Chapter 4
Mr. Vernon Dursley drove past a sign that "Welcome to Surrey" much earlier than he originally planned. When all three of them arrived at Aunt Marge's home, Ripper was the first dog to run into him. " But aren't we supposed to be at Ripper's funeral?" Vernon wondered to himself. When he asked Marge the exact question yesterday, she said she had never sent such an invitation. Since it was late, Marge let Vernon, Petunia and Dudley stay over the night but they had to leave the next day.
Now, infuriated, Uncle Vernon pulled up to Mrs. Figg's driveway to pick up Harry. Harry looked as if he were going to smile when he heard of Ripper's 'death'; perhaps Harry mailed the invitation somehow to try to run away while they were at Marge's… Uncle Vernon then rang the doorbell several times, but to no answer. Moments after he tried knocking down the front door, Vernon heard weary footsteps coming up from behind him. Realizing the footsteps didn't belong to his wife or Dudley, he whirled around to see a very old man standing behind him. The man was dressed oddly for the time of season; Robes of deep blue with stars graced the grass. He also had the longest beard Uncle Vernon ever saw. He also felt rather diminutive standing in front of this man. Wizards knew this man as Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Dumbledore then spoke, while Uncle Vernon was still gawking at him. "Am I correct in addressing a man by the name of Mister Vernon Dursley?" Uncle Vernon came back to his senses. "Who in the world are you???" demanded Uncle Vernon. Dumbledore gave a questioning look and sighed. "To answer your question, I am Albus Dumbledore, Harry's headmaster, but now it's my turn to ask you questions and give you advice. Please step inside with your wife and son. Do get them. There's an important issue about Harry that can not wait." Uncle Vernon was going to protest, but there was something about this man- Dumbledore- was it? - that sounded extremely important, superior and yet lowly. Wizard or not… well, there was something that made Uncle Vernon fetch Petunia and Dudley from the car and into Mrs. Figg's house.
From the very beginning of the discussion, Petunia didn't take any of this well at all. As soon as she entered the kitchen where Dumbledore was waiting, she went into a complete rage. "You!" Petunia exclaimed as Dumbledore rose to greet her and Dudley. "I remember you!" "And my mind's clear as well. It's been very long, I know, of your want to yell at me, but you can do it AFTER we have a discussion about Harry." "Why do we have to talk about HIM?" she spat. "Because you are his guardians. His godfather is willing to take him in of course, but that isn't possible at the current time. How much DO you know about him? Give me his birthday, then." He looked expectantly at Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Both of them apparently didn't know. Dudley, who was scourging through Mrs. Figg's cupboards, promptly said, "July 31. Easy." "Excellent Dudley Dursley." With a wave of his wand, a chocolate sundae appeared on the kitchen counter. "You've deserved this, Dudley. Go on, I promise you there's nothing wrong with it." Dudley broke into a smile. "I like wizards now," he said cheerfully reaching the sundae. He grabbed it and ran out of sight into the living room. Dumbledore shook his head. "It's a shame, a child knows something more than his parents, a shame indeed. Since you know extremely little about your own nephew, I suppose we'll have to start from the very beginning, won't we?" Indeed, Harry James Potter was born on July 31 in Godric's Hollow, about two hours away from here or so. Of course, Lily was his mother. Do either of you remember the name of Harry's father?" Petunia pondered for a moment. "I believe the name was James," she said. "Lily was always talking about him while she was at home during her fifth, sixth and seventh year at the school," she continued thoughtfully. Dumbledore nodded his head. "Both Lily and James were remarkable students. Prefects in their fifth and sixth years, Head Boy and Girl in their seventh year. James was also an exceptionable Seeker; Harry has the exact same talent. When Lily and James left Hogwarts, they acquired top jobs at the Ministry and peacefully fought against a very powerful enemy. That enemy, once Tom Marvolo Riddle, was Lord Voldemort." "What kind of name is that?" muttered Vernon as one of Mrs. Figg's cats jumped onto his lap. Dumbledore decided to ignore that