P-Petunia!"
Petunia took it curiously, but promptly started choking on the egg in her mouth. When she managed fto swallow she looked at her husband with something akin to terror. "Oh my goodness! Vernon!"
Dudley gave his father a sharp poke in the side. "I wanna read it!" he whined.
"We want to read them!" growled Harry, advancing foreward. "Seeing as they're ours!"
"Get out, all of you." hissed Vernon.
"GIMME THE LETTERS!!" yelled Dudley, not seeing the danger. Stray and Harry knew though, and had already started to back away. The only time that Vernon used that tone was when he was particularly upset. The last time they heard it was when Aunt Marge's dog had a seizer while trying to attack them.
"OUT!!!!" roared Vernon, taking Dudley by the scruff of his neck and throwing him into the hall, giving Harry and Stray a kick towards the cupboard, before slamming and locking the hallway door. With only a moments pause, Dudley pressed his ear to the keyhole and Harry lay down to listen at the crack under the door. Stray knelt down about half way between the two, not needing to any more since he could already hear the adults pretty well.
"Vernon.... Look at the addresses. How could they possibly know where they sleep? Do you think their watching the house?"
"No, no, no. They can't be. If they were, we'd be....." he said desperately, starting to mumble incoherently.
"What should we do!? Do we write back?! Tell them we don't want them--?!"
"No!" exclaimed Vernon, and they could hear him pacing around the kitchen. "We.... We... We'll ignore it. Yes, yes that's best. If they don't get a reply then.... Yes, we'll ignore it."
"But--!"
"No, Petunia! I wont have any of those people in my house! We swore when we took them in that we'd stamp it out of 'em, and by God we'll do it!"
X
That evening when he came home from Grunnings Drill company, Vernon did something he never did. He visited Harry and Stray in their cupboard.
Needless to say, the twins were more than surprised. Stray, who had been using Harry as a pillow again, was too shocked to even move. After a moment Harry found his voice. "Where are our letters?" he said in a voice that was a lot less forceful than it had been that morning. "Who's writing to us?"
"No one." said their uncle gruffly. "It wasn't yours. I've burned it."
"It had our cupboard on!" whispered Stray angrily, sitting up and glaring at the huge man. "It wasn't a mistake!"
"SHUT UP!" Vernon yelled so loudly that spiders fell from the ceiling. Completely cowed, Stray scrambled backwards, holding Harry's arm tightly. The man breathed harshly for a minute before forcing a rather painful looking smile to his face. "E, yes... About this cupboard. You're Aunt and I have been thinking..... It's getting rather small for the two of you..... We thought that it might be best if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom."
"Why?" asked Harry suspiciously.
"Don't ask questions!" Vernon snapped, false-good-mood vanishing instantly. "Take this stuff upstairs now!"
It took one trip for the two boys to move everything. They sat down on the twin bed, looking around. The room was filled with what seemed to be every toy Dudley had ever broken, which was pretty much every one he's ever owned. From his first TV, which he'd put his foot through, to the bent rifle he'd traded for his parrot. Everything was here. Stray stood, tripping over the parrot's cage as he moved to look at the bookshelf, and the only things that didn't appear to ever have been touched.
They both smirked slightly when they heard Dudley balling downstairs about the loss of his room, but the same thing was going through their minds. They'd be happier in their cupboards with just one of the letters, then up here with neither.
X
The next morning was very odd. Harry and Stray were aloud to sit at the table, even given a single piece of bacon each and a crumpet to share. Dudley was in shock because despite having thrown the biggest tantrum of his life he hadn't gotten his room back. Vernon and Petunia kept throwing each other dark looks over their food, communicating with their eyes. Stray and Harry easily picked up on the conversation, having been doing such things for years.
'Can't believe their at the table, infect Dudley with their freakishness'
'Don't worry, wont let them, just ignore them'
'I don't want them here!'
'It'd for the best'
When the mail came Vernon actually made Dudley get it. Dudley pouted and whined and hit his Smelting Stick against the walls the whole way, but then suddenly yelled "Mum, Dad! There's more! It says the smallest bedroom!"
