Since he'd gotten that letter, Harry's been busy. No longer did he spend days waiting for something to happen. Harry had to find some way to send a letter to Dumbledore. The man, of course, planned; he gave Harry no way to contact the wizarding world.
Harry didn't want Dumbledore's plan to work; he knew if he acted differently, the man would suspect something. But the thought of defying Dumbledore pleased Harry too much for him to ignore. He didn't want Hagrid to show him Diagon Alley, again.
It's not that he didn't want to see the big softie, but it was best not to get attached. He would do this alone. It was strange for Harry to live in the Dursley household without much fuss. They didn't know he'd received his letter, and they didn't yet know he was due for Hogwarts soon.
Harry sighed and let himself relax for a second. He always seemed to overthink right before he slipped off into dreamland. Rio was curled up and fast asleep in his lap. He envied the snake's ability to just rest. He sighed deeply; he wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon.
He gently pushed the cobra off him, letting the snake take his cot. Maybe he could finally write that letter. Harry had been so busy trying to find a way to send it he hadn't even thought of writing it. He opened the cupboard as silently as he could.
The creak of the rusty hinge made him cringe. But there was only a slight snore from upstairs. Once the Dursleys were out, they tended to stay asleep. He looked around as if he expected to see someone. He creeped out, carefully shutting the door behind him.
He adjusted his round glasses when they started to slip, probably best to see. He found a piece of paper on the dining table. He grabbed the pencil that was nearby; Harry couldn't help but smile at the convince. He sat down at the table; there wasn't really any room in his cupboard. He begins to write.
'Dear Albus Dumbledore, I have received your letter. I will collect my items and be at the train station on the date said. Thank you for accepting me into your school. - Harry James Potter.' The letter was perfectly standoffish without being impolite.
Sitting there for a second, he let his mind wander. Thinking about it, he reconsidered finding a way to send this letter. Would it really be worth giving his knowledge of wizardry up? Harry sighed; he'd have to sacrifice this petty act. Harry hated the thought of seeming naïve, but there was no other way.
Harry tore up the paper; it was only small little pieces when he was done with it. He moved to the garbage and disposed of the tiny bits left behind. He trudged to his minuscule living quarters. When he opened the door, he found Rio waiting for him.
He wondered absently how long the snake had waited. Rio flicked his tongue out, tasting the air. Harry rolled his eyes at the snake's slight grin.
"What's got you all bothered?" Harry had been expecting Rio to ask. The snake could read emotions better than words.
"Can't piss of Dumbledore..." Harry mumbled under his breath; he realized it sounded brattish. Harry felt he could be less like an adult around Rio. The snake chuckled, indeed a weird sound.
"Finally! I've been telling you since you got that damn letter it was a bad idea. Now you listen." Harry looked up from his socked feet, confused. He didn't recall the snake saying it was a bad idea.
"No. I don't remember that." The parseltongue had recently been sliding out easier. Harry often had to catch himself before he replied to his relatives in it.
"Harry, I doubt you would. You are such a stubborn human!" Rio had said it with great humor, maybe even a touch of fondness. Harry laughed softly; he knew it was true. Often when he set his mind on something, it took a lot to get him to see sense.
"Okay, Okay. I believe you; I apologize for being thick-headed and not listening." Harry said it with the biggest grin he could manage. He found all his previous bad mood had dissipated. Rio narrowed his eyes at Harry's grin.
"You aren't going to stop, are you?" Harry shook his head, smile only widening. Rio rolled his eyes dramatically and shook his head. He curled back up on the cot.
"What am I to do with you, human? You're like a hatchling." Harry prepared to respond, but the snake had already drifted. He smiled fondly at the reptile and navigated himself into the bed. Rio only shifted, so he wrapped around his ankles.
"What am I to do with you, snake?" Harry whispered before he joined Rio in his slumber. A smile stayed on his face even as he slept. It was a smile born of companionship, a smile born of a true friendship. He'd grown to care about the massive snake in the short time he'd owned him.
