Categories > Books > Harry Potter > Independence Day
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other canon characters belong to JKR I'm only having some fun
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other canon characters belong to JKR I'm only having some fun
Chapter 9: Not a Dry Blackthorn Day
Vernon's Day
Vernon Dursley was driving down the motorway after a not too good day at work, dark thoughts running through his head 'What's that Temp Agency playing at, that's the third new girl in as many weeks, God you just get them trained into your ways and they leave and you have to start again. It's all that stupid bitch of a secretary's fault, imagine letting yourself get knocked up, contraception is the woman's responsibility, it's not my fault she's pregnant, who knows how many others the tart has been shagging besides me'
Breaking off from his thoughts long enough to blast his horn, mouth a curse and make a 'V' sign at the driver in front of him for braking too sharply, Vernon went back to wallowing in his misery.
'I'll shake them up, shower of lazy bastards, lowest sales figures for the second month running, what right has that fool of a boss to suggest my sales force need to go on a team building course, New Age mumbo jumbo, it should be shape up or ship out, my way or the highway that would motivate them.'
'It's all the freaks fault, ever since he got back from school things have gone downhill, I'll sort him out, I'll beat the freakiness out of him.'
Those and similar thoughts churned over and over in Vernon's mind throughout his hour's drive home, then to cap it all the freak was missing when he went to check on him.
"PETUNIA" he roared from the loft. "WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR FREAK NEPHEW, WHO LET HIM OUT!!"
It took her thirty minutes and two large whiskies but eventually Petunia had managed to calm her husband down from towering inferno to simmering gently then things got worse.
A large limousine pulled up on the street outside, blocking their drive. Vernon hadn't planned on going anywhere in his car that evening, but no way was anyone going to block his drive, the nerve of them, just because they had a large luxury car didn't give them the right to park in front of his house. He readied himself for battle, retying his tie and putting on his suit jacket before going outside.
As Vernon approached the car he was aware of the man who had got out the back asking about Potter and describing his house as only being fit for servants, he vaguely remembered the young woman as being the one who had hugged and kissed the freak at the railway station and then he saw him, THE FREAK!
"Hi, Uncle Vermin. How do you like my new car?"
Harry's words didn't really register, Vernon's barely contained temper rose along with his blood pressure, and all Vernon could see through the red mist was the cause of all the misery in his life, THE FREAK, he strode forward and launched a punch at him, catching him on the temple and knocking him to the ground, then the next thing he knew he was being handcuffed and read his rights.
The Police Car.
Constables Green and Howie were on routine patrol, neither of them were particularly happy. How were they to know the lady they had stopped for speeding a month ago was the Chief Constable's wife. The next thing they knew was they'd been transferred to the backwater of Greater Whinging Police Office with no chance of promotion. The biggest problem they were liable to encounter was someone's missing cat or dog or some farmer's sheep being rustled, no chance of any 'real' Police work.
Then they saw something strange, children were gathering on a street corner. They could see the outline of a large car, they looked at each other and nodded, anything to break the monotony, lets check this out they decided. As they turned into Privet Drive they saw a large man striding toward the people who had just got out of the limousine and launch himself at a slightly built youth.
They moved into action and took out their frustration (while keeping within the rules of minimum required force) on the large man, decking him and handcuffing him before reading him his rights.
Dudley's Day.
Dudley had had what he considered a good day, him and the LWC (Little Whinging Crew) as he, Piers, Malcolm, Gordon and a group of about ten younger boys and girls who had chosen to take the easy way out by fawning over the original gang, had met up in the morning and went about their daily business. That is a bit of bullying and some shoplifting, not that Dudley and the other 'leaders' actually did any of the stealing, that's what the drones were for. They'd had a good day's thieving and had managed to get some alcohol which they'd enjoy later.
After stashing their booze at Piers' house, his parents were going to be out that evening, so that would be their 'party' venue he had made his way home. His father had come home in a foul temper which had got worse when he discovered that Potter was missing.
Dudley was trying hard to make up his mind whether to stay and watch Potter get his comeuppance or go and do some boozing, if he could get one of the girls drunk enough, she'd let him shag her.
He was aware of his father getting up and putting on his tie and jacket and heading out of the house, ever the opportunist he grabbed another slice of cake and scoffed it before heading outside.
The situation shocked him, his father was being tackled to the ground by two Police Officers and Potter was slowly getting up and being fussed over by two strangers. Then he saw her, she was beautiful, and the clothes she was wearing were fantastic, accentuating all her curves. The lust monster rose in him and he manoeuvred himself round behind her, he brushed his hand against her butt and when that got no reaction he reached round and copped a feel at her chest, then everything went pear-shaped.
