Chapter 7
Spilt Tears
The hot tears streaming down Harry's face fell to the ground as he ran. He didn't know where he was going, but he just needed to get away. He slowed and sat down when he came upon an upturned tree. He pulled his knees to his chest and shook, violent sobs raking through his body. Why had he been lied to? Why was he sent to the Dursleys'? It wasn't fair!
When he had first gone to the Dursleys' as a baby, he had been shoved under the sink. He was fed just enough to keep alive, and only got a fresh nappy once a week if he was lucky. His first memory of the Dursleys' was being yelled at for crying when he'd gotten a nappy rash. If he remembered correctly he had been given a smack or two for that as well. He had only been two so the memory was fuzzy. He learned from that experience. Don't cry. No matter how much it hurts, don't cry. When he was tall enough to reach the stove top, Petunia had put him to work. He learned that if you burnt the food, you wouldn't be fed and if you tried to eat the food before the family ate, you'd be hit and you wouldn't be fed.
When he got too big to fit under the sink, he was moved to the cupboard under the stairs. His work load increased after that, slowly at first, but the tasks shortly outweighed the rewards, not that he complained, he had more sense than that after all. He was allowed outside after his fifth winter with the Dursleys', he was only allowed out to shovel the snow, but he relished every moment, even if he wasn't allowed to play and he was only given Dudley's hand-me-down coat and holey mittens to keep himself warm in the frigid temperatures. After he had shown he was competent enough to work outside, they let him tend the garden.
He then had his first burst of accidental magic in front of Petunia and Vernon. He had done other accidental magic like fixing the cup he had broken in the sink before Petunia knew, and fixing the hole in his shoes so they would last longer, but no one had seen him do those things, and he was glad that they hadn't, because he was whipped with Vernon's belt when they saw him conjure a glass of water. They then had locked him in his cupboard without being fed (minus the occasional cracker from Petunia when she felt bad) for well over a week. At the time he hadn't known what he had done, after all, he had only wanted a drink after tending the garden all day and one had come to him, had that been so bad? Apparently it had, so Harry quickly learned not to do anymore of the 'freakish things' again, but it hadn't always worked. Like with the sweater, his hair, the roof, and the glass at the Zoo.
Harry had noticed Dudley do things as well but he had never said anything. Dudley had once fixed a toy that he had broken right in front of Harry, and Harry had thought it perfectly normal. Harry had noticed that shortly after Petunia and Vernon had caught Harry conjure the glass of water, Dudley had started acting weird. Dudley stopped picking on Harry when they were alone, but when around his gang or his parents Dudley made up for his kindness by being twice as mean or bratty depending on the situation.
After Dudley's eleventh birthday he became very jumpy, especially whenever his parents would call Harry 'freak', it had gotten so bad that he once left dinner before he cleared his plate. That had concerned Petunia about her precious 'Duddykins', but it had also concerned Harry, and piqued his interest. Shortly after he had returned from Diagon he noticed that Hedwig had ruffled feathers, like she had been in flight, but he played ignorance.
"Hmmm, poor hatchling," said a voice that had a distinctly female tone, "he lookss ssso sssad,"
Harry looked up and came almost face to face with a large brown adder. The adder's black forked tongue darted out, "I wonder what hasss him sso sssad," Harry blinked away the tears, looking questionably at the female snake.
"Well then why don't you jusst asssk me?" He asked the snake looking into her red silted eyes.
"A Ssspeaker! I had heard there wass a nesst nearby with Ssspeakerss but I thought it was merely a tall tale," the snake danced as she rose further.
"You mussst mean my sssissstersss," Harry said to the snake.
"Maybe, but alsso you," the snake hissed as she slithered up onto the tree next to Harry. "Ssso Sspeaker, why are you sssso ssad?"
"It'sss a long sssstory," Harry said simply. The snake curled closer to Harry.
"I like sssstoriesss," she hissed.
-x-
Dudley followed his Aunt dutifully through the Flemings Furnishings. His Aunt made a sharp turn when they came to a sign that Dudley barely had time to read before he was dragged past it. They had made winding turns past oddly shaped chests, and walked through a maze of beds, desks, and chairs before they finally reached a deep cherry desk in the back where a woman with bright blue winged spectacles on a chain, and emerald robes sat reading a book. She looked up when she heard footsteps approaching and stood up almost immediately.
"Lady Parkinson! Had I known you'd be coming I would have been up front to meet you!" She spoke over enthusiastically with red painted lips. Dudley thought she looked slightly foreboding. Her blonde hair was in a tight bun and she looked over her glasses with beady eyes. Dudley's familiar Belladonna, newly named over lunch, meowed.
"Well to be truthful, I hadn't known I was coming either," Dudley's Aunt said with a forced kind of smile. Dudley could guess there was bad blood here and shifted uncomfortably on his feet. "Is Maggi here?"