Vernon dashed to the door, Harry at his heals. He tried to wrestle Dudley for the letters, while ignoring Harry's angry shouts, until finally he stood with them clenched in his fists. He glared at Harry and Stray (who had watched the rather confusing fight from the kitchen) and pointed to the steps. "Go to your cupboard-- I mean room--- now. Dudley----just----go."
X
Harry paced around his new room, thinking hard. "Someone knows that we moved." he said at length, looking at his brother who was perched on the desk, watching him.
"Not to mention the fact that we didn't get the first letter." Stray said, pulling leg up and crossing it over his knee. "That means that their watching the house. Us specifically."
Harry nodded. "But why?"
Stray shrugged. "I don't know. I heard all the same stuff as you, remember?"
Harry suddenly perked up. "I know! Let's sneak out tomorrow. We'll wait at the corner for the postman, and get the letter before he gets here!"
Stray shook his head. "No. He wont believe that your from this house. He's gotta wait till he gets here, otherwise people could steal it. That's why it goes through the door in the first place."
Harry sighed, plopping down on the bed. "That sucks. How do we get the letters than?"
Stray leaned sideways from his perch, brushing away Harry's hair so he could look him straight in the eyes. "Look Harry. They've tried two days in a row. I don't care what Uncle Vernon says, their not going to just give up. Vernon isn't the brightest, he'll slip up eventually. We just have to wait, okay? Be patient."
Harry scowled. "I hate being bloody patient."
Stray flicked him on the forehead, drawing back and looking out the window at the backyard. "We'll get the letters soon. I promise, okay?"
"How do you know?"
"'Cuz I'm your big brother, remember? Trust me, I know everything."
Harry rolled his eyes but decided to trust him. There wasn't much else he could do, after all.
X
The next morning Harry and Stray were greeted by the sight of Vernon sitting in a sleeping bag in front of the door, 6 letters in his lap. He glared at them and ordered the to prepare some tea. Needless to say Harry was more than grateful that Stray had stopped him. Getting beat for stepping on his Uncle's face did not sound like a good way t spend his morning.
When they came back, Vernon was already in the process of tearing them to pieces, an insane glint in his eyes.
Vernon didn't go to work that day. He went to the hardware store and then boarded up the mail slot. "If they can't deliver them...." he grunted between strikes with the hammer. "....then they'll give up!"
Harry looked at Stray worriedly when the final nail went in, but Stray's face was completely blank. He really hoped that his uncle's claims weren't true.
X
On Friday no less then 24 letters arrived for the twins. They had been forced into the house through sides of the door, under the backdoor, and even through a window that had accidentally been left cracked open.
Vernon stayed home again. He boarded up both doors and hummed "Heigh Ho" from Snow White, and jumped every time Stray or Harry looked at him.
X
By Saturday, the last three mornings seemed like a cool breeze. Nearly fifty letters came from the confused milkman as he handed Petunia two cartons of eggs through the window. Vernon called everyone from the dairy company to the post office to try and find someone to yell at. Petunia shredded the letters in the food processor and Dudley looked at them in shock.
Vernon out the scraps of their letter in the fireplace, ruining Stray's half-formed plan of putting the pieces together in their room. He smirked evilly at him as he did so, and Stray got the feeling that if this didn't stop soon then the two of them were in big trouble.
X
The next day Vernon was looking very smug. He poured himself a brandy and sat back in his chair, looking at his family happily. "Today," he started gleefully, setting down his drink, "Sunday that is, is the best day of the week! My favorite day, Sunday." he grinned over at Stray and Harry, who were slowly chewing through their meager breakfast. "You, Freak, do you know why I love Sunday?"
Stray glanced up. "Because there's no mail on Sunday." he said impassively.
Vernon nodded eagerly. "Yes, exactly! No mail, not a single bloody piece of---!" he was cut off as a letter appeared out of seemingly nowhere, hitting him on the head.
For a moment, the entire room froze. The twin's eyes immediately flew to the letter, which had plopped onto the table.
Mr. and Mrs. Dursely
Master Bedroom
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
"V-Vernon!" gasped Petunia, hand on her throat. "It-it-it's addressed to us!"
The appearance of the letter seemed to shock Vernon so badly that he actually forgot that the Dudley and Harry were there. He slowly opened it with shaking hands, holding the single piece of parchment before his face.