Hermione had felt someone's hand brush against her bottom and had assumed it was accidental due to the crowd pressing in to see was happening, then she felt a hand grab at her chest and she reacted.
The previous summer Tonks had taught her and Ginny how to defend themselves, so she reached up and grabbed the hand that had invaded her privacy and bent the fingers back. She was a bit more forceful than she had intended and heard bones break.
Dudley howled in agony and stuck his hand under his opposite armpit and danced around hoping for the pain to go away. The padding of his gut meant he never actually felt Hermione's knee hit him. He was also confused, no girl had ever done that to him before, he was Big D, The Chief, The Leader of the Pack.
In his pain he was aware of the Police Officer talking to someone and then his world collapsed in on him. He was being arrested, charged with sexual assault, he was handcuffed and sat on the garden wall beside his father.
Ten minutes later he and his father were sitting together, locked in the caged prisoner area of a Police van and were being driven to Greater Whinging Police Office.
Petunia's Day.
Petunia had had a good day, she had met up with her favourite gossip partner for lunch in their favourite tearoom. She had seen her little Duddy with his friends, what a popular boy he was, so many friends, and such cute girls. Her rose-tinted view of him failed to recognise that not a few of the passers-by gave her son and his friends a wide berth and she couldn't hear the obscene taunts shouted by them.
After lunch they had went to their 'bridge group,' in reality none of the ladies could play bridge but it was an excuse to get together and talk about those not present that day, criticise the modern fashions and most of all have a few glasses of wine.
They all agreed that the town centre wasn't a nice place to be during the summer with that loutish gang shouting obscenities at people. Petunia was loud in her agreement, little realising that her son was the prime instigator.
She had made her way home, Vernon insisted that his food was ready to be served within minutes of him getting in the house, and as she preferred a quiet life, she had got it down to a fine art. Little did Vernon know but Petunia paid the receptionist at Grunnings to call her when Vernon left the building, and this meant she could time things better.
Things had gone downhill soon after Vernon got home, she could tell by the way he drove up to the house and slammed the car door that things weren't good, and then to cap it off, her freak nephew was missing from his room. The ungrateful brat had ran away, how the hell had he got out the house, fortunately two whiskies and a good meal had calmed Vernon down, but not for long.
She saw the large car pull up in front of their house and people start to get out. By this time Vernon had dressed for battle and was heading outside. She saw the Police car pull into the street and come to a halt, she saw Vernon hit the freak and then to her shock the Police decked and handcuffed her husband.
/'Brandy, I need brandy for my nerves' /she thought and poured herself a large one, drinking it quickly.
Petunia went back outside having decided to see if she could plead Vernon's case, when she saw her ickle bitty Dinky Diddyums being arrested. /'More Brandy' /her brain commanded and her body complied. She stood in the front lounge and watched as her husband and son were sat on the garden wall, all the time sipping on her drink, too ashamed to go out and face her neighbours, how could she show face at her bridge club again?
As the Police vehicles drove off the freak had the nerve to come into her house with three strangers, none of them spoke to her. Harry and the man went upstairs and she heard the loft being opened, the two women who were obviously mother and daughter were inspecting the photos on the wall, then the younger woman opened the cupboard under the stairs. Both women looked in and the younger one turned and glared at her before hugging her mother.
At that Harry and the man came downstairs with the freak's trunks and went out to the waiting Limo. The glare that the young woman had given her had unnerved Petunia, so that needed another brandy.
Her lovely day totally ruined, Petunia chanced a look out of the window from behind her curtains, the crowd was starting to disperse but she could see several of her female neighbours in discussion, each one nodding in the direction of her house, the less discreet actually pointing at it. The men seemed to be having a laugh about something, one of them was re-enacting Vernon being arrested, which the others seemed to find hilarious.
Sometime later the phone rang, she picked it up and answered it. At the other end of the phone it was the custody sergeant from Greater Whinging Police Office requesting that she attend while her son was being interviewed. Vernon being under arrest himself couldn't perform the parental duties. Petunia got the car keys out and after locking the house, got into the car to drive over to Greater Whinging.
As she drove off, the last neighbour (who had been doing some gardening) went into the house and phoned the Police. He refused to give his name but tipped them off that he suspected that a car was being driven by a drunk driver. As Petunia drove out of Little Whinging her car registration and vehicle make and model was being broadcast to all Officers. As she drove into Greater Whinging she didn't notice the Traffic Patrol sitting at a junction. The first she was aware of it was when the Patrol car took position behind her with it's lights flashing, she pulled over expecting the car to pass her to go about it's business, but instead it pulled in behind her.
The next ten minutes passed in a blur as she was asked to provide a specimen of breath and then arrested on suspicion of driving with excess alcohol. She was tested again in the Police Office and having failed again, was charged and led to a cell for the night.
