Safety in my Arms
I no longer knew how to cry. I fake cry, true but I haven't cried since the age of three.
I thought of this as I sat in my cupboard that barely fit me now. Crush, snap, click, click, click, snap and the cupboard door swung open to reveal Aunt Petrunia with her mouth moving; I could guess what she was saying, make food. Untangling my arms from my legs I crawled out and straightened out on the way to the kitchen.
After making food, Uncle Vernon threw me outside, locking the door with an eviler grin than Voldemort could ever produce. This early in the morning, 9am, would have most stores closed except the library. I went there multiple times a week but at Hogwarts no one expects me to be smart or talented for the exception of Defense Against the Dark Arts.
Pushing the door opened echoed the sound of a bell. Breathing in deeply I could smell sweet roses, old leather bound books and jasmine tea that Annabelle makes for herself and me; the jasmine tea sat in a corner hidden by bookcases. I let a small smile touch my lips like a gentle wind. Thinking about Annabelle, the devil arrives bringing me a small breakfast feast; scrambled eggs, six crispy bacon, sliced apples, an orange, two hash-browns, a small bowl of oatmeal, and another cup with black coffee, she knew me so well.
Annabelle is sixty-eight with barely any wrinkles. An accident at the age of twenty-six she lost her eyesight but always looks right at you with piercing sky blue eyes that hide her knowledge. A squib she has been in the muggle world since she was very young. Black wavy hair with only a few handfuls of grey standing at 5'3'' and always, at least nowadays, wears jeans and a t-shirt with a saying; today the t-shirt said "Leather Might Look Good as Clothes but Looks Better on a Story" with a leather bound book underneath. With Annabelle's blindness she has a seeing-eye dog. A spayed female German Shepard named Alice named after the character Alice from Alice in Wonderland. Trained by the best, Alice doesn't even need a leash.
"Thank you Annabelle," I replied sitting down in a brown leather chair, Annabelle sat down in a similar chair setting down the tray on a small table in between us with Alice lying down at Annabelle's feet; Annabelle nodded to me. This library belonged and was run by Annabelle while sometimes I helped out, cleaning, putting books back, and sometimes helping people find books. Her library didn't have any computers and everything was done by hand but everyone left feeling special.
Annabelle, I noticed started digging around in her pockets finally finding the money she set it on the table sliding towards me. I shook my head at her, "Stop shaking your head at me Harriet," I wonder how she does that; I'm in trouble now she only calls me Harriet when she is angry and knows she will win. "This is the money I owe you and tips customers leave for you," she pauses staring me in the eyes, sky blue vs. avada kedava green, "there is roughly six hundred and fifty pounds there." I looked at her shocked that couldn't be right, "I added about one hundred pounds, worth in there for your birthday," I forgot my own birthday, again, "I know you forgot but I know you've been wanting to get a makeover for a while now so I setup with a friend of mine for that tattoo you've been wanting."
There was no words to explain how shocked I was, "I don't know what to say," I said looking at her like a girl looking at a big diamond.
"Say thank you, take the money and have fun spending it," she replied, "now finish your food and get out of here." I scarfed finishing the mini feast at a world record grinning like a loon.
"Thank you," I said giving Annabelle a peck on the cheek and a pat to Alice racing out barely hearing that the tattoo parlor was three blocks down and two blocks to the left.
The tattoo parlor was called Ink and Needles; the buildings itself was brick building with two glass doors and the sign was colored like graffiti. Walking in was an open room one side looked to be for tattoos and the other side was for piercings; there was a wooden door close to the back that looked like it was an office. A man came out of the office that has tattoos from head to toe and multiple piercings, a little tag said that the man's name was Chris.
"Are you Harry?" Chris asked. I nodded. He showed me a sketch of which made my mouth dropped in shock. "Do you wish for a moving tattoo or a nonmoving?"
"Moving please," Chris nodded and started to work.
Three hours later and one amazing tattoo later, I had tears in my eyes looking at it but couldn't feel prouder. The tattoo had a buck, Prongs written in the other antler, with a lily wound around an antler playing with snuffles and moony both written in their fur with a phoenix flying overhead acting like a referee and a baby basilisk caught in the middle with a back round of the Forbidden Forest. Chris gave me a potion that healed the tattoo almost instantly.
"Can I have one of my ears pierced and nipples?" I asked and he nodded.
I walked out feeling very pleased, turned out Annabelle paid for the tattoo so all I had to pay was for the piercings which left me with 600 pounds. My next stop was a hair dresser which was about a block down, walking in a woman in her early thirties took me on. "What do yaw want done, Hun?"
"I would like a couple streaks of silver and my eye color green and extensions that go a little lower than my shoulders," as I spoke she started pulling out what she needed.