"Dear. Mr. and Mrs. Dursely....." he read, face turning from white, to red, to purple. "We have reason to believe that young Mr. Potter and Mr. Evans' letters have not reached them. To rectify this mistake we are going to send representatives of our school to insure that they do receive them. These representatives will give the boys their letters and will then escort them to Diagon alley. Please be ready at precisely 12:57 today for their arrival. Yours sincerely, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster."
Vernon turned to Petunia, who looked ready to faint. "P-Petunia.....?"
His voice seemed to bring her back to earth. Her nostrils flared and her eyes widened. "I WILL NOT HAVE THOSE FREAKS IN MY HOME VERNON!!!"
"Who!? What's going on!?" yelled Dudley, hitting the table with his fork and spoon angrily. "I wanna know! Tell me now!"
Petunia glared at him angrily. "This is none of your difference! Go to your room!" Dudley stomped out of the room angrily, hitting the walls and cursing all the way. Harry and Stray made to follow, but Petunia grabbed them by the shoulders. "Not you two." she hissed, digging in her nails. "You'll be staying right here."
"What's going on?" asked Harry, taking Stray's shaking hand. "Who keeps writing? Why are people coming?"
Vernon looked like he was going to start yelling again, but Petunia stopped him with a glare. "No. We've no choice Vernon. They'll tell them when they come and then where will we be?"
"I'M NOT LETTING THEM GO TO SOME FREAK SCHOOL TO BE TAUGHT MAGIC TRICKS BY SOME OLD CRACKPOT!!!" Vernon roared.
Petunia didn't seem at all intimidated, instead steering them into the living room. "It's too late for that Vernon. They're coming now, and we'll just have to convince them otherwise. It wont do for the brats to find out in front of the freaks, will it!"
Vernon seethed for a minute, before finally stomping into the room, glaring. "Fine!"
Stray and Harry were pushed onto the floor in front of the fireplace, and Petunia and Vernon glared down at them, starting to pace. "First of all..." said their aunt, lips tight against her teeth. "Your Lily and James weren't killed in a car crash."
Harry and Stray's eye widened. They weren't? That was the only concrete fact they'd ever gotten on their parents, and it wasn't true? "Huh? Then what happened?"
"They were killed by some freak of a man. "she hissed harshly. It was obvious that she was angry that she had to explain anything to them, but didn't seem to be overly bothered about her sister and brother-in-law's death. "I don't know his name, before you ask. He hated normal people and wanted to kill them all. My sister," she said the word like a curse "went against him and he killed both of them. He went to kill you two, but for whatever reason it killed him and gave you that disgusting scar, Boy."
Harry's hand went up to touch his forehead, and Stray looked at him worriedly, like he wanted to check him over for himself. "But...." Harry asked. "If he didn't like normal people.... What was he? And our parents?"
She sneered in disgust. "Freaks, just like you two. That's what they were. Wizards."
Stray scooted back unconsciously, closer the fireplace. "But you said.... You said Magic wasn't real. Said it was rubbish."
Vernon's short string finally snapped and he stood, towering over them. "IT IS RUBBISH YOU DAMNED IDIOT!"
Petunia grabbed his arm, holding him back. "Vernon! If you hit them they'll know! Sit down, damn it!"
Vernon snarled, but after one look at her eyes backed down.
Petunia looked back at the shaking boys on the floor. "You're wizards too. So are the people who are coming. They want to take you two away to a school for freaks to learn... magic."
"Will we go?" asked Harry, not daring to hope but unable to stop himself.
Petunia got a look like she had bitten into a lemon, before she nodded stiffly. "Yes. But only because we don't have much of a choice. They're already coming and there's no stopping them."
"Why didn't you tell us we were wizards?"
"And have you running around, turning teacups into rats and such nonsense!? I think not! We meant to stamp it out of you, make you normal, you should be grateful!" she stopped, gasping for breath, before finally putting herself back together. "It doesn't matter now. You'll go to that school, but you will not bring that rubbish home with you, do you understand?"
They both nodded, not believing their luck. They'd really go? This was almost too easy! What was the catch?
"And don't you go telling those freaks about us!" snarled Vernon.
