A Greater Evil
I
July 30 was going to be a normal day in the summer life of Harry Potter. He was going to go to work at the bookstore, read the latest bestseller. Then he was supposed to go home and do yard work and cook dinner. After dinner, he would sometimes go to his room and send a letter to his best friend Ron Weasley or do his summer homework.
After he turned sixteen the year before, the Dursleys had realized that Harry could be a remedy for their financial woes. Uncle Vernon told Harry that he would be forced to work, or be thrown out of the house. To further convince Harry to work, Vernon said that he would "only" be taking half of the paycheck. He, however, failed to realize that Dudley could also work.
The reason for the financial problems was that Dudley had been eating them out after he finally convinced his parents to drop the diet that he had been following since he was 14 by saying that the school outfitters did stock knickerbockers big enough for him now because he was six feet tall but "only" three feet wide. When Dudley was on the diet, food didn't cost much money, but now dinner was steak and potatoes instead of orange slices and carrots. Making matters worse was that Grunnings, Vernon's drill-making employer, had been becoming less profitable and Vernon's salary suffered.
Harry walked to the bookstore and took a book off of the rack. "The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien," he read. "Being the first part of the Lord of the Rings," he continued. "I know this one! Hermione was raving about it in our second year," he thought. There was hardly any business in the bookstore that day. It could be considered normal, because "who comes to the bookstore on a Friday afternoon anyway?" Harry thought. At 5:00, Harry's boss gave him his paycheck and Harry left. He decided to cash it at the local bank.
Harry was glad that Dumbledore again bent the rules for him, teaching him to apparate and allowing him to do magic during the summer holidays as extra precautions against Voldemort. This allowed him more freedom to do as he wished, mainly causing trouble. He would frequent the Weasley household, hexing anyone he could find. He also sent an angry howler to Percy, complaining of faulty international cooperation.
Of course, the Weasleys knew that Harry was hexing them, as he had happily sent them a letter informing them of his new privileges and taunted them about it whenever he dropped in for a visit. After getting his laughs, he apparated into Diagon Alley and made his way towards Gringotts. He had 1/2 of his paycheck, plus 30 pounds, changed into gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts, the currency of wizards. Uncle Vernon would never know that Harry had been taking extra money. He would just say that business had been slow and his employer was losing money.
Harry then walked towards Flourish and Blotts. He picked up an advanced book of spells, a book of little-known hexes, and a book of Seeker tactics. As he approached the counter, he noticed another book. It seemed to be radiating a strange power, that Harry guessed only he could feel. He read the title, Secrets of the Hogwarts Four and Other Notable Wizards, and looked through it. He saw descriptions of spell books, secret tunnels, ancient arts, and other things that looked very interesting and useful. Not wanting to be caught looking through this particular book, he decided to pay for it and quickly leave the store.
After paying for the books, Harry apparated backs to his room and laid it on the desk. He then went downstairs to cook dinner, but noticed that the Dursleys went to a fancy restaurant instead. How they could afford it was beyond Harry, the particular restaurant that they were visiting was one of the most expensive in the London area. Harry decided to sneak one of the steaks in the fridge and eat that. After his dinner, Harry went to his bedroom and began one of the four essays Snape had assigned.
***
Tap Tap Tap. "Go to bed Dudley," Harry said, half asleep. Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap. Crack. "Alright, alright I'm coming," mumbled Harry. He found his glasses, put them on, and looked around. His eyes focused on the window, where there were about eight owls hovering. Harry let them all in, and they all dropped birthday gifts on the floor. There was also a package bearing the Hogwarts seal.
After unwrapping Weasley's Book of Hexes and Tricks and objects which Harry could only guess were stolen from Filch's drawer of confiscated things, a miniature Quidditch pitch with moving players from Hermione, more of Hagrid's home cooking (suitable for half-giants only), and a box of tricks from Sirius, which he liked to use in his school days, Harry turned to the largest package, the one with the Hogwarts seal. Inside it was the usual letter that Harry received from Hogwarts, a letter warning of his NEWT exams coming in June and suggesting that he begin to study right away, and a gigantic NEWT study guide. The Marauders' Map was also there with a familiar note bearing familiar elegant handwriting: "Just In Case."
It was from Albus Dumbledore
"Wow, these are all great," Harry thought. He looked over towards the clock. It read 3:30. "I'd better get back to bed." He then immediately fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of all the wonderful presents that he had received.
***
At 8:00 in the morning, Harry awoke to a loud banging on the door. "I know that there's someone here!" shouted a voice. "Their nephew lived with them, and he wasn't in that car. He's in here!"
Harry looked out the window. Three Muggle policemen were at his door.