Greater Whinging Police Office Custody Suite.
Vernon was losing it, he'd been arrested for hitting a freak, what was the world coming to, but then again, he was a winner, he knew how things worked, he'd watched 'Z Cars,' 'Dixon of Dock Green,' 'The Sweeney,' 'Miami Vice,' 'Hill Street Blues' and had never missed an episode of 'The Bill,' all he needed to do was offer to buy a ticket to the 'Policeman's Ball' and everything would be fixed.
Constable's Green and Howie took the large man into an interview room and following procedure once again informed Vernon of his rights and explained that the interview would be taped. They both named themselves and asked Vernon to do likewise. Before they could start their interview Vernon spoke.
"Okay guys, how much are the tickets for the Policeman's Ball this year, £100?" when there was no response from either man he said "£200?"
Constable Green looked at his partner, and spoke. "Interview suspended, Constable Green leaving the room." And promptly did so.
He quickly called the Duty Inspector and explained that he thought his prisoner was trying to bribe him. Within five minutes Vernon was being interviewed by three Police Officers.
Inspector Jones named himself for the tape and began the interview. "Mr. Dursley, my Officer has told me you offered £200 for tickets to the Policeman's Ball, is that correct?"
Vernon, misreading the signals replied. "Yes, I take it the price has gone up? What is it now £500, £600, £1,000?"
"Mr. Dursley, are you offering to pay to have the charges against you dropped?"
"Are you Cops all on the stupid pills tonight?" he snarled "Of course I am. I shouldn't have been arrested anyway, the boys a freak, he used magic to get them to arrest me."
"Mr. Dursley, I am arresting you for attempting to bribe a Police Officer and attempting to pervert the course of justice, I advise you to say nothing more until you have spoken to a lawyer, if you want I'll contact the duty lawyer for you."
"Lawyers are blood-sucking scum, it was only a freak I hit, he used magic to get them to arrest me you know."
The three officers looked at each other and closed the interview. Inspector Jones looked at his men, "Write it up, ask the sergeant to put him on a thirty minute watch, I'm calling in the Duty Doctor on this one."
While Vernon was being interviewed Petunia had been through the Custody process and had been locked up for the night. The local court was testing out a new fast-track system for dealing with drunk drivers, most of them appeared before a Magistrate the next day.
Inspector Jones had phoned the Duty Doctor and asked for him to attend. He put his phone down and thought 'Why me, two weeks to retirement a lovely peaceful posting for the past five years and now this'
His train of though was broken by his phone ringing again. "Inspector Jones, how may I help you?" he asked.
"Constable Taggart at the front desk, sir, could you come down please?"
"On my way"
When he entered the public office he couldn't believe his eyes, there were at least twenty parents and children standing in front of the counter. He noticed that many of the children had bruises in various stages of healing and that all of them seemed to be under twelve years of age. He motioned to the Constable and stepped out of the office to where he couldn't be overheard.
"What's going on, Constable?"
"Well, sir, it seems that they're all here to make complaints of assault against the Dursley boy. I need help to deal with it."
"Okay I'll call in the next shift early"
Flashback
As Dudley hopped about in agony several of the onlooking children who had been curious about the fancy car quietly cheered, when he was put in handcuffs and then into a Police van the cheers got louder and the braver ones danced with delight. An observant mother took her child aside to scold him about cheering at someone else's misfortune when she heard what he was muttering under his breath.
"She was magnificent, I wish I could do that to him when he hits me."
"What did you say, George?"
"I said I wish I knew how to do what she did" and with a flood of tears he finally told his mother about the bullying gang led by Dudley and told her of others who had been hit.
Several other parents had overheard the conversation and realised that their children weren't accident prone and tales of walking into or falling off things were clear, and although nothing was discussed among the adults they all found themselves at Greater Whinging Police Office.
End Flashback
Officers Green and Howie were informed that further charges may be made against their second prisoner and that he couldn't be interviewed until a Social Worker was found, as both his parents were currently in custody on other matters.
Back in the custody suite the Duty Sergeant was starting to worry about one of his prisoners, the fat man, Dursley, so worried that he had turned on a surveillance camera and had sneaked a fresh tape into the recorder, and positioned a constable outside the door, he was an old hand and believed in CYB (cover your back.)
He watched the screen as the large man paced up and down, muttering under his breath, the only words he could make out were freak and all his fault. If it hadn't been for the walrus-like features he would have been reminded of a gorilla gradually going insane in a zoo.