Stray and Harry nodded. They had no intentions of talking about their home lives anyways. They would keep it quiet as long as they could.
X
By 12:50, the air itself seemed to be tense with nervousness. Vernon was in the living room, pacing nervously, Petunia was cleaning the countertops in the kitchen, hands shaking. For their part, Stray and Harry were on the top step, watching the door. They had been ordered the minute that the talk ended to take down all of the wood from the doors and nails from the window, and then to clean the house as best they could. For once Petunia helped, barking out orders every few minutes.
Harry held up the watch that they'd found and repaired in their new room. "12:56." he murmured. "One minute to go and they'll be here."
"Think they'll be a girl or boy?"
"Who knows. Hope they're nice, though."
"30 seconds."
"They probably wont be exactly on time Stray."
"25 seconds."
Harry rolled his eyes but started counting down as well, just for something to do. "20..."
"15....."
"10...."
"5.........."
"0."
knock knock knock
X
That's all I'm writing for now. My head hurts, and I made myself dizzy from writing such a long time. You'll just have to wait a while to hear the rest. ( >: P ) Please read and review, K?
I wrote all of this chapter just this morning, so I'm tired. Please review it? Please?
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, it belongs to J.K. Rowling, Warner Bros., and a number of other people, none of them me. Deal with it.
X
The punishment for the Python Incident was by far the longest that Harry and Stray had ever endured. By the time they were released from their cupboard for anything other than using the loo or the shower, the summer hols were already underway and half of Dudley's gifts had broken and/or used for devious purposes.
Unlike most children, such new s did not fall on grateful ears. Summer meant no school lunch, no teachers to watch out for them, and no alternative activities for big, stupid bullies. Though the twins were very quick under normal circumstances, the summer had a way of slowing them down in their attempts to escape the other boys. It wasn't because of the lazy summer stupor that most children fall victim to. No, it was ridiculously increased workloads and lack of sustenance that ailed them.
But for once in their lives, the boys had something to look foreword to. Come September, they would be going to a secondary school all their own. Dudley, along with all his friends, would be off to Smelting, Vernon's old school, but Stray and Harry were going to St. Brutus'.
Most children would be horrified to learn that they were to go to St. Brutus'. It's whole title was St. Brutus' School for Incurably Criminal Boys. As one can imagine, it wasn't exactly a honor to be there. In fact, more than a few people had been shocked to hear that the two tiny boys would even be considered. But, then again, everyone had heard the rumors about them (courtesy of Petunia and Vernon) about how horrible they were behind closed doors and the lies that they told. But if the Durselys, upstanding family they were, felt that St. Brutus' was needed, who were they to object? No need to cause trouble when it wasn't needed after all.
"They stuff people's heads into toilets every day at St. Brutus'." Dudley, who found the situation very funny, had told them. "Wanna go practice?"
"No thanks!" Stray had chirped.
"I can't imagine the poor toilet's ever had something as horrible as your head down it." Harry had elaborated.
"Yeah, it might get sick." with that the twins had run off, long before Dudley could figure out that he had been insulted.
One day in July Petunia brought Dudley to London to get his Smelting uniform, and Harry and Stray were left with Mrs. Figg. Stray was immediately pinned to the couch by two of her biggest cats (Santa Paws and Demon) and Harry put the TV on. The three of them watched a cooking show together for a long while, Mrs. Figg going on about how cute they were and how handsome the host was at irregular intervals the whole time.
That evening Dudley paraded around the house in his new uniform, a maroon and puke-orange ensemble with a straw hat and a stick to hit other students with. Vernon swelled with pride and Petunia broke down in tears of joy, whilst Harry and Stray excused themselves into their cupboard early, not trusting themselves to stifle their laughter under the circumstances.
X
The next morning was one of the worst Stray could remember. He had woken with his head on Harry's stomach as usual (he really did make for a great pillow) but had immediately been assaulted by the worst smell he had ever experienced. He sat up quickly, gagging, before giving Harry a rough shove.
"What?" mumbled Harry, giving him an annoyed glare.
"You, ya skunk!" he choked out, bringing the collar of Dudley's old shirt up over his nose.