"Let me make a quick check to see if we have that color green. Also, it would roughly cost a hundred dollars if this is okay with you?" she paused waiting for me to nod, I nodded. Turned out they did have everything. The end product gave me a punker look which I loved and gave the lady a tip of twenty pounds. She smiled at me as I walked out feeling better and better about my new look and about myself.
Walking from store to store I couldn't find the clothes I was really looking for besides socks and boxers. I came across a store called Punks and Losers which had glass windows to look in that peaked my interest. The first thing I saw was long lasting contacts which I immediately grabbed before I even grabbed a basket. Walking around I begun to fall in love with the store. I went to the counter but before I froze not believing my eyes. Rubbing them, no he's still there, breathing deeply I asked the million dollar question, "Dudley?"
Dudley raised his head and looked at me tilting his head like a confused puppy trying to figure out a hard question. His mouth dropped, "Harry? Holy shit Harry!" he came out around the counter and stood right in front of me looking me up and down like a piece of meat.
"Hey…Dudley," I said stepping back a couple of steps. Dudley frowned but didn't step any closer and at that I breathed out a sigh of happiness. "You… uh work… here?"
"Um… yea. Would you mind getting lunch… with me?" Dudley asked looking unsure and scared. For the first time I thought pretty hard before answering and I realized since summer started Dudley hasn't done anything to me, no name calling, no Harry-hunting, no touching and this spiked my curiosity.
"Um sure Dudley," I answered.
Dudley took me to a small café just around from Punks and Losers and we were seated rather quickly. When our food came neither of us had spoken a word yet. A spoonful was about to be eaten when Dudley spoke, "I'm sorry," I looked at him with a look that asked 'about what', "for everything, I'm sorry for what I did to you. I'm sorry for what my mom and dad do to you," Dudley looked down ashamed before looking back up at me.
"What-," I paused looking at Dudley, he nodded at me trying to tell me without saying anything that it was ok to say anything, "what changed your mind about… me?"
"Last summer when that Deme-."
"Dementor."
"When that Dementor attacked us, you said afterward that they show your worst memories and I saw… what I did to you… and what mom and dad did," I looked at Dudley not really believing my ears but what I saw told me he was telling the truth and my instincts were telling me the same thing. "I started thinking about life and everything and I want to change, this past year I've been… doing everything in my power to change. I am also… interested in the… magic- your world."
Taking a deep breath I realized that over this past summer I started to trust him. From helping me to the bedroom, bandaging my wounds to sneaking food in for me. "Ask… whatever you want but not here."
"Then… where?"
"The library about five blocks down… the lady who owns it is a squib," Dudley's face went to confused at the mention of the word squib, "a squib is someone who has magical parents but isn't a wizard or witch. Usually they dump the child in the… human world," Dudley nodded with understanding of both why I would choose there and about what squib means.
"Are… you gonna shop at Punks and Losers?" at my nod he paid for the meal and lead me back. After spending 280 pounds and an hour later I was on my way with a promise to meet Dudley at the library at 5:30pm.
Not knowing what to do I just walked around until I saw an electronic shop; going with my gut I went in. I came out not even forty-five minutes later with an IPod and twenty thousand songs and hundred and fifty pounds lighter. Putting the earphones in blasting Maroon 5 the song 'She Will Be Loved' and eating a five pounds ice cream.
Coming across a Pet Shop I felt a pull at my heart, pausing the music, taking the plugs out and walking around. I walked right past the cats, puppies, birds, and finally came across the reptiles; the pull lead me to the snakes. There were five tanks, one held boa constrictors, I passed those not even looking. The second tank held a gopher snakes, third had little green snakes and the forth had a little king snake. But the fifth tank caught my attention, walking closer the pull, showed this was the one that brought me in here.
In the tank held the most beautiful and stunning snake I have ever seen lay there. It had eyes with one midnight blue the other being cheery red that kept you standing still. The body must have been about two and half feet; the scales are a dark sky but when it moved you saw flashes of green here and there. Stupid human, stupid tank, what I would do if I were out, the snake said flashing its one inch fangs at me but instead of being scared I felt like this was the most precious thing on the earth.
I didn't mean to stare but you my darling are very beautiful, I said hoping to whatever gods that this beautiful snake would allow me to pet it and or take it with me.
A speaker, the snake paused to move its body to get a better look at me that is very powerful. If you would allow I wish for you to be my master, the stunning snake said bowing its head at me.
I would love to, I said moving the top of the tank with ease and let my hand settle on the bottom for it to slither up, I'm sorry for my ignorance but what kind of snake are?
I am a magical black mamba, the snake said as it got comfortable around my neck. Not feeling a speck of fear, and before you ask I am female with no name. Hm, that would not do I thought as I put seventy dollars on the counter very glad that the store owner was nowhere in sight. Thinking of names I walked out of the store and started heading back to the library.