comment. "Voldemort was a very powerful Dark Arts wizard. Voldemort found out where Lily and James lived, through one of James' friends: Peter Pettigrew. Voldemort killed Lily and James on Halloween when Harry was only a year old. Sirius Black, James' closest friend, was accused of being the traitor and was sent to Azkaban, our wizarding prison. Hagrid, who you've already met, Minerva and myself saw baby Harry to your doorstep. He spent about 10 year under your watch, then he came to Hogwarts." Uncle Vernon rudely snorted at the sound of the word "Hogwarts." The cat then jumped off his lap in fear. "Harry is not the best student, nor the worst, and he's been in too much trouble to be a prefect. He and his best friend Mr. Ronald Weasley are always off on a rule-breaking adventure at some point in the year…" "Suits him well, then," interrupted Vernon. "We tell everyone he's in a school; for criminal boys. With that rule-breaking, kinda works out." Dumbledore frowned. "Ah, but what I was saying I did not finish. Through these rule breakings, he has saved innocent lives from meeting their deaths, keeping Lord Voldemort from getting the Sorcerer's Stone. Even saved the lives of Muggle-born students at his own risk… such things. Despite rule breaking and… and his Potion grades, he is to be made a prefect. So congratulations to the Dursleys for raising a prefect to be!" Dumbledore beamed at them, but got no response at all from Petunia or Vernon. They seemed petrified or something. Both were sitting in their seats as if they were frozen in time. No movement was detected. Dumbledore saw there was no use in trying to wait for them to recover, so he continued on. "The news of Harry becoming a prefect pleases me but not either of you, as I see it. Just in June, Lord Voldemort came back to power. Harry's life is at risk; Voldemort is still out to kill him after all these years. Everyone that knows Harry must be on his or her guard, wizard or muggle. Not everyone knows the power of Voldemort. With his skills in the Dark Arts, he could take over the entire Muggle/ Wizarding world! Harry, at the age of one, was the only one not ever to be killed by the Killing Curse. The only one! This is of great significance, but I can't sense all of that yet. Voldemort is a very skilled wizard, so you must observe everything around you. I can not teach you everything, but the Ministry of Magic can. Therefore, if you wish to be safe, flee to London to the hidden wizarding world… you are not safe here as Muggles. Stay and you may meet a terrible fate. Go with me, and your safety is assured. I will be back in 4 hours' time and I hope you will have made your final decision. For the meantime, I'll be in London, telling the Minister of Magic…" Dumbledore paused for a moment. "I didn't have to tell you that, did I?" Petunia and Vernon, who were listening to every word Dumbledore said, then exchanged puzzled looks. "Well, since Dudley is still eating his sundae in the backyard, you two will say goodbye to him for me? I could start to be fond of him anytime soon." Petunia nodded quickly. "Of course we'll tell him, but I have some things to say myself." Dumbledore sat down once again. "Oh yes. Pardon me., Go on with what you have to say. But, I am pressed for time."
Getting into a defensive stance, she hovered over Dumbledore and in a calm voice, she said, "Before Lily went to THAT school, we were close. Close as best friends could ever be. She was, in fact, the only friend I had in the world. I LOST her when she left for school. She came back like an entirely new person. My parents ADORED her. Like she was the only daughter they had. Me? Ha! I was shunted aside like a child's broken toy!" At this point, she looked and sounded like she was about to throw a fit. After taking a few deep breaths, she continued with what she had to say. "It was like I never existed. My thirteenth year, when she turned eleven, and beyond were the most depressing times of my life. Then I met Vernon, got married, had my Dudley, and Harry was sleeping outside my door a year later." Now her voice was down to a harsh whisper. "From the time I met Vernon until Harry came to us, life was going the best if ever could for me. It wasn't right bringing Harry to us. That gave me more pain than anything else. Weak from her forceful speech, she slipped down onto a chair, breathing deeply once again. Vernon went over to embrace her tightly, thinking of comforting words to say. Then he looked up, and Dumbledore had vanished.