"What're you-- oh!" Harry exclaimed in disgust, copying Stray's actions. "That was not me!"
After they'd managed to stop bickering, they pushed open the door and followed the stench to a huge pot on the counter. Swimming in a murky off-white liquid were dirty looking scraps of cloth. They wrinkled their noses, thoroughly disgusted, before turning to Petunia who had just walked in. Stray moved behind Harry, and Harry looked pointedly at the pot.
Petunia glared at them, before smiling sickeningly. "Do you know what that is, Boy? Freak?"
They both shook their heads.
"That is your new uniform. I'm dyed it white so it'll look just like everyone else's. You should be grateful."
Neither of them were of course. It was disgusting looking and Stray was starting to get woozy. Giving her their thanks, they quickly started about making breakfast, switching setting the table and minding the food between each other as they went.
Vernon lumbered down the steps just as they finished setting the food, glaring at them until they moved to the corner to await their families bidding. They didn't have to wait long. Not even a minute later they were ordered upstairs to wake up Dudley.
They walked quickly and silently out of the kitchen and to the steps. Barely even pausing they each grabbed half of the mail on the way, flipping through vaguely. "Aunt Marge." mumbled Harry, wrinkling his nose. "Everything else's junk or bills."
Stray blinked down at his pile, coming to a complete stop outside of Dudley's room. "Look. We got letters."
"Both of us?" said Harry incredulously, leaning over to get a better look. Stray was holding two envelopes made of unusually thick paper with curvy green ink lettering. "Why would we get mail?"
Mr. H. J. Potter
The Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Mr. S. C. V. Evans
The Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
"Why do I have more letters in mine?" asked Stray, confused. (they had given up on trying to figure out why their last names were different a long time ago. They figured that they must have different dads or something).
Harry shrugged, taking his letter and looking it over. "Maybe you've got 2 middle names."
"Why?"
"I don't know. Why do I have one?"
"You've got a point I guess. Should we open them?"
"Well, it's addressed to us, so, I guess so."
They both hooked their fingers into the edges of the flap. "On three?" asked Stray, moving so that his rather long nail was in a position to cut through.
"K.... One.... Two... Thr--"
Just as he was about to finish Dudley's door flew open and he barreled through, knocking them both over. Stray squeaked indignantly as Dudley landed on top of him, while and Harry grunted as his head hit the wall. Before either of them got their bearings back, Dudley had grabbed their letters and was running down the hallway.
Stray and Harry, although shocked by Dudley's unusual display of energy, shook off their surprise and chased after him. By the time they caught up Dudley was already in the kitchen, waving their letters around. "They got something! They got something! They stole it, Dad!"
"They're our letters!" protested Harry, clenching his fists, noting vaguely that he was still holding the rest of the mail. Stray placed a hand on his elbow to placate him, but he ignored it. "They've got our names on them!"
Vernon snorted and Petunia smirked. "Who'd be writing to you?!" taking the letter from Dudley, who smirked triumphantly, Vernon opened it and shook open the papers inside. His beady eyes widened and his face started changing from red, to green, to white. "P-P-Petunia!"
Petunia took it curiously, but promptly started choking on the egg in her mouth. When she managed fto swallow she looked at her husband with something akin to terror. "Oh my goodness! Vernon!"
Dudley gave his father a sharp poke in the side. "I wanna read it!" he whined.
"We want to read them!" growled Harry, advancing foreward. "Seeing as they're ours!"
"Get out, all of you." hissed Vernon.
"GIMME THE LETTERS!!" yelled Dudley, not seeing the danger. Stray and Harry knew though, and had already started to back away. The only time that Vernon used that tone was when he was particularly upset. The last time they heard it was when Aunt Marge's dog had a seizer while trying to attack them.
"OUT!!!!" roared Vernon, taking Dudley by the scruff of his neck and throwing him into the hall, giving Harry and Stray a kick towards the cupboard, before slamming and locking the hallway door. With only a moments pause, Dudley pressed his ear to the keyhole and Harry lay down to listen at the crack under the door. Stray knelt down about half way between the two, not needing to any more since he could already hear the adults pretty well.
"Vernon.... Look at the addresses. How could they possibly know where they sleep? Do you think their watching the house?"