Vernon's thoughts were growing blacker/, 'It's the freaks fault, he would expose them and all their freakish ways, magic bah! humbug! bunch of ne'er-do-wells, I bet their all claiming benefits, living off the normal people, I bet all the unemployed are freaks just like him, and the asylum seekers, bringing freaks from abroad to sponge off us. Ministry of Magic, who are they kidding, all hyped up on drugs believing their hallucinations, that's it, I just need to tell everyone, I just need someone to listen.'/
Dr. Sirius Threfeld had been rudely interrupted by his pager, he'd just been settling down for an evening of relaxation with his girlfriend when it sounded. He looked at the number showing and called into the Divisional Headquarters of Surrey Police Force.
/'Greater Whinging? never heard of the place sounds like somewhere you'd go if everywhere else is shut!" /in reality he wasn't far wrong.
After a twenty minute drive he arrived at the Police Office. He was shown into a room and Inspector Jones explained the situation. Ten minutes later having listened to the interview tape and watched the man pacing up and down he entered the room.
"Mr. Dursley, I'm Dr. Threfeld, the Officers are a bit concerned about you, can we sit and talk please?"
As Vernon sat the Doctor was as concerned as the Police for the fat man's health, he immediately classified Vernon as being clinically obese, he was concerned about the man's blood pressure. If the colour of his face was anything to go by he was either heading for a stroke or a heart attack, maybe even both.
After ten minutes he had managed to persuade Vernon to let him check his blood pressure and pulse, both were dangerously high, this man needed to be sedated but refused all help.
"Now, Mr. Dursley, can you tell me what happened today?"
Vernon started. "It's all the freak's fault"
"The freak?"
"Bloody Harry Bloody Potter, Petunia's nephew."
"Petunia?"
"My wife, if his parent's hadn't died and he hadn't come to live with us none of this would have happened. It's all his fault, him and his freaky friends, they're witches and wizards you know." And then leaning in he whispered. "They're planning on taking over the country, they've disguised themselves to look normal like us, but I know how to find them. They're the unemployed layabouts, sponging off us normal folk, and they're even bringing them in from abroad. Asylum seekers my arse, they're all freaks, every one of them, they're going to bleed the country dry."
What had started as a whisper had grown to a crescendo the final shout bringing the sergeant rushing into the room.
/'Oh shit' /thought Threfeld, it's going to be a long one. "Alright, Mr. Dursley, just sit there, I need to make a phone-call."
The sergeant re-posted his sentry and led the Doctor into his office. "What's up Doc?"
The Doctor drew him a withering look and said. "Not your sense of humour anyway, sounds like it's beyond help. Your prisoner however, he's not dealing with a full deck. I think he needs to be somewhere for observation, he thinks the boy he assaulted is a wizard and that wizards and witches are trying to take over Britain. He needs to be taken somewhere secure. Now do you know how to contact his wife?"
"Well, er, um, well, yes. She's in one of our cells sleeping off a drunk. We arrested her for drink driving earlier."
"Any other relatives?"
"Only the son, he's in another room being interviewed about a sexual assault and several other charges of physically assaulting children, he's only sixteen so he can't give consent."
"Shit! Okay phone the Duty Psychiatrist."
Several hours later Vernon woke to find himself in a hospital room, wondering how he'd got there.
Snug beneath an invisibility cloak Hestia Jones who'd been contacted by her Squib uncle whispered in his ear, "The freaks are taking over you know, they're all around you, the Doctors and Nurses here are all freaks."
As his scream echoed round his room several nurses came in to see what was wrong with their patient. Vernon saw them and lashed out.
"Freaks, freaks, you're all freaks, you're trying to take over."
One nurse pressed the emergency call and then joined his colleagues in trying to restrain the large man. Several shots of a powerful tranquilliser later they got him back into bed. Vernon wasn't quite unconscious and again Hestia whispered in his ear, "the freaks are taking over you know, they're all around you."
Dudley.
Dudley sat in the Police Station and nursed his bandaged hand, the Custody Sergeant had got the Doctor to attend to it before he had interviewed Vernon. Dudley was playing dumb, (not a difficult thing for him to do) someone at school had told him that the Police couldn't charge you if you refused to talk to them, and like the sap he was he believed them. So therefore he said nothing. The youngsters who had given statements about the assaults on them didn't know any of the other's names, only Big D. so his stubbornness left him spending the night in the cells while his friends partied wondering why The Chief hadn't joined them.
For the first time in his life he fell asleep hungry, wondering why his parents hadn't been to see him and why that stupid bint of a Social Worker had been there to represent him.
The next morning he and his mother shared a bench in the back of a Police van as it took them to court. Petunia was banned from driving for twelve months and fined £1,000.
Dudley refused to speak to the court and was found in contempt. The Magistrate remanded him in custody as several parents had made representation fearing that their children would be bullied into withdrawing their statements.
Dumble bashing next chapter.