What about the name Amira? I asked not bothering to stop walking so no one would hear me.
Amira, I like the name very much master, Amira said rubbing her head over my neck to show how pleased she was.
Please do not call me master Amira, just Harry, Amira nodded her head against my neck in agreement. Neither of us spoke, just relished in the feel of the bond Amira and I had.
Entering the library I looked for a clock that showed I had only a half an hour before Dudley came. Going to the corner that I was sure would reveal Annabelle, big shot I thought when I saw her reading a book; she must have heard me because she placed a bookmark at her place and waited. "You brought a friend," she said looking right at Amira, she is blind but very intelligent, Amira said to me.
"Annabelle, this is Amira a magical black mamba, Amira this is Annabelle a dear friend of mine," I said to both switching form palseltongue and English. You choose wisely for friends, Amira told me before moving her tongue over Annabelle's hand. Before anyone could say anything a deep bark sounded around the library.
Annabelle clicked her tongue loudly before I could ask anything and out bounded a white pit bull twice the size of the of a regular pit. The dog had a red ribbon on the top of its muscled head, "Happy Birthday," Annabelle said smiling as the dog sat by my feet with a big grin. I couldn't speak but slowly a shit eating grin started to show.
The dog must have weighed about 120 pounds and looked like a cuddle bug right now. "Thank you Annabelle," I said in shock. One of the dog's ears was pure hazel and the other was white and pointed up. It-, looked down, he was well muscled broad chest with a black spot, another black spot on the neck in the shape of a heart and at the beginning of the tail a light brown spot.
"This dog has had training of four months as a search and rescue dog then a year as protective attack dog; he is a year and half with his birthday on January 1st. You also can name him," she patted the dog's head.
I looked at the way he was sitting and looked, "His name will be Pryde," I looked at Pryde nodding his head with love of his new name, and licked my hand; I giggled. Annabelle was smiling at the three of us, Pryde, Amira and me with such love that I got up and hugged her and gave her a kiss on the cheek saying thank you. Once I was settled back in my seat again she practically demanded for every detail of what I did today, so far and I complied.
Before I knew it Dudley was walking into the library and followed me into a backroom were we wouldn't be disturbed. Annabelle greeted us before walking back out; she told me before Dudley came that she was proud of me for trying and hopefully getting along with Dudley. The backroom was small with a little table that could hold three people and a desk facing the table with book posters hanging on the white walls. I sat down with Amira back around my neck and Pryde lying underneath the table while Dudley took the opposite seat.
"You may ask whatever you wish Dudley," and that is when the flood gates opened wide. We talked for two hours Dudley asking questions, me answering and… I told him everything from when I was staying with him and his family to my years at Hogwarts. Once I was done I had tears in my eyes with Dudley hugging me close to him and rubbing my back but I didn't cry.
"You, Harry, have been through hell and back and are still standing," Dudley said looking at me with astonishment and pride. "I know it's your birthday and was… wondering if you would allow me to take you out to a bar," I looked at him wondering how we would get in, underage and all. He pulled out his wallet taking out something that looked like a license and pushed it towards me. Taking a look, I realized suddenly that it was a fake, "I got it made a month or two before you came back. It was wishful thinking that I would be able to show you a good time on your birthday."
"I… don't know… um… what to say," I replied looking at the fake license, go with him Amira said urging me on. He is truthful in everything. What he asked, his expression, I would have tasted if he lied I looked at her nodding my head.
"What did Amira say, Harry?" Dudley asked.
"She told me that everything you said or felt was true; that she would have tasted a lie if you did and would have told me," Dudley looked at Amira in shock and in awe, Amira hissed in pleasure. "I would in all honestly like to go," I said watching as Dudley snapped his face around to my face in shocked pleasure.
We were let into the bar with no issues and Dudley ordered two beers as we sat at a booth. Talking became easier and easier until we wondered how we weren't friends before. Dudley though I realized took me to a gay bar when one of the bartenders started hitting on Dudley. When he finally left I looked at Dudley with an expression that probably said to explain, "I figured out I was gay during this past year and well," he paused, "I thought I would let you know considering…," I took a sip of beer, "I think of you as a little brother," and there goes the beer flying out of my mouth.
Coughing Dudley lightly tapped my back, tilting my head to look Dudley in the eye I finally saw that I did see him as an older brother; "I'm good, bro," he looked at me with a full blown out smile and gave me a one arm hug.
Picking up Amira and asking if Annabelle could watch Pryde we were walking back to the house but I felt like the luckiest man on the earth. With one of Dudley's arms over my shoulders not minding Amira I thought a thought that made me grin, this was the best birthday ever. Dudley grinned too when I told him.