"No, no, no. They can't be. If they were, we'd be....." he said desperately, starting to mumble incoherently.
"What should we do!? Do we write back?! Tell them we don't want them--?!"
"No!" exclaimed Vernon, and they could hear him pacing around the kitchen. "We.... We... We'll ignore it. Yes, yes that's best. If they don't get a reply then.... Yes, we'll ignore it."
"But--!"
"No, Petunia! I wont have any of those people in my house! We swore when we took them in that we'd stamp it out of 'em, and by God we'll do it!"
X
That evening when he came home from Grunnings Drill company, Vernon did something he never did. He visited Harry and Stray in their cupboard.
Needless to say, the twins were more than surprised. Stray, who had been using Harry as a pillow again, was too shocked to even move. After a moment Harry found his voice. "Where are our letters?" he said in a voice that was a lot less forceful than it had been that morning. "Who's writing to us?"
"No one." said their uncle gruffly. "It wasn't yours. I've burned it."
"It had our cupboard on!" whispered Stray angrily, sitting up and glaring at the huge man. "It wasn't a mistake!"
"SHUT UP!" Vernon yelled so loudly that spiders fell from the ceiling. Completely cowed, Stray scrambled backwards, holding Harry's arm tightly. The man breathed harshly for a minute before forcing a rather painful looking smile to his face. "E, yes... About this cupboard. You're Aunt and I have been thinking..... It's getting rather small for the two of you..... We thought that it might be best if you moved into Dudley's second bedroom."
"Why?" asked Harry suspiciously.
"Don't ask questions!" Vernon snapped, false-good-mood vanishing instantly. "Take this stuff upstairs now!"
It took one trip for the two boys to move everything. They sat down on the twin bed, looking around. The room was filled with what seemed to be every toy Dudley had ever broken, which was pretty much every one he's ever owned. From his first TV, which he'd put his foot through, to the bent rifle he'd traded for his parrot. Everything was here. Stray stood, tripping over the parrot's cage as he moved to look at the bookshelf, and the only things that didn't appear to ever have been touched.
They both smirked slightly when they heard Dudley balling downstairs about the loss of his room, but the same thing was going through their minds. They'd be happier in their cupboards with just one of the letters, then up here with neither.
X
The next morning was very odd. Harry and Stray were aloud to sit at the table, even given a single piece of bacon each and a crumpet to share. Dudley was in shock because despite having thrown the biggest tantrum of his life he hadn't gotten his room back. Vernon and Petunia kept throwing each other dark looks over their food, communicating with their eyes. Stray and Harry easily picked up on the conversation, having been doing such things for years.
'Can't believe their at the table, infect Dudley with their freakishness'
'Don't worry, wont let them, just ignore them'
'I don't want them here!'
'It'd for the best'
When the mail came Vernon actually made Dudley get it. Dudley pouted and whined and hit his Smelting Stick against the walls the whole way, but then suddenly yelled "Mum, Dad! There's more! It says the smallest bedroom!"
Vernon dashed to the door, Harry at his heals. He tried to wrestle Dudley for the letters, while ignoring Harry's angry shouts, until finally he stood with them clenched in his fists. He glared at Harry and Stray (who had watched the rather confusing fight from the kitchen) and pointed to the steps. "Go to your cupboard-- I mean room--- now. Dudley----just----go."
X
Harry paced around his new room, thinking hard. "Someone knows that we moved." he said at length, looking at his brother who was perched on the desk, watching him.
"Not to mention the fact that we didn't get the first letter." Stray said, pulling leg up and crossing it over his knee. "That means that their watching the house. Us specifically."
Harry nodded. "But why?"
Stray shrugged. "I don't know. I heard all the same stuff as you, remember?"
Harry suddenly perked up. "I know! Let's sneak out tomorrow. We'll wait at the corner for the postman, and get the letter before he gets here!"
Stray shook his head. "No. He wont believe that your from this house. He's gotta wait till he gets here, otherwise people could steal it. That's why it goes through the door in the first place."
Harry sighed, plopping down on the bed. "That sucks. How do we get the letters than?"
