Part sixteen: Vernon's revenge



Vernon Dursley stood and stretched. He'd been working at his desk, rigging the accounts for the week. Several more hundred pound notes graced his little box and he was well pleased with his efforts. He wandered over to the window and looked out at the twilight-coated city. Lights were beginning to shine here and there and he imagined what it would be like to be coming home to Privet Drive about now. Petunia would have dinner ready, a welcome smile on her face. Dudley would be playing video games and he'd join in for a few moments before the table was set. A grim mask settled on his face. That was all gone for now. All because of that miserable nephew of his wife's. Harry. The name alone made him go all cold inside. How he hated that boy. Had hated him from the moment he set eyes on him. How dare those people leave him on their doorstep? What were they? Some kind of charity? Well, they had been these last fifteen years. Giving everything to that boy. He'd wanted for nothing. And how does he repay the debt? By siccing his demented godfather on the family. Vernon shook his head. "Marge was right. It's bad breeding," he said aloud. "Blood will out, she always says, and in this case it's true. I just wish I had that boy here now. I'd give him a dose of blood." A cruel smile curled at his lips, a smile reminiscent of Dudley's. Just the thought of having Harry in his clutches made him happier. "Someday, Potter," he said to the darkening city.



He turned to leave when a movement from the sidewalk caught his eye. No one was in this part of town at this hour, not out walking anyway. He immediately thought it was some miscreant or other and waited for the person to come closer so he could get a better look. Whoever it was took a seat on the bench outside. Vernon squinted in the failing light. His breath caught. It couldn't be! It was obviously a teenage boy, judging from the size. From the back all Vernon could see was dark hair. Still, it looked just like Harry. He watched a moment longer, wondering if he should go down for a better look when the boy turned around.



Vernon hooted in triumph. He couldn't believe his luck. He backed away from the window before he could be spotted and returned to his desk. He grabbed the shiny black pistol from the bottom drawer and headed for the entrance. Harry Potter was his.



********************



Harry sat on the bench and leaned his head back. He'd wanted to meet Glynnis and Sirius halfway but she'd told him not too.



"You're too tired, Harry. I can tell just by listening. You wait there. Sirius says he can disapparate us back home."



Secretly, Harry was glad for the wait. The walk today, coupled with the aftereffects of the dagger had made him tired and weak. He wanted nothing more than a hot soak and bed. Or maybe just bed. Harry half-heartedly considered laying down on the bench but decided he'd better not. He didn't know this area and had no idea who or what might be lurking about. "I couldn't fend off a mouse right now," he thought with a yawn.



"What's the matter, Harry? All the trouble you've caused tire you out?"



Harry froze. "This isn't possible. This isn't possible." He kept repeating it to himself as he slowly turned, trying to deny the truth that sent rivulets of fear racing down his spine. The hulking figure of Vernon Dursley filled his field of vision. Harry swallowed hard and raised his eyes to Vernon's face which was purple with rage.



"Hu . . . hullo, Uncle Ver . . . ," he stuttered but his greeting was violently cut off by Vernon's hand closing around his throat.



"I am not your uncle," Dursley ground out through clenched teeth. "I am no relation to you, thank God." He leaned close to Harry who was clutching at Vernon's strong fingers, trying to release the pressure while struggling to breathe. "I am going to teach you a lesson, boy. A lesson I should have taught you long ago. A lesson they should've taught you at that freak school you attend. A lesson in how to treat your betters. Something your guardian," he spat the word, sending a shower of spittle into Harry's face, "should have taught you." Vernon smiled viciously.

"But I see that your infamous godfather isn't here. That's too bad. I would like to teach him this lesson as well."



Vernon abruptly released Harry, who fell gasping to the sidewalk. His moment of respite was short lived, however, when Harry was grabbed roughly by the unruly hair that Vernon had so despised and hauled to his feet. Something black and shiny was dancing before Harry's eyes and he realized with mounting terror that it was a gun. Vernon held it just inches from his forehead.



"You're going to come with me, Harry. No fighting. No struggling. I'm not terribly used to this," he waggled the gun, "and would hate to have it go off. Prematurely." Harry nodded as best he could and the cold steel barrel moved down to press painfully into his ribcage. Vernon then released Harry's hair and grabbed his half-healed shoulder. Harry's knees buckled beneath him as the strong fingers dug cruelly into the tender flesh. A cry of pain escaped his lips and Vernon laughed.



"Are you injured, Harry? How dreadful." Vernon laughed again and tightened his grip. Harry's vision started to blur around the edges and he stumbled. Vernon grabbed the back of the sling and pulled it up short. "Don't," he warned with a hiss and he proceeded to drag Harry into the building.



