Chapter 2
The Kitchen Surprise
"You! Boy! What are you doing back here!? I thought that crack-pot old fool said you wouldn't be coming back after you turned seventeen, eh!? Aren't you seventeen yet, boy, or have I counted the years wrong since you arrived here!?" Vernon Dursley, known to the 'boy' he was referring to as Uncle Vernon.
Uncle Vernon was busy having his mustache bristling again and having his face take on a deep, reddish hue similar to that of a radish's. He was also busy yelling at the boy standing in his kitchen named Harry Potter, known as the 'Chosen One' or the 'Boy Who Lived' to most of the wizards in the world.
"Hey! You should be grateful, Harry came back just to see you!" snapped the redheaded Ginny Weasley who was standing next to him.
"Calm down Ginny, just act like you usually do," Harry muttered into her ear. "And I think it might be better if you follow the plan."
Stiffly, Ginny nodded and grouchily said, "I'll leave you four to get caught up with the recent events in your life, I'll be waiting upstairs in Harry's old bedroom."
When she was gone, Uncle Vernon decided that although he wanted to yell at Harry, he would keep his voice down for the sake of the girl upstairs.
"You better not have lied to us, you ungrateful boy. We've housed you, sheltered you, fed you for the past- well, you should just be thankful we didn't throw you to the dogs! Don't you dare have lived in this house comfortably while we were gone, don't you dare to lie to us now! I want the whole truth, NOW!" snarled Uncle Vernon, putting an extra loud emphasis on the last word.
"Fine, fine. My friends and I at Hog-" Harry began, but was cut off as Aunt Petunia gave an outraged howl at the mention of something that was nowhere close to normal in her perspective.
"I mean, my friends and I at my school," Harry hurriedly corrected himself while at the same time making an effort not to kick something in anger and irritation, "We've defeated Voldemort. He's gone for good now, so everyone is celebrating. For sure he is gone, no need to worry. No, I was not in your house while he was around, I was away in other places. I figured I'd drop by and visit with you guys for a couple of hours, although it appears I'm not welcome."
"You're welcome," said the Dudley who had been very uncharacteristically quiet until then. "You saved me from those d-d-de-demontors when I was sixteen, you can stay for a couple of hours."
Aunt Petunia took one look at her son and burst into tears, much like she had done the day that Harry and the Dursley family had parted when he was eighteen. She ran over and gave her son one large hug.
Uncle Vernon's mustache began to bristle once more, obviously due to the war he was having in his head; allowing his son Dudley to be pleased and having Harry stay, or to get rid of Harry and be happy? In the end, his desire to spoil his son won out.
"Fine, you can stay, but a few hours and no more! And I'll expect you to find some way to feed yourself and your girlfriend without our money, you aren't going to go around spending our money after all these years of living with us. Your girlfriend also needs to stay in your room, now don't do anything suspicious while we're gone," Uncle Vernon spat, already turning to grab his car keys.
"Gone? Where are you going, you've only just gotten home," asked Harry, confused.
"Well, we can't ruddy well live off of nothing, now can we son, eh? You may be able to- to- to- make your food appear with a wave of- of- of- your thing, but you should know that we can't!" Uncle Vernon sneered.
"Okay," Harry said, reluctant at having to face the neighbors craning their necks to look at Number Four Privet Drive all by himself, as they were already beginning to do so. "I'll stay in my room with Ginny, we'll wait there."
"Good!" growled Uncle Vernon before the three Dursleys filed out the door and slammed it shut.