Mr. Vernon Dursley drove past a sign that "Welcome to Surrey" much earlier than he originally planned. When all three of them arrived at Aunt Marge's home, Ripper was the first dog to run into him. " But aren't we supposed to be at Ripper's funeral?" Vernon wondered to himself. When he asked Marge the exact question yesterday, she said she had never sent such an invitation. Since it was late, Marge let Vernon, Petunia and Dudley stay over the night but they had to leave the next day.
Now, infuriated, Uncle Vernon pulled up to Mrs. Figg's driveway to pick up Harry. Harry looked as if he were going to smile when he heard of Ripper's 'death'; perhaps Harry mailed the invitation somehow to try to run away while they were at Marge's… Uncle Vernon then rang the doorbell several times, but to no answer. Moments after he tried knocking down the front door, Vernon heard weary footsteps coming up from behind him. Realizing the footsteps didn't belong to his wife or Dudley, he whirled around to see a very old man standing behind him. The man was dressed oddly for the time of season; Robes of deep blue with stars graced the grass. He also had the longest beard Uncle Vernon ever saw. He also felt rather diminutive standing in front of this man. Wizards knew this man as Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts.
Dumbledore then spoke, while Uncle Vernon was still gawking at him. "Am I correct in addressing a man by the name of Mister Vernon Dursley?" Uncle Vernon came back to his senses. "Who in the world are you???" demanded Uncle Vernon. Dumbledore gave a questioning look and sighed. "To answer your question, I am Albus Dumbledore, Harry's headmaster, but now it's my turn to ask you questions and give you advice. Please step inside with your wife and son. Do get them. There's an important issue about Harry that can not wait." Uncle Vernon was going to protest, but there was something about this man- Dumbledore- was it? - that sounded extremely important, superior and yet lowly. Wizard or not… well, there was something that made Uncle Vernon fetch Petunia and Dudley from the car and into Mrs. Figg's house.
From the very beginning of the discussion, Petunia didn't take any of this well at all. As soon as she entered the kitchen where Dumbledore was waiting, she went into a complete rage. "You!" Petunia exclaimed as Dumbledore rose to greet her and Dudley. "I remember you!" "And my mind's clear as well. It's been very long, I know, of your want to yell at me, but you can do it AFTER we have a discussion about Harry." "Why do we have to talk about HIM?" she spat. "Because you are his guardians. His godfather is willing to take him in of course, but that isn't possible at the current time. How much DO you know about him? Give me his birthday, then." He looked expectantly at Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. Both of them apparently didn't know. Dudley, who was scourging through Mrs. Figg's cupboards, promptly said, "July 31. Easy." "Excellent Dudley Dursley." With a wave of his wand, a chocolate sundae appeared on the kitchen counter. "You've deserved this, Dudley. Go on, I promise you there's nothing wrong with it." Dudley broke into a smile. "I like wizards now," he said cheerfully reaching the sundae. He grabbed it and ran out of sight into the living room. Dumbledore shook his head. "It's a shame, a child knows something more than his parents, a shame indeed. Since you know extremely little about your own nephew, I suppose we'll have to start from the very beginning, won't we?" Indeed, Harry James Potter was born on July 31 in Godric's Hollow, about two hours away from here or so. Of course, Lily was his mother. Do either of you remember the name of Harry's father?" Petunia pondered for a moment. "I believe the name was James," she said. "Lily was always talking about him while she was at home during her fifth, sixth and seventh year at the school," she continued thoughtfully. Dumbledore nodded his head. "Both Lily and James were remarkable students. Prefects in their fifth and sixth years, Head Boy and Girl in their seventh year. James was also an exceptionable Seeker; Harry has the exact same talent. When Lily and James left Hogwarts, they acquired top jobs at the Ministry and peacefully fought against a very powerful enemy. That enemy, once Tom Marvolo Riddle, was Lord Voldemort." "What kind of name is that?" muttered Vernon as one of Mrs. Figg's cats jumped onto his lap. Dumbledore decided to ignore that comment. "Voldemort