"Unfortunately my niece has just stepped out for lunch," she forced out, "Took that Half-Blood menace with her," Aunt Jasmine's lips pursed and she clenched her fists.
"Oh," Jasmine gritted out.
"Don't know what that girl sees in her!" She admonished with a huff. "Don't know why she couldn't've found a nice Pureblood girl, but enough of my ramblings, now what are you here for?" She said in an overly sweet voice.
"I am here to get furniture for my Nephew Dudley, if you would please," she smiled but her eyes were icy.
"Oh, yes, yes!" The witch said turning and grabbing parchment and a quill. "Where should we get started?"
"Well, bedframes, we are furnishing a bedroom after all," Jasmine said with a raised brow. "All furniture at the manor is cherry, so keep that in mind,"
"Right, right."
-x-
When Draco woke he found Blaise preening himself in a handheld mirror. He groaned. Blaise always took the longest in the bathroom no matter what he said. Blaise had become increasingly worse with his bathroom habits after a certain Weasel caught his eye in the middle of first year. Draco, no matter how much he prided himself on his looks, would not subject himself to the horrors of Blaise's morning ritual. With one last longing glance at the attached bathroom Blaise was currently making his way to, he slid out of room.
When he got to the commons he was glad he had the sense to change into something other than his silk pajamas because there were Slytherins milling about, he found his sister wearing a light blue cloak and her Weird Sisters shirt, he caught her eye and she excused herself from Higgs.
"About time you woke up. It's almost noon," Alhena laughed and at the surprised face she received, added, "The second floor was flooded. Class was canceled today,"
Draco, relieved, went back to his dorm, loosening his tie as he walked. He took his cloak off and placed it on his bed with his tie and went back to his trunk. He pulled out an emerald jumper and pulled it over his head. He thought maybe he'd go bother Granger, Weasel, and Potter, or maybe he'd join Ascella were she was no doubt mulling around in the library, or possibly write a letter home, not that he really needed too, but Cas and Pol would be expecting one, so he'd write a letter anyway. He decided he would join his cousin in the library to write his letters home. He grabbed a roll of parchment, his favorite quill, and a pot of green ink, before walking out of the dungeons and towards the library.
Ascella, as always, had her nose buried in a book. Her mahogany hair was tied in a braid to her mid back and she was wearing headphones. Draco wondered what she was listening to, probably the Beatles. She was wearing a union jack tee shirt, faded and ripped muggle jeans, and black Converse sneakers. She suddenly stopped what she was doing and announced;
"The twins are up to something,"
Her eyes were looking ahead not seeing. She shook her head and looked up at Draco, pulling her headphones down to around her neck. The tell-tail melody of Hey Jude came from her speakers. Draco had been right; she was listening to the Beatles.
"What's up Draco?" She asked with a sideways smile, her scars caught the light and Draco remembered when her skin was pale and creamy like his. He knew she got them in primary school protecting Corvus and Lyra, but that's all he knew, his cousins did not like talking about their primary school days.
Draco knew they were werewolves—born not bitten—so they could change form at all times, however dangerous on the full moon. Alhena had said something about Werewolves not harming other animals, but he hadn't been paying attention, so the details were fuzzy. Alhena had also said something about Animagi, but again, he hadn't been paying attention.
"Writing a letter home, mind if I sit with you?" Ascella shook her head and put her headphones back on. Draco pulled out a seat across from her and began composing his letter.
Dear Cas, Pol, Father, and Père,
As expected, Rose, Dorea, and Astoria were sorted into Slytherin, Eileen however was sorted into Gryffindor, a rather surprising turn of events, don't you think? If I had thought anyone to be Gryffindor, it would be Dorea, but the Sorting Hat knows best.
Apparently the second floor was flooded, so class was canceled, therefore there is not much to report. I believe classes will resume tomorrow as scheduled, so I can inform you of our moronic new DADA teacher Lockheart. That blubbering idiot. I hate him more than Herbology, and that's saying something! I abhor Herbology! I can handle theory but I detest practical! Plus Sprout has it out for me!
I read that tryouts for the house Quidditch team will be on Wednesday after class. I plan to try for Seeker or Chaser. You know that Keeping isn't in my forte. Stop laughing Père! It's not funny. Okay it is, a little, but still! If I make the team, do you plan to come to my first game?
I've ended up rooming with Blaise again. As much as I care for the boy, he really gets on my nerves. Merlin has he awful taste. A Weasley! I try and I try, but that boy is stubborn, he won't change his mind about Weasel. Merlin it's getting to be unbearable, he's almost always in the bathroom preening like Alhena when she has a date. Not that that's happened often. Or at all. Father doesn't allow it. By the by, Alhena wants Father to know that she's not speaking to him until he lets her go out with Higgs. I think she's being unreasonable, I mean, Terrence isn't all that attractive and she's a Malfoy and a Black, she can do better! At least she's not after Flint, and for that I thank Merlin.
