Dudley leaves a cup of tea outside Harry's door one morning.
I was tired of the constant packing and unpacking of the car. At the beginning of the summer, some of Harry's people had come to explain to Mum, Dad, and me that the wizard who had killed Harry's parents could come to our house after Harry's birthday and kill us too. At first, my parents scoffed at the idea and steadfastly proclaimed that we wouldn't let riffraff like that into our house, but I was scared. The man with the red hair explained that any defenses we put up wouldn't even slow them down and that even wizards couldn't keep them out forever.
It was the morning of the day that we were leaving. The two men had explained that they didn't want to wait until Harry's birthday to test the protective spell, instead we were going to break it ourselves by leaving our home. I was apprehensive about the whole ordeal, and if I was scared, I couldn't imagine what Harry was feeling today. I had kept my distance from my cousin this summer as I had for the past few summers, once I realized that I never wanted to cross Harry again after what happened with those dementor things a few years ago. I shiver remembering what I had seen, but put it out of my mind knowing the trauma that came with lingering on the images that had played out in my mind during that encounter.
The kettle's whistle blissfully pulls me out of my reminiscences and I lift it gently off of the stove and pour it into the waiting cup. Never good with words, I'm glad that tea has a way of speaking for itself. Comfort. Warmth. I carry the tea up the stairs and listen at Harry's door to the sounds of him rifling through his things and packing. I didn't want to bother him so instead I set the cup down in front of his door, knowing Harry would find it there. I placed my ear at the door one more time and lifted my fist to knock but slowly lowered it knowing that there was nothing I could say that would reassure Harry in any way. We would have plenty of time together in the next few months wherever we were moved to and maybe then I could finally thank him for saving my life and apologize for my past behavior. I tiptoe down the hallway and leave my cousin alone with his thoughts and similarly I'm alone with mine.
