Differences of Vocabulary

by Ravariel

Fifteen-month-old Harry has just come to live with the Dursleys, and the differences between him and Dudley are uncomfortably obvious. They know different words. They are different sorts of children. Therefore, isn't it only natural to treat them differently? A set of 100 word drabbles, possibly to be expanded upon.

"Mummy?"

Questioning green eyes look at Petunia out of a small face. Her nephew's lip is quivering, but noticing this does not make her answer gentle.

"Your mummy's not here."

Harry blinks. "Dada?"

"He's not here either." Petunia is snappish, aggravated. They've had this conversation countless times over the course of the day, and the fifteen-month-old is not getting the point. "You live with us now."

He is quiet a moment, then—"Mummy?"

She turns away from him, going to bang dishes around in the sink. One thought underlies her anger—

Dudley can say "shan't," but he doesn't say "Mummy."

o-o

Vernon Dursley drags a small crib down from the attic, a gift that they'd found too cheap for Dudley's use. They agree to put it in the smaller of the spare bedrooms. At eight, after Dudley's bath, Petunia settles her son on the sofa with a warm bottle and a biscuit. Harry has been sitting behind the television, playing with his toes, but when he hears the word "biscuit" he comes out, hands extended, a smile on his face for the first time.

"Peas?" he says.

Petunia finds she doesn't want to give him a biscuit.

Dudley never says "please."

o-o

Petunia hands Dudley off to Vernon while she digs out Dudley's old pajamas for Harry. Couldn't that Dumbledore have left a diaper bag? Tossing down a changing pad on the bed, she gets off Harry's wet nappy and puts on a fresh one, too big. He doesn't squirm, just stares at her with those big eyes. Lily's eyes.

She quickly finishes changing him and puts him in the crib, covering him with the blanket he came wrapped in. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Nigh-nigh," he says, then, "Kiss?"

She turns out the light and does not kiss him.

Dudley prefers candy to kisses.

o-o

Not an hour after Petunia falls asleep, she hears crying. For a moment, she is shocked that it doesn't sound like Dudley, but the events quickly crash over her again and tears prick at her eyes as she thinks how unfair it is, how selfish of Lily to get involved with that set and get herself killed, leaving her with that sniveling kid.

"Mummy," sobs Harry from his crib. "Mummy!"

Let him cry, Petunia tells herself as she rolls over listlessly. He'll learn soon enough that his mum's not coming.

She has never once let Dudley cry himself to sleep.