CHAPTER THREE

THREATS AND VERNON

Harry's eyes shot up. "What?"

"I'll tell them where you'll be and if they don't let you, I'll just hex them." He winked.

"Woah," he muttered.

"What?"

"I've only heard one person ever threaten my guardians before!" his saddened face turned into a huge grin. "I'll go grab my things! You can talk to them!" So then they ran to his house Harry ran upstairs while Mr. Boller talked to his unexpected aunt and uncle.

"Boy! Where are you going?" Uncle Vernon asked as Harry ran upstairs. He was about to follow when he heard someone clear their throat at his front door. "What are you doing here?"

"Hello, Mr. Dursley. My name is Timothy Boller and I am your new neighbor. I am going to be taking young Harry over for the night," he casually told Vernon.

"What?" Uncle Vernon mustered.

"I said-."

"I heard what you said! You are not, I repeat, are NOT going to be taking the boy anywhere! He belongs in this household and he is not leaving!" Uncle Vernon spat.

"Well, I was hoping I wouldn't have to resort to this." He pulled out his wand and Uncle Vernon eyed him wearily.

"You're one of those…things!"

"Pardon?" He looked him over with a smile on his face.

"You're what he his! Where he goes every year! You're one of them!"

"Vernon, what's going on down here?" Petunia had just come down the stairs. When she saw Mr. Boller's wand she froze, her eyes wide, and then she screamed.

"Ah, you must be Mrs. Dursley," Mr. Boller said politely. "I'm just going to be taking Harry here and then we'll be on our way." Harry somewhat cowered in the doorway, for he had already come down the stairs and watched the scene with interest.

Uncle Vernon regained his composure. "I told you, he is not leaving."

"And I told you I didn't want to resort to this."

Uncle Vernon didn't know what to do. Then his wife came up to him and whispered something in his ear. He nodded then looked to the man in front of him.

"Mr. Boller?" Mr. Boller looked at him with interest. "You can take our nephew with you; however, he must be back here by a reasonable time tomorrow. No later than noon. Understand?"

"Perfectly, Mr. Dursley. Well, Harry, you ready to go?"

"Yes, Mr. Boller." Harry walked out the door and gave a small look to his aunt and uncle before closing the door behind him.

"Wow, Mr. Boller, how'd you do that?"

"What, convince them? Easy really. I pulled out my wand and, being Muggles, they instinctively grew frightened."

"Well, they grew frightened probably because I have a habit of drawing it on them." Harry winced at Mr. Boller's appalled look. "I don't cast anything! I know better!"

"Good boy. You above all should know what happens if you cast magic out of school. After all, you are fifteen and are going to your sixth year in Hogwarts this year, correct?"

"Yes, sir."

"Okay, so let's go inside and meet the family. We don't know much about you and, if you'd like, we could spend some of the night getting to know each other," Mr. Boller suggested.

"Sure, no problem!"

"Excellent! The kids, and Lydia, will be thrilled!"

They made their way into the house and when Harry entered, he received a shock. The house wasn't THIS big when I came in last time, was it? Harry thought to himself. He stared at it in disbelief.

Before he could say anything, Timothy bent down and whispered "magic" in his ear. Harry was amazed. He walked forward, staring all around.

"Take a seat on the couch, if you want to, Harry," Lydia said, coming around the corner.

"Thanks, Mrs. Boller," Harry said politely.

"Oh, call my Lydia, dear."

"Okay," Harry replied.

"And you call me Tim or Timothy. Either is fine," Mr. Boller said from behind him.

"Okay."

Harry sat down on the couch and looked as though he had entered a palace. Tim saw the look on his face and burst out laughing, which startled Harry.

"Sorry, Harry, your face just looks really funny!"

Harry's face grew red and hot. My face looks funny?

"Tim! That's not anything nice to say to our guest!" Lydia scolded.

Tim slapped Harry's back, which made him start, and then looked up at the man. "Sorry, Harry, just your reaction to our house was kind of humorous!"

Harry laughed a little bit and then looked at his hands. He felt really uncomfortable now. The kids eventually came down the stairs and sat on the other couch and looked at Harry. Do they have to be staring at me?

Eventually the parents came in and sat down. "Okay, who wants to start first?" Tim asked enthusiastically. No one answered. "Okay, I'll start!"

So Tim started by introducing himself and then talked about things he liked. This is going to be a long night!