Disclaimer- not mine, not making any money etc etc
Thanks For Rewiews!!!
Sorry I haven't mentioned everyone by name. Am grateful for all reviews.
Talmahoy; thanks!
Azaelia Sapphire; thanks for the idea
Heathe; good idea thank you
Labtc; unfortunately my brother cannot think of the end - it's why he gave it to me. His long suffering big sister.
MUGGLE EXPERIENCE CHAPTER 4
When the three reached the Dursley house, the door was wrenched open by Aunt Petunia (Who had been looking out for them through the net curtains) and they were pulled inside by their ties before the door was slammed shut behind them.
"go and sit in the front room." She barked to the two shocked boys and a resigned Harry.
The three of them sat down in the front room, and aunt Petunia returned to the kitchen. Draco looked around at the many photos that lined the walls as Harry and Ron flopped tiredly.
"Do muggles make any potions that make bruises disappear?" Ron asked Harry.
"No."
"Who are these photos of?" Draco said in disgust.
"my cousin, Dudley. He's away at school."
"Why are there none of you?"
Harry shrugged.
"is there anything to eat?" Ron said hopefully
"Go and ask." Draco said to Harry.
Harry sighed and walked into the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was watching a celebrity gossip magazine.
"Ahem."
"what?"
"Ron and Draco..Well, their hungry."
"They can wait until dinner."
Harry traipsed back into the living room pursued by aunt Petunia.
"As my husband and I are so kindly taking you in, I must ask a small task of you." Harry looked at her suspiciously. He had experience of Petunia Dursley's 'small tasks'. They could take days.
"we need this room to be redecorated. Vernon has bought the portrait and wall paper. Tonight you will clear the room and peel the wallpaper. The boy will show you what to do."
With that she marched from the room.
"She expects ME to do menial housework?! In the Muggle way!!!" Draco spat in horror.
"Are you hungry?" Harry asked him
"Yes Potter, we've already established that."
"So do the work and stop moaning."
Harry lifted one side of the TV and motioned for Ron to lift the other. Then they walked out the room with it. Ron was not complaining about the work as he suspected that Harry had to do this kind of thing all the time. Draco carried ob moaning anyway as it made him feel better.
Once the furniture was cleared, Harry handed them each a bucket, sponge and scraper.
"What do we do with this?" Draco said looking dubiously at the scraper.
"Oh for goodness sake! Make the wall paper wet with a wet sponge and then scrape it off like this". Harry said demonstrating exasperatedly.
"Ooooooohhhh." Draco and Ron said simultaneously.
When they were finally finished, everyone had got wet and were covered in little pieces of paper. Halfway through scraping Harry had managed to stumble on the dustsheet on the floor and knocked the bucket over, Ron had got over enthusiastic and chipped little bits of plaster off the wall and Draco had stabbed his hand with his scraper.
All in all they were not having a pleasant afternoon.
Dinner was a quiet affair until halfway through the near silence, Draco said
"why don't you get Potter to buy you a houself? They work for free and can use magic to do the work faster."
Uncle Vernon's face did that funny colour-changing thing that it did whenever magic was mentioned. Ron stared.
"Never mention anything about that ABNORMALITY under this roof!"
"Abnormality?" Draco asked, confused.
Harry was amazed that Malfoy was still alive
"He means magic" Harry whispered quietly into Draco's ear.
"Why?" said Draco
"because it's..freakish" Vernon spluttered "It you want to eat while you're here, I suggest you don't mention it again!"
Draco was aghast. How DARE that fat muggle threaten him. A Malfoy?! He could kill this man where he stood, and there he was threatening him!
Vernon seemed to take Draco's horrified silence for an answer of ascent as he dropped the subject.
It was now 10:00 pm. The three of them were exhausted.
"I'm going to bed." Ron stated and he went upstairs, closely followed by Draco.
Harry waited for them to disappear into his room before he walked up to the cupboard. He stood in front of it. Slowly he opened the door and gulped. Harry lay down on the tiny bed, leaving the door ajar as he couldn't quite bring himself to shut himself in there.
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were switching off lights and unplugging things in preparation for bed. On his way past, Vernon poked his head around the cupboard door and with a cruel smile said "Sweet dreams". He then shut and locked the door.
Harry sat up. This couldn't be happening, not again. He leaned against the wall, back hunched in such a small space and took out the little torch he used to have hidden in there. He turned it on and stared at the opposite wall.
Meanwhile, in Harry's room, Ron and Draco were huddled onto the big bed in terror. "Where did it go?"
"I think it's over there." Draco said pointing to a corner of the room.
"No it isn't. it ran that way."
"You're imagining things Weasley. It's over there!"
The spider ran across the floor nearer to the bed. Draco gave a small squeal of terror and he and Ron huddled together, eyes wide in fear.
"Throw something at it!" Draco said
"What?"