A/N Title taken from a Cider advert
Disclaimer: Harry Potter and other canon characters belong to JKR I'm only having some fun
Chapter 9: Not a Dry Blackthorn Day
Vernon's Day
Vernon Dursley was driving down the motorway after a not too good day at work, dark thoughts running through his head 'What's that Temp Agency playing at, that's the third new girl in as many weeks, God you just get them trained into your ways and they leave and you have to start again. It's all that stupid bitch of a secretary's fault, imagine letting yourself get knocked up, contraception is the woman's responsibility, it's not my fault she's pregnant, who knows how many others the tart has been shagging besides me'
Breaking off from his thoughts long enough to blast his horn, mouth a curse and make a 'V' sign at the driver in front of him for braking too sharply, Vernon went back to wallowing in his misery.
'I'll shake them up, shower of lazy bastards, lowest sales figures for the second month running, what right has that fool of a boss to suggest my sales force need to go on a team building course, New Age mumbo jumbo, it should be shape up or ship out, my way or the highway that would motivate them.'
'It's all the freaks fault, ever since he got back from school things have gone downhill, I'll sort him out, I'll beat the freakiness out of him.'
Those and similar thoughts churned over and over in Vernon's mind throughout his hour's drive home, then to cap it all the freak was missing when he went to check on him.
"PETUNIA" he roared from the loft. "WHERE THE HELL IS YOUR FREAK NEPHEW, WHO LET HIM OUT!!"
It took her thirty minutes and two large whiskies but eventually Petunia had managed to calm her husband down from towering inferno to simmering gently then things got worse.
A large limousine pulled up on the street outside, blocking their drive. Vernon hadn't planned on going anywhere in his car that evening, but no way was anyone going to block his drive, the nerve of them, just because they had a large luxury car didn't give them the right to park in front of his house. He readied himself for battle, retying his tie and putting on his suit jacket before going outside.
As Vernon approached the car he was aware of the man who had got out the back asking about Potter and describing his house as only being fit for servants, he vaguely remembered the young woman as being the one who had hugged and kissed the freak at the railway station and then he saw him, THE FREAK!
"Hi, Uncle Vermin. How do you like my new car?"
Harry's words didn't really register, Vernon's barely contained temper rose along with his blood pressure, and all Vernon could see through the red mist was the cause of all the misery in his life, THE FREAK, he strode forward and launched a punch at him, catching him on the temple and knocking him to the ground, then the next thing he knew he was being handcuffed and read his rights.
The Police Car.
Constables Green and Howie were on routine patrol, neither of them were particularly happy. How were they to know the lady they had stopped for speeding a month ago was the Chief Constable's wife. The next thing they knew was they'd been transferred to the backwater of Greater Whinging Police Office with no chance of promotion. The biggest problem they were liable to encounter was someone's missing cat or dog or some farmer's sheep being rustled, no chance of any 'real' Police work.
Then they saw something strange, children were gathering on a street corner. They could see the outline of a large car, they looked at each other and nodded, anything to break the monotony, lets check this out they decided. As they turned into Privet Drive they saw a large man striding toward the people who had just got out of the limousine and launch himself at a slightly built youth.
They moved into action and took out their frustration (while keeping within the rules of minimum required force) on the large man, decking him and handcuffing him before reading him his rights.
Dudley's Day.
Dudley had had what he considered a good day, him and the LWC (Little Whinging Crew) as he, Piers, Malcolm, Gordon and a group of about ten younger boys and girls who had chosen to take the easy way out by fawning over the original gang, had met up in the morning and went about their daily business. That is a bit of bullying and some shoplifting, not that Dudley and the other 'leaders' actually did any of the stealing, that's what the drones were for. They'd had a good day's thieving and had managed to get some alcohol which they'd enjoy later.
After stashing their booze at Piers' house, his parents were going to be out that evening, so that would be their 'party' venue he had made his way home. His father had come home in a foul temper which had got worse when he discovered that Potter was missing.
Dudley was trying hard to make up his mind whether to stay and watch Potter get his comeuppance or go and do some boozing, if he could get one of the girls drunk enough, she'd let him shag her.
He was aware of his father getting up and putting on his tie and jacket and heading out of the house, ever the opportunist he grabbed another slice of cake and scoffed it before heading outside.
The situation shocked him, his father was being tackled to the ground by two Police Officers and Potter was slowly getting up and being fussed over by two strangers. Then he saw her, she was beautiful, and the clothes she was wearing were fantastic, accentuating all her curves. The lust monster rose in him and he manoeuvred himself round behind her, he brushed his hand against her butt and when that got no reaction he reached round and copped a feel at her chest, then everything went pear-shaped.
