July 31st 1992

"Happy birthday, Harry," Hope said to her brother as they descended down the stairs towards the kitchen for breakfast. "Thank you," he muttered in reply, still tired.

The siblings joined the rest of the household at the table for breakfast and not even fifteen minutes later an argument broke out over the table, once again. As it turns out Vernon had been woken in the early hours of the morning by a loud hooting noise coming from Harry's room.

"Third time this week," Uncle Vernon roared across the table. "If you can't control that owl then it'll have to go!"

Once again Harry tried to explain, "she's bored. She's used to flying around outside. If I could just let her out at night…."

"Do I look stupid?" Uncle Vernon snarled. Hope wanted to say 'yes' but she bit her tongue knowing it would just get her into a lot of trouble. "I know what'll happen if that owl's let out."

He exchanged dark looks with his wife as Harry tried to argue back. His voice was drowned out by Dudley's loud whining. "I want more bacon!"

"There's more in the frying pan, sweetums," Aunt Petunia told her son, her misty eyes turning on her massive son. "We must feed you up while we've got the chance ...I don't like the sound of that school food…."

"Nonsense, Petunia, I never went hungry when I was at Smeltings," Uncle Vernon said, heartily. "Dudley gets enough, don't you son?"

"Clearly," Hope mutterd quietly to her brother causing him to grin briefly.

Dudley, who was so large his fat drooped over the chairs, turned to Hope grinning, "pass the frying pan."

"You've forgot the magic word," she replied irritably. Not even a second later she realises what she had said and sighs closing her eyes. The effect of this simple sentence on the rest of the family was incredible and highly amusing to Hope. Dudley gasped and fell off his chair with a crash and shook the whole kitchen, Mrs Dursley gave out a small scream and clapped her hands to her mouth, Mr Dursley jumped to his feet, veins throbbing in his temples.

"I meant please," Hope corrects quickly while Harry keeps his head down. "I didn't mean -"

"WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT SAYING THE M WORD IN OUR HOUSE?"

"But I -"

"HOW DARE YOU THREATEN DUDLEY!"

"I wasn't -"

"I WARNED YOU! I WILL NOT TOLERATE MENTION OF YOUR ABNORMALITY UNDER THIS ROOF!"

Hope clasped her lips together knowing that they won't listen to anything she has to say. She then zoned out as they went over their dinner arrangements and roles for when the Masons came over. It wasn't long before she and Harry were told to stay out of the way so Aunt Petunia could clean the house, so they escaped to the back garden.

Hope gazed miserably into the hedge opposite her while Dudley came out to tease Harry about his birthday.

"Why're you staring at that hedge?" Dudley asked bringing Hope out of her thoughts.

"I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," Hope said bluntly. Dudley stumbles backward, a look of panic plastered across his face.

"Hocus Pocus," Hope bit out fiercely. "Squiggly wiggly…."

"MUUUUUMMMM," Dudley howleed. "MUUUUM. Hope's doing you know what!"

Hope had paid dearly for her moment of fun. As neither Dudley nor the hedge were hurt in any way, Aunt Petunia knew that Hope hadn't done any magic. But Aunt Petunia still hit her in the face with a pan and pushed her into the kitchen counter, breaking another rib and probably leaving another bruise on her face.

Eventually Hope and Harry had done all of the work their Aunt Petunia had set them to keep out of trouble. When they were done Aunt Petunia shoved a slice of bread and a measly slice of cheese at them, telling them to hurry up and get up stairs. As they reached the top of the stairs Uncle Vernon was welcoming the guests into the house. They both sighed in relief knowing that it would not have been good if they'd been caught. They tip-toed as to not make any noise and quietly entered Harry's bedroom where they found they were not the only ones in there.