Dr. Reader was true to his word. Harry's heart raced as he felt the steady, calico-ripping thrum of the electric-blue Jaguar as it sped through the streets of London, occasionally hopping the odd curb when Dr. Reader felt it advisable. Harry doubted that even the Hogwarts Express could move this fast, and once Dr. Reader got out of London proper and onto the highway, he drove even faster still. It almost felt like flying on his Firebolt, except the Firebolt didn't rumble like rolling thunder.
During the drive, Dr. Reader asked Harry questions about Hogwarts and his life there. Harry, much to his own surprise, responded freely and volubly; in for a Knut, in for a Galleon, he decided.
It felt good to at last find a Muggle who didn't fear or hate magic, and Dr. Reader had a way of drawing out even the most reserved or suspicious persons. Dr. Reader was very interested in what Harry had to tell him. The idea that there was an entire culture of humans, co-existing with yet seldom interacting with the mass of humanity, would intrigue any intelligent person, whether or not they actually believed it. Yet Dr. Reader never once expressed disbelief or disapproval, even when Harry told him of things that even the most sympathetic Muggle would be hard put to understand, much less believe. He was fascinated by the Hogwarts faculty, especially the Headmaster.
"Albus Dumbledore, eh?", Dr. Reader chuckled softly. "I'd like to meet him. Is there any way I could accompany you to Hogwarts, Harry?"
"I don't know, sir. I don't think so. It's impossible for Muggles even to find Hogwarts, it's been made unplottable on Muggle maps. Any Muggle who passes by sees nothing but an old ruined building."
"I see." Dr. Reader was silent for a moment. "Is there any way we could get word to Headmaster Dumbledore?"
"Witches and wizards use owls to send messages to each other, Dr. Reader. Once we get to Privet Drive, I could write a message to him and send it with Hedwig, my owl. She'll know how to find him."
"Ah. Owls as messengers. I take it the Ministry of Magic frowns on most post-Industrial-Revolution Muggle inventions?"
"Yes, sir."
They drove in silence for a time. Harry watched the amazed stares of the lorry drivers as Dr. Reader overtook them with ease; the Jaguar thrummed and purred happily, like a big cat getting some long-delayed play time. Harry was enjoying himself immensely, except for one thing --
"Dr. Reader, may I ask you a question?"
The doctor smiled slightly. "Anything you like, Harry."
"Do you have a plan for getting my things out of the house? Even if we get there before Uncle Vernon does, Aunt Petunia or Dudley, or both, will be there. And I can't do a Memory Charm on them to make them forget everything, or the Ministry will find out about it."
"Don't worry about that, Harry. I'll go up to the front door and deal with your aunt and cousin. You just stay out of sight in the car until I give you the signal. I promise you, we'll get Hedwig and the rest of your things out of the house without using a single spell." Dr. Reader punched a button on the dashboard of the Jaguar. Harry heard the sound of a telephone dialing, then ringing; then he heard Miss Stellanova's voice. "Yes, Doctor?"
"Lucy, has Mr. Dursley left yet?"
Miss Stellanova sounded amused. "He left ten minutes ago, madder than a wet hen. He kept threatening all sorts of things against you."
"I'm not surprised. Lucy, close the office for today. I'll meet you at home in a few hours. Supper for three; Harry Potter is going to be our guest tonight."
"Supper for three it is, Doctor. Good morning, again, Harry. I'm looking forward to seeing you tonight. Goodbye for now." There was a click as Miss Stellanova hung up the phone.
They were fast approaching Privet Drive. Harry crouched down low so that no one could see him from outside of the car. Dr. Reader swung the car in front of the Dursleys' house with the grace of Cho Chang diving after a Snitch. He turned off the engine, then placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "I'll be back in ten minutes or less, Harry," he said. And with that, he swiftly exited the car.
Harry, crouched down low as he was, couldn't see what was happening. He heard Dr. Reader's quick, light footsteps on the path. He heard the doorbell ring, heard Aunt Petunia say "We don't want any --" followed by a loud thump, then silence. After some minutes, Dr. Reader came and tapped on the passenger window with a thick leather sap; Harry got out of the car and followed Dr. Reader into the house.
Aunt Petunia and Dudley were stretched out on the floor of the lounge, unconscious. It was a beautiful sight to Harry's eyes.
"They'll be that way for a good twenty minutes, Harry," said Dr. Reader, holding the sap in his hand. "Will that be long enough to remove everything?"
"It certainly will," replied Harry. "Follow me, Doctor."
And so it was that half an hour later, a furious Vernon Dursley returned to Number Four, Privet Drive, to find his wife and son groggily sitting on the lounge floor, nursing rather large bruises on the backs of their heads. Harry's magical gear, including his owl, was missing. And, most distressingly for Uncle Vernon, his blackmail dossier on Marcus Reader was missing as well.
"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS, HARRY POTTER, YOU MISERABLE LITTLE GIT!" Uncle Vernon howled in a voice that caused both Aunt Petunia and Dudley to wince. "I'LL GET YOU!"
At the same moment Vernon Dursley was fruitlessly screaming his lungs out, the object of his rage was sitting in the front passenger seat of Dr. Marcus Reader's electric-blue Jaguar, heading back at 200 kilometers per hour towards London, busily composing a note to Albus Dumbledore. Hedwig hooted contentedly in the back seat, her cage secured with a seat belt.
Harry strove to explain to Dumbledore how the Dursleys had tried to have Dr. Reader declare him insane, only to see Dr. Reader come to his defense and take him from the Dursleys' clutches. In return, would it be possible, Harry asked, to allow Dr. Reader and his assistant Miss Stellanova (for Harry sensed that the good doctor would go nowhere unless Miss Stellanova could accompany him) to visit Hogwarts?
Dr. Reader pulled the Jaguar over to the side of the road so Harry could attach the note to Hedwig and set her free without injuring her in the Jaguar's slipstream. Hedwig hooted demurely at the doctor, gently nibbled at Harry's ear, then set off towards Hogwarts, gracefully rising into the air. Dr. Reader watched her flight for as long as he could see her.
"Hedwig is a beautiful animal, Harry," the doctor said, getting back into the car. "You're very lucky to have her."
"I know," said Harry, climbing back into the passenger seat. "She's family to me, about the only real family I have left."
"Not counting the Dursleys, of course?" The doctor turned the key, and the Jaguar purred to life.
"I never count the Dursleys as my family," replied Harry bitterly as he fastened his seat belt.
Dr. Reader smiled as he pulled the car back onto the road. "I can see why not," he replied. "How did you come to be in what we shall loosely term their 'care'?"
Harry's throat swelled up as thoughts of his mother and father filled his mind. "It's a long story," he said thickly.
The miles sped by as Dr. Reader listened to Harry tell his life's story. The doctor did not interrupt once, except to gently encourage Harry to continue whenever he faltered at recounting some painful event. As before, he did not express disbelief or disapproval, no matter how unusual Harry's tale must have sounded to his Muggle ears.
Dr. Reader was silent for a long time after Harry finished. Finally, he said, "So you are an orphan, Harry. So am I. So is Miss Stellanova, as a matter of fact." With his free hand, he brushed Harry's hair away from his forehead, exposing the scar. "You are also a warrior, Harry. You can be as strong as you want to be. This scar proves it. I am a warrior, too, as is Miss Stellanova." He let Harry's bangs fall back over his forehead. "Let's stop somewhere for lunch. After that, I'm going to take you to the City of London itself, to see if I can have you legally made my ward. We can be orphans and warriors together. How would you like that?"