Hermione had felt someone's hand brush against her bottom and had assumed it was accidental due to the crowd pressing in to see was happening, then she felt a hand grab at her chest and she reacted.
The previous summer Tonks had taught her and Ginny how to defend themselves, so she reached up and grabbed the hand that had invaded her privacy and bent the fingers back. She was a bit more forceful than she had intended and heard bones break.
Dudley howled in agony and stuck his hand under his opposite armpit and danced around hoping for the pain to go away. The padding of his gut meant he never actually felt Hermione's knee hit him. He was also confused, no girl had ever done that to him before, he was Big D, The Chief, The Leader of the Pack.
In his pain he was aware of the Police Officer talking to someone and then his world collapsed in on him. He was being arrested, charged with sexual assault, he was handcuffed and sat on the garden wall beside his father.
Ten minutes later he and his father were sitting together, locked in the caged prisoner area of a Police van and were being driven to Greater Whinging Police Office.
Petunia's Day.
Petunia had had a good day, she had met up with her favourite gossip partner for lunch in their favourite tearoom. She had seen her little Duddy with his friends, what a popular boy he was, so many friends, and such cute girls. Her rose-tinted view of him failed to recognise that not a few of the passers-by gave her son and his friends a wide berth and she couldn't hear the obscene taunts shouted by them.
After lunch they had went to their 'bridge group,' in reality none of the ladies could play bridge but it was an excuse to get together and talk about those not present that day, criticise the modern fashions and most of all have a few glasses of wine.
They all agreed that the town centre wasn't a nice place to be during the summer with that loutish gang shouting obscenities at people. Petunia was loud in her agreement, little realising that her son was the prime instigator.
She had made her way home, Vernon insisted that his food was ready to be served within minutes of him getting in the house, and as she preferred a quiet life, she had got it down to a fine art. Little did Vernon know but Petunia paid the receptionist at Grunnings to call her when Vernon left the building, and this meant she could time things better.
Things had gone downhill soon after Vernon got home, she could tell by the way he drove up to the house and slammed the car door that things weren't good, and then to cap it off, her freak nephew was missing from his room. The ungrateful brat had ran away, how the hell had he got out the house, fortunately two whiskies and a good meal had calmed Vernon down, but not for long.
She saw the large car pull up in front of their house and people start to get out. By this time Vernon had dressed for battle and was heading outside. She saw the Police car pull into the street and come to a halt, she saw Vernon hit the freak and then to her shock the Police decked and handcuffed her husband.
/'Brandy, I need brandy for my nerves' /she thought and poured herself a large one, drinking it quickly.
Petunia went back outside having decided to see if she could plead Vernon's case, when she saw her ickle bitty Dinky Diddyums being arrested. /'More Brandy' /her brain commanded and her body complied. She stood in the front lounge and watched as her husband and son were sat on the garden wall, all the time sipping on her drink, too ashamed to go out and face her neighbours, how could she show face at her bridge club again?
As the Police vehicles drove off the freak had the nerve to come into her house with three strangers, none of them spoke to her. Harry and the man went upstairs and she heard the loft being opened, the two women who were obviously mother and daughter were inspecting the photos on the wall, then the younger woman opened the cupboard under the stairs. Both women looked in and the younger one turned and glared at her before hugging her mother.
At that Harry and the man came downstairs with the freak's trunks and went out to the waiting Limo. The glare that the young woman had given her had unnerved Petunia, so that needed another brandy.
Her lovely day totally ruined, Petunia chanced a look out of the window from behind her curtains, the crowd was starting to disperse but she could see several of her female neighbours in discussion, each one nodding in the direction of her house, the less discreet actually pointing at it. The men seemed to be having a laugh about something, one of them was re-enacting Vernon being arrested, which the others seemed to find hilarious.
Sometime later the phone rang, she picked it up and answered it. At the other end of the phone it was the custody sergeant from Greater Whinging Police Office requesting that she attend while her son was being interviewed. Vernon being under arrest himself couldn't perform the parental duties. Petunia got the car keys out and after locking the house, got into the car to drive over to Greater Whinging.
As she drove off, the last neighbour (who had been doing some gardening) went into the house and phoned the Police. He refused to give his name but tipped them off that he suspected that a car was being driven by a drunk driver. As Petunia drove out of Little Whinging her car registration and vehicle make and model was being broadcast to all Officers. As she drove into Greater Whinging she didn't notice the Traffic Patrol sitting at a junction. The first she was aware of it was when the Patrol car took position behind her with it's lights flashing, she pulled over expecting the car to pass her to go about it's business, but instead it pulled in behind her.
The next ten minutes passed in a blur as she was asked to provide a specimen of breath and then arrested on suspicion of driving with excess alcohol. She was tested again in the Police Office and having failed again, was charged and led to a cell for the night.