Stray leaned sideways from his perch, brushing away Harry's hair so he could look him straight in the eyes. "Look Harry. They've tried two days in a row. I don't care what Uncle Vernon says, their not going to just give up. Vernon isn't the brightest, he'll slip up eventually. We just have to wait, okay? Be patient."
Harry scowled. "I hate being bloody patient."
Stray flicked him on the forehead, drawing back and looking out the window at the backyard. "We'll get the letters soon. I promise, okay?"
"How do you know?"
"'Cuz I'm your big brother, remember? Trust me, I know everything."
Harry rolled his eyes but decided to trust him. There wasn't much else he could do, after all.
X
The next morning Harry and Stray were greeted by the sight of Vernon sitting in a sleeping bag in front of the door, 6 letters in his lap. He glared at them and ordered the to prepare some tea. Needless to say Harry was more than grateful that Stray had stopped him. Getting beat for stepping on his Uncle's face did not sound like a good way t spend his morning.
When they came back, Vernon was already in the process of tearing them to pieces, an insane glint in his eyes.
Vernon didn't go to work that day. He went to the hardware store and then boarded up the mail slot. "If they can't deliver them...." he grunted between strikes with the hammer. "....then they'll give up!"
Harry looked at Stray worriedly when the final nail went in, but Stray's face was completely blank. He really hoped that his uncle's claims weren't true.
X
On Friday no less then 24 letters arrived for the twins. They had been forced into the house through sides of the door, under the backdoor, and even through a window that had accidentally been left cracked open.
Vernon stayed home again. He boarded up both doors and hummed "Heigh Ho" from Snow White, and jumped every time Stray or Harry looked at him.
X
By Saturday, the last three mornings seemed like a cool breeze. Nearly fifty letters came from the confused milkman as he handed Petunia two cartons of eggs through the window. Vernon called everyone from the dairy company to the post office to try and find someone to yell at. Petunia shredded the letters in the food processor and Dudley looked at them in shock.
Vernon out the scraps of their letter in the fireplace, ruining Stray's half-formed plan of putting the pieces together in their room. He smirked evilly at him as he did so, and Stray got the feeling that if this didn't stop soon then the two of them were in big trouble.
X
The next day Vernon was looking very smug. He poured himself a brandy and sat back in his chair, looking at his family happily. "Today," he started gleefully, setting down his drink, "Sunday that is, is the best day of the week! My favorite day, Sunday." he grinned over at Stray and Harry, who were slowly chewing through their meager breakfast. "You, Freak, do you know why I love Sunday?"
Stray glanced up. "Because there's no mail on Sunday." he said impassively.
Vernon nodded eagerly. "Yes, exactly! No mail, not a single bloody piece of---!" he was cut off as a letter appeared out of seemingly nowhere, hitting him on the head.
For a moment, the entire room froze. The twin's eyes immediately flew to the letter, which had plopped onto the table.
Mr. and Mrs. Dursely
Master Bedroom
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
"V-Vernon!" gasped Petunia, hand on her throat. "It-it-it's addressed to us!"
The appearance of the letter seemed to shock Vernon so badly that he actually forgot that the Dudley and Harry were there. He slowly opened it with shaking hands, holding the single piece of parchment before his face.
"Dear. Mr. and Mrs. Dursely....." he read, face turning from white, to red, to purple. "We have reason to believe that young Mr. Potter and Mr. Evans' letters have not reached them. To rectify this mistake we are going to send representatives of our school to insure that they do receive them. These representatives will give the boys their letters and will then escort them to Diagon alley. Please be ready at precisely 12:57 today for their arrival. Yours sincerely, Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster."
Vernon turned to Petunia, who looked ready to faint. "P-Petunia.....?"
His voice seemed to bring her back to earth. Her nostrils flared and her eyes widened. "I WILL NOT HAVE THOSE FREAKS IN MY HOME VERNON!!!"
"Who!? What's going on!?" yelled Dudley, hitting the table with his fork and spoon angrily. "I wanna know! Tell me now!"
Petunia glared at him angrily. "This is none of your difference! Go to your room!" Dudley stomped out of the room angrily, hitting the walls and cursing all the way. Harry and Stray made to follow, but Petunia grabbed them by the shoulders. "Not you two." she hissed, digging in her nails. "You'll be staying right here."