"R+R (That means Read and Review), Thank You"
2000-2002 The Game
I
July 30 was going to be a normal day in the summer life of Harry Potter. He was going to go to work at the bookstore, read the latest bestseller. Then he was supposed to go home and do yard work and cook dinner. After dinner, he would sometimes go to his room and send a letter to his best friend Ron Weasley or do his summer homework.
After he turned sixteen the year before, the Dursleys had realized that Harry could be a remedy for their financial woes. Uncle Vernon told Harry that he would be forced to work, or be thrown out of the house. To further convince Harry to work, Vernon said that he would "only" be taking half of the paycheck. He, however, failed to realize that Dudley could also work.
The reason for the financial problems was that Dudley had been eating them out after he finally convinced his parents to drop the diet that he had been following since he was 14 by saying that the school outfitters did stock knickerbockers big enough for him now because he was six feet tall but "only" three feet wide. When Dudley was on the diet, food didn't cost much money, but now dinner was steak and potatoes instead of orange slices and carrots. Making matters worse was that Grunnings, Vernon's drill-making employer, had been becoming less profitable and Vernon's salary suffered.
Harry walked to the bookstore and took a book off of the rack. "The Fellowship of the Ring by JRR Tolkien," he read. "Being the first part of the Lord of the Rings," he continued. "I know this one! Hermione was raving about it in our second year," he thought. There was hardly any business in the bookstore that day. It could be considered normal, because "who comes to the bookstore on a Friday afternoon anyway?" Harry thought. At 5:00, Harry's boss gave him his paycheck and Harry left. He decided to cash it at the local bank.
Harry was glad that Dumbledore again bent the rules for him, teaching him to apparate and allowing him to do magic during the summer holidays as extra precautions against Voldemort. This allowed him more freedom to do as he wished, mainly causing trouble. He would frequent the Weasley household, hexing anyone he could find. He also sent an angry howler to Percy, complaining of faulty international cooperation.
Of course, the Weasleys knew that Harry was hexing them, as he had happily sent them a letter informing them of his new privileges and taunted them about it whenever he dropped in for a visit. After getting his laughs, he apparated into Diagon Alley and made his way towards Gringotts. He had 1/2 of his paycheck, plus 30 pounds, changed into gold Galleons, silver Sickles, and bronze Knuts, the currency of wizards. Uncle Vernon would never know that Harry had been taking extra money. He would just say that business had been slow and his employer was losing money.
Harry then walked towards Flourish and Blotts. He picked up an advanced book of spells, a book of little-known hexes, and a book of Seeker tactics. As he approached the counter, he noticed another book. It seemed to be radiating a strange power, that Harry guessed only he could feel. He read the title, Secrets of the Hogwarts Four and Other Notable Wizards, and looked through it. He saw descriptions of spell books, secret tunnels, ancient arts, and other things that looked very interesting and useful. Not wanting to be caught looking through this particular book, he decided to pay for it and quickly leave the store.
After paying for the books, Harry apparated backs to his room and laid it on the desk. He then went downstairs to cook dinner, but noticed that the Dursleys went to a fancy restaurant instead. How they could afford it was beyond Harry, the particular restaurant that they were visiting was one of the most expensive in the London area. Harry decided to sneak one of the steaks in the fridge and eat that. After his dinner, Harry went to his bedroom and began one of the four essays Snape had assigned.
***
Tap Tap Tap. "Go to bed Dudley," Harry said, half asleep. Tap tap tap. Tap tap tap. Crack. "Alright, alright I'm coming," mumbled Harry. He found his glasses, put them on, and looked around. His eyes focused on the window, where there were about eight owls hovering. Harry let them all in, and they all dropped birthday gifts on the floor. There was also a package bearing the Hogwarts seal.
After unwrapping Weasley's Book of Hexes and Tricks and objects which Harry could only guess were stolen from Filch's drawer of confiscated things, a miniature Quidditch pitch with moving players from Hermione, more of Hagrid's home cooking (suitable for half-giants only), and a box of tricks from Sirius, which he liked to use in his school days, Harry turned to the largest package, the one with the Hogwarts seal. Inside it was the usual letter that Harry received from Hogwarts, a letter warning of his NEWT exams coming in June and suggesting that he begin to study right away, and a gigantic NEWT study guide. The Marauders' Map was also there with a familiar note bearing familiar elegant handwriting: "Just In Case."
It was from Albus Dumbledore
"Wow, these are all great," Harry thought. He looked over towards the clock. It read 3:30. "I'd better get back to bed." He then immediately fell into a deep sleep, dreaming of all the wonderful presents that he had received.
***
At 8:00 in the morning, Harry awoke to a loud banging on the door. "I know that there's someone here!" shouted a voice. "Their nephew lived with them, and he wasn't in that car. He's in here!"
Harry looked out the window. Three Muggle policemen were at his door.
"R+R (That means Read and Review), Thank You"
2000-2002 The Game