Greater Whinging Police Office Custody Suite.
Vernon was losing it, he'd been arrested for hitting a freak, what was the world coming to, but then again, he was a winner, he knew how things worked, he'd watched 'Z Cars,' 'Dixon of Dock Green,' 'The Sweeney,' 'Miami Vice,' 'Hill Street Blues' and had never missed an episode of 'The Bill,' all he needed to do was offer to buy a ticket to the 'Policeman's Ball' and everything would be fixed.
Constable's Green and Howie took the large man into an interview room and following procedure once again informed Vernon of his rights and explained that the interview would be taped. They both named themselves and asked Vernon to do likewise. Before they could start their interview Vernon spoke.
"Okay guys, how much are the tickets for the Policeman's Ball this year, £100?" when there was no response from either man he said "£200?"
Constable Green looked at his partner, and spoke. "Interview suspended, Constable Green leaving the room." And promptly did so.
He quickly called the Duty Inspector and explained that he thought his prisoner was trying to bribe him. Within five minutes Vernon was being interviewed by three Police Officers.
Inspector Jones named himself for the tape and began the interview. "Mr. Dursley, my Officer has told me you offered £200 for tickets to the Policeman's Ball, is that correct?"
Vernon, misreading the signals replied. "Yes, I take it the price has gone up? What is it now £500, £600, £1,000?"
"Mr. Dursley, are you offering to pay to have the charges against you dropped?"
"Are you Cops all on the stupid pills tonight?" he snarled "Of course I am. I shouldn't have been arrested anyway, the boys a freak, he used magic to get them to arrest me."
"Mr. Dursley, I am arresting you for attempting to bribe a Police Officer and attempting to pervert the course of justice, I advise you to say nothing more until you have spoken to a lawyer, if you want I'll contact the duty lawyer for you."
"Lawyers are blood-sucking scum, it was only a freak I hit, he used magic to get them to arrest me you know."
The three officers looked at each other and closed the interview. Inspector Jones looked at his men, "Write it up, ask the sergeant to put him on a thirty minute watch, I'm calling in the Duty Doctor on this one."
While Vernon was being interviewed Petunia had been through the Custody process and had been locked up for the night. The local court was testing out a new fast-track system for dealing with drunk drivers, most of them appeared before a Magistrate the next day.
Inspector Jones had phoned the Duty Doctor and asked for him to attend. He put his phone down and thought 'Why me, two weeks to retirement a lovely peaceful posting for the past five years and now this'
His train of though was broken by his phone ringing again. "Inspector Jones, how may I help you?" he asked.
"Constable Taggart at the front desk, sir, could you come down please?"
"On my way"
When he entered the public office he couldn't believe his eyes, there were at least twenty parents and children standing in front of the counter. He noticed that many of the children had bruises in various stages of healing and that all of them seemed to be under twelve years of age. He motioned to the Constable and stepped out of the office to where he couldn't be overheard.
"What's going on, Constable?"
"Well, sir, it seems that they're all here to make complaints of assault against the Dursley boy. I need help to deal with it."
"Okay I'll call in the next shift early"
Flashback
As Dudley hopped about in agony several of the onlooking children who had been curious about the fancy car quietly cheered, when he was put in handcuffs and then into a Police van the cheers got louder and the braver ones danced with delight. An observant mother took her child aside to scold him about cheering at someone else's misfortune when she heard what he was muttering under his breath.
"She was magnificent, I wish I could do that to him when he hits me."
"What did you say, George?"
"I said I wish I knew how to do what she did" and with a flood of tears he finally told his mother about the bullying gang led by Dudley and told her of others who had been hit.
Several other parents had overheard the conversation and realised that their children weren't accident prone and tales of walking into or falling off things were clear, and although nothing was discussed among the adults they all found themselves at Greater Whinging Police Office.
End Flashback
Officers Green and Howie were informed that further charges may be made against their second prisoner and that he couldn't be interviewed until a Social Worker was found, as both his parents were currently in custody on other matters.
Back in the custody suite the Duty Sergeant was starting to worry about one of his prisoners, the fat man, Dursley, so worried that he had turned on a surveillance camera and had sneaked a fresh tape into the recorder, and positioned a constable outside the door, he was an old hand and believed in CYB (cover your back.)
He watched the screen as the large man paced up and down, muttering under his breath, the only words he could make out were freak and all his fault. If it hadn't been for the walrus-like features he would have been reminded of a gorilla gradually going insane in a zoo.