"Dunno - how about that lamp?"
"It might break"
"You mean you might miss."
"You throw it then!"
Draco threw the lamp at the spider. It scuttled out the way and closed the bed.
"Get Potter."
"You get him."
"You faced a bloody car sized spider once, get him!"
"You get him!" the argument continued in this vain for some time until they both decided to go.
Uncharacteristically close together, the two of them leapt off the bed to the other side of the room and out the door. They crept down the stairs and into the front room - nobody here.
The dining room - nope
Kitchen - nada
Ron and Draco looked at each other in bewilderment before loudly whispering
"Potter!" "Harry!"
There was a muffled clatter from the cupboard under the stairs (Harry dropped his torch in his effort to switch it off)
"What was that?" Ron whispered
"It came from in there."
Ron stepped edgily up to the door. It was locked. No - surely not.
"Uh, Harry?" He whispered.
"Damn." He heard from inside "Yes, I'm in here."
Draco and Ron looked at each other, eyebrows raised. Ron un-bolted the door and opened it.
"What are you doing in there?" Draco asked.
"It used to be my bedroom" eyebrows rose even higher. "Uncle Vernon locked the door. Probably for a joke."
The two looked dubiously at Harry, who stepped out and stretched.
"Why does it have a lock in the first place?" Ron asked, suspecting the answer
"Doesn't matter. Look why aren't you too asleep?"
"Oh. There was a spider." Ron replied.
"Couldn't you get rid of it?" Harry asked Draco. Then seeing the look on his face added "Not you as well! Ok take me to this Aragog sized creature."
He followed them upstairs. They hovered by the door as Harry stepped into the room.
By the lamp (why is it on the floor?) There was a penny sized spider. He walked stealthily up to it and picked it up. He then opened the window and placed it on the windowsill before closing the window.
"So, uh, goodnight then."
"You're going back to that cupboard?"
"Where else?"
"The spare room." Ron said
Harry looked awkward "Look it's probably better if I just go back. Thanks for unlocking the door though." He then almost ran away from them and back downstairs.
Malfoy smiled "Wait till I tell everyone he sleeps in a cupboard."
"you're not going to tell anybody!"
"How do you plan to stop me?"
"How much do you want everyone to know that you had to get the boy-who- lived to rescue you from a small spider."
"So did you."
"I'm not ashamed."
Malfoy glared at Ron and got into bed. Ron got into his own bed and turned away from Malfoy in disgust.
Thanks For Rewiews!!!
Sorry I haven't mentioned everyone by name. Am grateful for all reviews.
Talmahoy; thanks!
Azaelia Sapphire; thanks for the idea
Heathe; good idea thank you
Labtc; unfortunately my brother cannot think of the end - it's why he gave it to me. His long suffering big sister.
MUGGLE EXPERIENCE CHAPTER 4
When the three reached the Dursley house, the door was wrenched open by Aunt Petunia (Who had been looking out for them through the net curtains) and they were pulled inside by their ties before the door was slammed shut behind them.
"go and sit in the front room." She barked to the two shocked boys and a resigned Harry.
The three of them sat down in the front room, and aunt Petunia returned to the kitchen. Draco looked around at the many photos that lined the walls as Harry and Ron flopped tiredly.
"Do muggles make any potions that make bruises disappear?" Ron asked Harry.
"No."
"Who are these photos of?" Draco said in disgust.
"my cousin, Dudley. He's away at school."
"Why are there none of you?"
Harry shrugged.
"is there anything to eat?" Ron said hopefully
"Go and ask." Draco said to Harry.
Harry sighed and walked into the kitchen. Aunt Petunia was watching a celebrity gossip magazine.
"Ahem."
"what?"
"Ron and Draco..Well, their hungry."
"They can wait until dinner."
Harry traipsed back into the living room pursued by aunt Petunia.
"As my husband and I are so kindly taking you in, I must ask a small task of you." Harry looked at her suspiciously. He had experience of Petunia Dursley's 'small tasks'. They could take days.
"we need this room to be redecorated. Vernon has bought the portrait and wall paper. Tonight you will clear the room and peel the wallpaper. The boy will show you what to do."
With that she marched from the room.
"She expects ME to do menial housework?! In the Muggle way!!!" Draco spat in horror.
"Are you hungry?" Harry asked him
"Yes Potter, we've already established that."
"So do the work and stop moaning."
Harry lifted one side of the TV and motioned for Ron to lift the other. Then they walked out the room with it. Ron was not complaining about the work as he suspected that Harry had to do this kind of thing all the time. Draco carried ob moaning anyway as it made him feel better.
Once the furniture was cleared, Harry handed them each a bucket, sponge and scraper.
"What do we do with this?" Draco said looking dubiously at the scraper.
"Oh for goodness sake! Make the wall paper wet with a wet sponge and then scrape it off like this". Harry said demonstrating exasperatedly.
