Loss.
Harry
spent the rest of the afternoon searching the house. There was not a trace of
his Hogwarts paraphernalia to be seen anywhere.
Dudley
bumbled out past him in his frantic search and smiled evilly.
"What's
the problem Harry?" he smarmed.
Harry
slumped drowsily to the floor and shook in panic. Everything he thought he
owned had gone. "Gone," trembled Harry.
Dudley
laughed, but to Harry's surprise, he squatted down next to Harry and placed a
hand on his shoulder. "It'll turn up," said Dudley uneasily.
Harry
looked up into Dudley's eyes and shot him a suspicious glance. "Will it now?"
"Yeah.
Bound to. Anyway, am off out, so tell mum and dad I'll be home late, okay?"
Harry
watched him leave. Exhausted, he collapsed on his bed and dozed off.
He was
awoken by Uncle Vernon shouting at him. "Where's Dudley?" he snarled.
"Who
cares," sighed Harry, before remembering himself.
Uncle
Vernon raised his hand menacingly; "Watch it boy!"
"He's
gone out."
"Where?"
"Didn't
say."
Uncle
Vernon looked confused and upset about something. His mind seemed to be on
something else when he ordered "Make me a cup of tea Harry."
Harry
was used to the lack of manners and begrudgingly obliged.
When he
returned, he was prepared to confront his Uncle. "Where's all of my stuff,
Uncle Vernon?"
"You've
lost that too eh? Bloody useless. Give us that tea." Uncle Vernon drank noisily
as he reclined in his favourite armchair. He stared at Harry as he drank and Harry
was frozen to the spot. Uncle Vernon had a withering look that he had used to
bully Harry all of his life, and Harry was powerless to resist it.
"Where
did you see it last?" he said finally.
"Erm, I
was doing my homework late last night. But everything's gone today, including
my broom and books and everything!"
"Listen
Harry, not now eh? I've got a few things on me mind. Fix us up a sandwich,
there's a good boy."
Harry
felt a rage permeate his entirety, but a hot rush of anger was always followed by
a numbing wave of resignation and impotence. Harry made Uncle Vernon a sandwich
and went to his room.
If only
Hedwig would come with word of the others.
Auntie
Petunia was no help and Harry noted that Dudley had still not come home when he
finally finished the ironing at 1am and went to bed himself.
[Short
but sweet – apologies to the delay sin this story, normal service will be
resumed shortly. J]
TO BE
CONTINUED…