Vernon's thoughts were growing blacker/, 'It's the freaks fault, he would expose them and all their freakish ways, magic bah! humbug! bunch of ne'er-do-wells, I bet their all claiming benefits, living off the normal people, I bet all the unemployed are freaks just like him, and the asylum seekers, bringing freaks from abroad to sponge off us. Ministry of Magic, who are they kidding, all hyped up on drugs believing their hallucinations, that's it, I just need to tell everyone, I just need someone to listen.'/
Dr. Sirius Threfeld had been rudely interrupted by his pager, he'd just been settling down for an evening of relaxation with his girlfriend when it sounded. He looked at the number showing and called into the Divisional Headquarters of Surrey Police Force.
/'Greater Whinging? never heard of the place sounds like somewhere you'd go if everywhere else is shut!" /in reality he wasn't far wrong.
After a twenty minute drive he arrived at the Police Office. He was shown into a room and Inspector Jones explained the situation. Ten minutes later having listened to the interview tape and watched the man pacing up and down he entered the room.
"Mr. Dursley, I'm Dr. Threfeld, the Officers are a bit concerned about you, can we sit and talk please?"
As Vernon sat the Doctor was as concerned as the Police for the fat man's health, he immediately classified Vernon as being clinically obese, he was concerned about the man's blood pressure. If the colour of his face was anything to go by he was either heading for a stroke or a heart attack, maybe even both.
After ten minutes he had managed to persuade Vernon to let him check his blood pressure and pulse, both were dangerously high, this man needed to be sedated but refused all help.
"Now, Mr. Dursley, can you tell me what happened today?"
Vernon started. "It's all the freak's fault"
"The freak?"
"Bloody Harry Bloody Potter, Petunia's nephew."
"Petunia?"
"My wife, if his parent's hadn't died and he hadn't come to live with us none of this would have happened. It's all his fault, him and his freaky friends, they're witches and wizards you know." And then leaning in he whispered. "They're planning on taking over the country, they've disguised themselves to look normal like us, but I know how to find them. They're the unemployed layabouts, sponging off us normal folk, and they're even bringing them in from abroad. Asylum seekers my arse, they're all freaks, every one of them, they're going to bleed the country dry."
What had started as a whisper had grown to a crescendo the final shout bringing the sergeant rushing into the room.
/'Oh shit' /thought Threfeld, it's going to be a long one. "Alright, Mr. Dursley, just sit there, I need to make a phone-call."
The sergeant re-posted his sentry and led the Doctor into his office. "What's up Doc?"
The Doctor drew him a withering look and said. "Not your sense of humour anyway, sounds like it's beyond help. Your prisoner however, he's not dealing with a full deck. I think he needs to be somewhere for observation, he thinks the boy he assaulted is a wizard and that wizards and witches are trying to take over Britain. He needs to be taken somewhere secure. Now do you know how to contact his wife?"
"Well, er, um, well, yes. She's in one of our cells sleeping off a drunk. We arrested her for drink driving earlier."
"Any other relatives?"
"Only the son, he's in another room being interviewed about a sexual assault and several other charges of physically assaulting children, he's only sixteen so he can't give consent."
"Shit! Okay phone the Duty Psychiatrist."
Several hours later Vernon woke to find himself in a hospital room, wondering how he'd got there.
Snug beneath an invisibility cloak Hestia Jones who'd been contacted by her Squib uncle whispered in his ear, "The freaks are taking over you know, they're all around you, the Doctors and Nurses here are all freaks."
As his scream echoed round his room several nurses came in to see what was wrong with their patient. Vernon saw them and lashed out.
"Freaks, freaks, you're all freaks, you're trying to take over."
One nurse pressed the emergency call and then joined his colleagues in trying to restrain the large man. Several shots of a powerful tranquilliser later they got him back into bed. Vernon wasn't quite unconscious and again Hestia whispered in his ear, "the freaks are taking over you know, they're all around you."
Dudley.
Dudley sat in the Police Station and nursed his bandaged hand, the Custody Sergeant had got the Doctor to attend to it before he had interviewed Vernon. Dudley was playing dumb, (not a difficult thing for him to do) someone at school had told him that the Police couldn't charge you if you refused to talk to them, and like the sap he was he believed them. So therefore he said nothing. The youngsters who had given statements about the assaults on them didn't know any of the other's names, only Big D. so his stubbornness left him spending the night in the cells while his friends partied wondering why The Chief hadn't joined them.
For the first time in his life he fell asleep hungry, wondering why his parents hadn't been to see him and why that stupid bint of a Social Worker had been there to represent him.
The next morning he and his mother shared a bench in the back of a Police van as it took them to court. Petunia was banned from driving for twelve months and fined £1,000.
Dudley refused to speak to the court and was found in contempt. The Magistrate remanded him in custody as several parents had made representation fearing that their children would be bullied into withdrawing their statements.
Dumble bashing next chapter.
A/N Title taken from a Cider advert
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