"What's going on?" asked Harry, taking Stray's shaking hand. "Who keeps writing? Why are people coming?"
Vernon looked like he was going to start yelling again, but Petunia stopped him with a glare. "No. We've no choice Vernon. They'll tell them when they come and then where will we be?"
"I'M NOT LETTING THEM GO TO SOME FREAK SCHOOL TO BE TAUGHT MAGIC TRICKS BY SOME OLD CRACKPOT!!!" Vernon roared.
Petunia didn't seem at all intimidated, instead steering them into the living room. "It's too late for that Vernon. They're coming now, and we'll just have to convince them otherwise. It wont do for the brats to find out in front of the freaks, will it!"
Vernon seethed for a minute, before finally stomping into the room, glaring. "Fine!"
Stray and Harry were pushed onto the floor in front of the fireplace, and Petunia and Vernon glared down at them, starting to pace. "First of all..." said their aunt, lips tight against her teeth. "Your Lily and James weren't killed in a car crash."
Harry and Stray's eye widened. They weren't? That was the only concrete fact they'd ever gotten on their parents, and it wasn't true? "Huh? Then what happened?"
"They were killed by some freak of a man. "she hissed harshly. It was obvious that she was angry that she had to explain anything to them, but didn't seem to be overly bothered about her sister and brother-in-law's death. "I don't know his name, before you ask. He hated normal people and wanted to kill them all. My sister," she said the word like a curse "went against him and he killed both of them. He went to kill you two, but for whatever reason it killed him and gave you that disgusting scar, Boy."
Harry's hand went up to touch his forehead, and Stray looked at him worriedly, like he wanted to check him over for himself. "But...." Harry asked. "If he didn't like normal people.... What was he? And our parents?"
She sneered in disgust. "Freaks, just like you two. That's what they were. Wizards."
Stray scooted back unconsciously, closer the fireplace. "But you said.... You said Magic wasn't real. Said it was rubbish."
Vernon's short string finally snapped and he stood, towering over them. "IT IS RUBBISH YOU DAMNED IDIOT!"
Petunia grabbed his arm, holding him back. "Vernon! If you hit them they'll know! Sit down, damn it!"
Vernon snarled, but after one look at her eyes backed down.
Petunia looked back at the shaking boys on the floor. "You're wizards too. So are the people who are coming. They want to take you two away to a school for freaks to learn... magic."
"Will we go?" asked Harry, not daring to hope but unable to stop himself.
Petunia got a look like she had bitten into a lemon, before she nodded stiffly. "Yes. But only because we don't have much of a choice. They're already coming and there's no stopping them."
"Why didn't you tell us we were wizards?"
"And have you running around, turning teacups into rats and such nonsense!? I think not! We meant to stamp it out of you, make you normal, you should be grateful!" she stopped, gasping for breath, before finally putting herself back together. "It doesn't matter now. You'll go to that school, but you will not bring that rubbish home with you, do you understand?"
They both nodded, not believing their luck. They'd really go? This was almost too easy! What was the catch?
"And don't you go telling those freaks about us!" snarled Vernon.
Stray and Harry nodded. They had no intentions of talking about their home lives anyways. They would keep it quiet as long as they could.
X
By 12:50, the air itself seemed to be tense with nervousness. Vernon was in the living room, pacing nervously, Petunia was cleaning the countertops in the kitchen, hands shaking. For their part, Stray and Harry were on the top step, watching the door. They had been ordered the minute that the talk ended to take down all of the wood from the doors and nails from the window, and then to clean the house as best they could. For once Petunia helped, barking out orders every few minutes.
Harry held up the watch that they'd found and repaired in their new room. "12:56." he murmured. "One minute to go and they'll be here."
"Think they'll be a girl or boy?"
"Who knows. Hope they're nice, though."
"30 seconds."
"They probably wont be exactly on time Stray."
"25 seconds."
Harry rolled his eyes but started counting down as well, just for something to do. "20..."
"15....."
"10...."
"5.........."
"0."
knock knock knock
X
That's all I'm writing for now. My head hurts, and I made myself dizzy from writing such a long time. You'll just have to wait a while to hear the rest. ( >: P ) Please read and review, K?
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