He knew then as long as Rio was his friend, he'd be okay. Rio was his friend; he wasn't alone. In a way, the snake was better than a human friend could be. Humans were just too complicated sometimes, though Harry knew It would be nice to be close to one.
The days waiting for Hagrid to arrive were much like the days it took for his letter to arrive. Long and dull, every day, he had to find something to do. Usually, he took Rio for company or so the snake could hunt. Harry learned that he was a bit lazy. His hunting skills weren't the best; he'd been in captivity since his birth.
Rio primarily relied on instinct and maybe partially on Harry's 'accidental' magic. What the Ministry didn't know wouldn't hurt them. Harry was rather pleased with his own ability to do wandless magic. Practice really did improve his magic! He shouldn't be so surprised with that revelation.
Hagrid had knocked down that cabin door on his birthday, but he suspected they would knock it down earlier as they never moved. Maybe a couple days? Or perhaps even a week. Harry couldn't be sure. But as the days till his birthday crawled by, he wondered if he was supposed to be rescued then.
It would be rather story-like, wouldn't it? The poor little wizard saved on his birthday. It would make sense; it was too much of a coincidence. And July thirty first certainly did come, and precisely at twelve, the knocks started.
The harsh beats on the door woke Vernon instantly. Harry heard him grumbling as he stomped down the stairs.
"What is it now? At this hour?" Harry heard the pounding grow louder as Vernon drew closer to the door. He listened to the creak signaling Vernon must have opened the door. There was a tense silence for a second, and Harry strained his ears, listening.
"Who are you?" Harry could hear the sneer in his uncle's voice, maybe a touch of fear.
"Well, I'm here to pick up the boy!" Hagrid's accent was thick; it made Harry smile. He had missed the half-giant.
"What for?" Vernon sounded snotty and less scared. The friendly tone of Hagrid must have lessened the fear Vernon felt.
"To pick up his supplies, of course!" Hagrid thundered. He sounded confused on why the man had even asked.
"For what?" Vernon sounded impatient; he must have looked similar to a prune then.
"Hogwarts? Did he not get his letter?" There was another intense silence. He heard Vernon's heavy steps approaching his door. The man flung it open, and Harry stared wide-eyed at the purple man.
"You." He hissed, barely able to get out the word. Harry hadn't been expecting Vernon to come to him; he was rather shocked.
"Get out." Harry had to say it was rather menacing; he felt genuine fear at that moment. He scrambled out of his cot, making sure to subtly slip Rio up his pant leg. Rio seemed to sense his fear and curled around his leg tightly.
Harry squeezed past Vernon, making himself as small as possible. He felt the man's burning stare on the back of his head. Vernon grabbed him by his neck, and Harry flinched.
"Have you been hiding something from me, boy?" Harry gulped. He felt Rio hug his leg protectively. It gave him some comfort.
"N-No, sir." Vernon squinted his little beady eyes at him. Harry was proud that the man didn't seem to sense his lie. He released the hold on Harry's neck, and Harry backed away from him. Vernon ignored him for a moment and went to the door.
He opened it; Hagrid was standing there looking like he was just about to knock again. Vernon smiled nastily at the half-giant.
"We have no idea what you're talking about. You must have got the wrong people." Hagrid didn't look convinced at all. He narrowed his eyes at the portly man and moved him aside. Vernon's mouth went wide as he tried to pointlessly struggle against Hagrid.
"I'll call the police on you! This is breaking and entering!" Vernon was red in the face, but Hagrid paid no mind to him. He focused on the small, skinny boy with ragged clothes. He smiled instantly, and Harry resisted a smile of his own.
"Harry..." Hagrid said joyfully, and Harry pushed down the even stronger urge to grin. He was so close to his true home.
Off we go! I think this chapter is rather weak, but I don't really know how to make it better. I hoped you liked it anyway!
-Lemon Nugget