Ascella (who is sitting next to me as I write) says hello, and wishes you all well. She also says that Corvus and Lyra also send their regards. Alhena sends her love, but still is not talking to Father.
Yours,
Draco
With his letter done, he kissed Ascella's cheek and went to the Owlery to look for his owl Rastaban, which he defiantly did not name after himself.
-x-
James had been ready to leave for hours when four finally arrived. He had been calculating how many presents he owed Harry and the girls when Severus walked in. The first thing he had noticed about his husband was how deep the circles under his eyes were and how sickly pale the man was. Severus looked quite literally like hell. He had lost at least a stone since he had last seen him, and it was not for the better. Severus' cheeks were sunken and swallow, and his skin had taken a yellow hue. His back was hunched, and his hair was greasy. Severus had reverted to the abused put-upon boy of their youth. James wondered how many sleepless nights Severus had suffered alone.
James ached to heal his husband, to bring the smile back to his face, and to make sure he wore colour again. He couldn't really say he had missed Severus or the children, because to him, it was still 1981. Of course he had heard, and listened to conversation, but he couldn't, or wouldn't, connect it to time passing. He had refused to believe that Severus had given birth to the girls, or that Harry had turned twelve, and he especially refused to believe that Sirius had been imprisoned.
When he had awoken he had believed it to be November 1st 1981, not September 2nd 1992. He had wanted to see Sev and Harry. He had wanted to kiss Sev's pregnant belly, and joke with Padfoot to get a rouse out of Moony and Sev. He wanted to make faces at Corvus and Lyra, who would be three months old on the 6th. He wanted to tickle little Ascella and poke Alhena on the nose. He wanted to watch Harry and Draco babble like the toddlers they were. But instead he was hounded with questions from Healers. He had been told how he had missed twelve years of his children and husband's lives, and how his best mate was in jail for Pettigrew, missing his children and husband. He had been told that his wife Lily was dead. He had been shocked, in what reality was Lily his wife? Lily was a close friend, but not his wife. Lily was Sev's best friend and Harry's godmother. Lily had so much to look forward to; she had been dating a nice muggle-born lad who had been in the year ahead of them. They had been thinking of getting married.
"James? Are you ready to go?" Severus asked lightly.
"Yes, love," James smiled softly as he took Severus' hand in his and kissed it lightly.
-x-
Dudley had Flooed with Aunt Jasmine to a little Wizarding village named Hogsmeade that was near Hogwarts. It was quaint and Dudley liked Rosmerta at the Three Broomsticks. He had stayed with Rosmerta while Aunt Jasmine made a stop at a few of the stores including Honeydukes. Dudley soon learned that Wizarding candy was far superior to muggle candy.
Aunt Jasmine said goodbye to Madam Rosmerta and took Dudley to a magical ferry that would take them to Hogwarts grounds where Jasmine said a man named Filch would be waiting to let them in. When Dudley had asked about the ferry, Jasmine explained that after riding the Hogwarts express first year would ride boats to the Castle and that she was trying her best to recreate that experience as best she could.
Dudley realized that his Aunt had done more things that truly showed she cared for him in the one day they spent together, than his parents had his whole childhood. Sure he was spoilt, but his parents never truly cared for him. His mother never sat and talked to him, asked him about school, his friends or anything really, and his father never offered to play ball with him, or show him how to fish, or anything that fathers and sons did on the telly. Without noticing he had begun to cry, really cry, not the fake tears he used on his parents to make sure they cared, but real actual tears. He was glad Aunt Jasmine had been looking out on the water when the tears had started, he didn't want to be weak in front of her. He wiped the tears and put on a smile when Jasmine asked if he was okay.
Dudley was led through the castle and introduced to Dumbledore. He had never seen such a man before and Dudley was unsure how to feel about him. Dumbledore explained that he was the Headmaster of Hogwarts and that he would be giving a speech tonight during dinner to announce that he would be sorted and that Dudley would be joining the second years due to his private tutoring. Dudley was told that he would eat with his Aunt and Cousins at a guest table before he would be sorted. Dumbledore explained the four houses, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor, and Slytherin. Aunt Jasmine admitted she was a Ravenclaw, her husband was a Slytherin, and that Aunt Lily was a Gryffindor. Dudley asked what houses his Cousins were in he was told that Pansy was a Second year Slytherin, and that Rose was sorted into Slytherin the day before. He hadn't noticed that Jasmine hadn't said anything about Harry's house.
A/N: Sorry for the wait but you get a long chapter yay! I really wanted Dudley Sorted in this chapter but it was getting to be too long at 2978 words... so next chapter. I also startedto pick up speed with the story I mean... it's taken me 7+ chapters to get through not even two days (;^;') oh well. Also someone asked me what year this is, its second year Chamber of Secrets, Harry is twelve. The year is 1992. (The exact date was stated earlier in this chapter.)
-Carrie