was a very powerful Dark Arts wizard. Voldemort found out where Lily and James lived, through one of James' friends: Peter Pettigrew. Voldemort killed Lily and James on Halloween when Harry was only a year old. Sirius Black, James' closest friend, was accused of being the traitor and was sent to Azkaban, our wizarding prison. Hagrid, who you've already met, Minerva and myself saw baby Harry to your doorstep. He spent about 10 year under your watch, then he came to Hogwarts." Uncle Vernon rudely snorted at the sound of the word "Hogwarts." The cat then jumped off his lap in fear. "Harry is not the best student, nor the worst, and he's been in too much trouble to be a prefect. He and his best friend Mr. Ronald Weasley are always off on a rule-breaking adventure at some point in the year…" "Suits him well, then," interrupted Vernon. "We tell everyone he's in a school; for criminal boys. With that rule-breaking, kinda works out." Dumbledore frowned. "Ah, but what I was saying I did not finish. Through these rule breakings, he has saved innocent lives from meeting their deaths, keeping Lord Voldemort from getting the Sorcerer's Stone. Even saved the lives of Muggle-born students at his own risk… such things. Despite rule breaking and… and his Potion grades, he is to be made a prefect. So congratulations to the Dursleys for raising a prefect to be!" Dumbledore beamed at them, but got no response at all from Petunia or Vernon. They seemed petrified or something. Both were sitting in their seats as if they were frozen in time. No movement was detected. Dumbledore saw there was no use in trying to wait for them to recover, so he continued on. "The news of Harry becoming a prefect pleases me but not either of you, as I see it. Just in June, Lord Voldemort came back to power. Harry's life is at risk; Voldemort is still out to kill him after all these years. Everyone that knows Harry must be on his or her guard, wizard or muggle. Not everyone knows the power of Voldemort. With his skills in the Dark Arts, he could take over the entire Muggle/ Wizarding world! Harry, at the age of one, was the only one not ever to be killed by the Killing Curse. The only one! This is of great significance, but I can't sense all of that yet. Voldemort is a very skilled wizard, so you must observe everything around you. I can not teach you everything, but the Ministry of Magic can. Therefore, if you wish to be safe, flee to London to the hidden wizarding world… you are not safe here as Muggles. Stay and you may meet a terrible fate. Go with me, and your safety is assured. I will be back in 4 hours' time and I hope you will have made your final decision. For the meantime, I'll be in London, telling the Minister of Magic…" Dumbledore paused for a moment. "I didn't have to tell you that, did I?" Petunia and Vernon, who were listening to every word Dumbledore said, then exchanged puzzled looks. "Well, since Dudley is still eating his sundae in the backyard, you two will say goodbye to him for me? I could start to be fond of him anytime soon." Petunia nodded quickly. "Of course we'll tell him, but I have some things to say myself." Dumbledore sat down once again. "Oh yes. Pardon me., Go on with what you have to say. But, I am pressed for time."
Getting into a defensive stance, she hovered over Dumbledore and in a calm voice, she said, "Before Lily went to THAT school, we were close. Close as best friends could ever be. She was, in fact, the only friend I had in the world. I LOST her when she left for school. She came back like an entirely new person. My parents ADORED her. Like she was the only daughter they had. Me? Ha! I was shunted aside like a child's broken toy!" At this point, she looked and sounded like she was about to throw a fit. After taking a few deep breaths, she continued with what she had to say. "It was like I never existed. My thirteenth year, when she turned eleven, and beyond were the most depressing times of my life. Then I met Vernon, got married, had my Dudley, and Harry was sleeping outside my door a year later." Now her voice was down to a harsh whisper. "From the time I met Vernon until Harry came to us, life was going the best if ever could for me. It wasn't right bringing Harry to us. That gave me more pain than anything else. Weak from her forceful speech, she slipped down onto a chair, breathing deeply once again. Vernon went over to embrace her tightly, thinking of comforting words to say. Then he looked up, and Dumbledore had vanished.