"Ooooooohhhh." Draco and Ron said simultaneously.
When they were finally finished, everyone had got wet and were covered in little pieces of paper. Halfway through scraping Harry had managed to stumble on the dustsheet on the floor and knocked the bucket over, Ron had got over enthusiastic and chipped little bits of plaster off the wall and Draco had stabbed his hand with his scraper.
All in all they were not having a pleasant afternoon.
Dinner was a quiet affair until halfway through the near silence, Draco said
"why don't you get Potter to buy you a houself? They work for free and can use magic to do the work faster."
Uncle Vernon's face did that funny colour-changing thing that it did whenever magic was mentioned. Ron stared.
"Never mention anything about that ABNORMALITY under this roof!"
"Abnormality?" Draco asked, confused.
Harry was amazed that Malfoy was still alive
"He means magic" Harry whispered quietly into Draco's ear.
"Why?" said Draco
"because it's..freakish" Vernon spluttered "It you want to eat while you're here, I suggest you don't mention it again!"
Draco was aghast. How DARE that fat muggle threaten him. A Malfoy?! He could kill this man where he stood, and there he was threatening him!
Vernon seemed to take Draco's horrified silence for an answer of ascent as he dropped the subject.
It was now 10:00 pm. The three of them were exhausted.
"I'm going to bed." Ron stated and he went upstairs, closely followed by Draco.
Harry waited for them to disappear into his room before he walked up to the cupboard. He stood in front of it. Slowly he opened the door and gulped. Harry lay down on the tiny bed, leaving the door ajar as he couldn't quite bring himself to shut himself in there.
Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were switching off lights and unplugging things in preparation for bed. On his way past, Vernon poked his head around the cupboard door and with a cruel smile said "Sweet dreams". He then shut and locked the door.
Harry sat up. This couldn't be happening, not again. He leaned against the wall, back hunched in such a small space and took out the little torch he used to have hidden in there. He turned it on and stared at the opposite wall.
Meanwhile, in Harry's room, Ron and Draco were huddled onto the big bed in terror. "Where did it go?"
"I think it's over there." Draco said pointing to a corner of the room.
"No it isn't. it ran that way."
"You're imagining things Weasley. It's over there!"
The spider ran across the floor nearer to the bed. Draco gave a small squeal of terror and he and Ron huddled together, eyes wide in fear.
"Throw something at it!" Draco said
"What?"
"Dunno - how about that lamp?"
"It might break"
"You mean you might miss."
"You throw it then!"
Draco threw the lamp at the spider. It scuttled out the way and closed the bed.
"Get Potter."
"You get him."
"You faced a bloody car sized spider once, get him!"
"You get him!" the argument continued in this vain for some time until they both decided to go.
Uncharacteristically close together, the two of them leapt off the bed to the other side of the room and out the door. They crept down the stairs and into the front room - nobody here.
The dining room - nope
Kitchen - nada
Ron and Draco looked at each other in bewilderment before loudly whispering
"Potter!" "Harry!"
There was a muffled clatter from the cupboard under the stairs (Harry dropped his torch in his effort to switch it off)
"What was that?" Ron whispered
"It came from in there."
Ron stepped edgily up to the door. It was locked. No - surely not.
"Uh, Harry?" He whispered.
"Damn." He heard from inside "Yes, I'm in here."
Draco and Ron looked at each other, eyebrows raised. Ron un-bolted the door and opened it.
"What are you doing in there?" Draco asked.
"It used to be my bedroom" eyebrows rose even higher. "Uncle Vernon locked the door. Probably for a joke."
The two looked dubiously at Harry, who stepped out and stretched.
"Why does it have a lock in the first place?" Ron asked, suspecting the answer
"Doesn't matter. Look why aren't you too asleep?"
"Oh. There was a spider." Ron replied.
"Couldn't you get rid of it?" Harry asked Draco. Then seeing the look on his face added "Not you as well! Ok take me to this Aragog sized creature."
He followed them upstairs. They hovered by the door as Harry stepped into the room.
By the lamp (why is it on the floor?) There was a penny sized spider. He walked stealthily up to it and picked it up. He then opened the window and placed it on the windowsill before closing the window.
"So, uh, goodnight then."
"You're going back to that cupboard?"
"Where else?"
"The spare room." Ron said
Harry looked awkward "Look it's probably better if I just go back. Thanks for unlocking the door though." He then almost ran away from them and back downstairs.
Malfoy smiled "Wait till I tell everyone he sleeps in a cupboard."
"you're not going to tell anybody!"
"How do you plan to stop me?"
"How much do you want everyone to know that you had to get the boy-who- lived to rescue you from a small spider."
"So did you."
"I'm not ashamed."
Malfoy glared at Ron and got into bed. Ron got into his own bed and turned away from Malfoy in disgust.