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Glynnis and Sirius walked quickly toward Grunnings, Sirius having returned to his normal form now that he no longer needed to track Harry. His long strides ate up the sidewalk and Glynnis was nearly racing to keep up. Finally, she grabbed his hand and pulled him to a slower pace. "Slow down, Rover!" she laughed breathlessly. "Else you'll end up carrying me."



"Whatever you say," Sirius grinned and he swept her up in his arms.



Glynnis squealed in surprise. "Sirius! What are you doing?" she gasped.



"Didn't you request transportation?" he said teasingly.



"Put me down this instant, before you hurt yourself. I'm heavy."



Sirius looked into her eyes and smiled gently. "You're perfect," he stated firmly. Glynnis blushed, a trait that Sirius found very endearing, and wrapped her arms around his neck.



"No, Sirius. You're the one who's perfect." And she leaned forward to capture his mouth in a deep kiss.



Suddenly, her back arched and a hoarse cry escaped her lips. Sirius almost dropped her as the unexpected movement threw them off balance. "Glynnis!" He fell to his knees, trying to keep her from tumbling to the ground. "Glynnis! What is it? What's wrong?"



"Harry's in danger," she whispered, her eyes wide, the pupils dilated. She repeated it again and again, each time louder than the time before until she was shrieking uncontrollably. "Harry's in danger! Harry's in danger!" Unable to calm her, Sirius did the only thing he could think of. He slapped her across the face. Glynnis went limp in his arms. "It's just like before," she whimpered. "It's all happening again. Oh, God! I can't take it, Sirius. Harry's going to die and I'll be too late! He'll die just like Seamus and Derek and I won't get there in time to save him, to stop it!" Glynnis was crying hysterically and clutching at Sirius' shirt. Her face was wet with tears of frustration and emotional agony. Sirius pulled her to her feet.



"Glynnis, look at me." She didn't respond. He shook her firmly. "Glynnis!" he repeated loudly. "LOOK AT ME!" This time she complied, raising her tortured eyes to his. "Do you know what Grunnings looks like?" She just stared at him. He shook her again, harder. "Answer me! Do you know what Grunnings looks like?" She nodded, hesitantly. "Listen to me. Are you listening?" She nodded again. "You will not be too late this time. All you have to do is show me Grunnings. I can take us there instantly. Do you understand?"



"How can I show you?!" she wailed. "It's blocks away!"



Sirius took her head between his hands, his eyes boring into hers. "Think, Glynnie, think! Picture it in your mind and show me." Glynnis' mouth rounded into a silent "Oh" as it dawned on her what he meant. She closed her eyes and in a matter of seconds Sirius knew exactly where they were going. He wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close. With the other he pulled the wand from his pocket.



"Hang on."



Glynnis pressed closer to his side. Sirius waved his wand and blackness swallowed them.



**********************



Harry no longer had to clench his teeth against the pain. His entire shoulder was now numb. He knew that he'd have massive bruises when this was over. "If I survive it," he thought grimly. In the past few minutes, he'd tried to focus enough to call Glynnis. He didn't know if it would work, with him initiating the contact. After all, he wasn't the one who was telepathic. However, he had been able to speak with her earlier so it couldn't hurt to try. Only problem was, every time he'd clear his mind and try to focus, Vernon would change direction or give him a rough shake and the pain would once again course through his shoulder and his concentration would be lost.



"He has to stop sometime. Then I'll try," Harry thought as Vernon dragged him through one large factory room after another. Then, as if reading his thoughts, Vernon abruptly stopped and hurled Harry to the floor.



"This should do it," Vernon stated to the empty room. Harry lifted his pounding head and looked around. They were in a large square room that was filled with boxes. A sign over the door ominously proclaimed NO WAY OUT FROM THIS LOCATION. A huge overhead door at the end indicated a loading area of some kind and the ceiling above was hung with all manner of motor boxes and large hooks attached to long cables. An enormous spool of rope was off to one side and several of the nearby boxes were wrapped for shipping.



Harry searched the room desperately with his eyes, looking for any way out or anything he could use against Vernon if it came down to that. He never saw the vicious kick that connected with his ribs. He only felt the breath leave his lungs and the bones crack on impact.



"I asked you a question, Harry," Vernon snarled. "I expect an answer, boy!" Harry only groaned from his curled position on the floor and tried not to be sick. His breath came in short hitching gasps. The very act of pulling air into his body sent misery knifing through his chest. "Well?"



Harry had no idea that Vernon had spoken before, much less asked a question. He formed the words in his mind and then managed to force them out. "I don't know what you said."



"You weren't listening? You should always listen when your betters speak, Harry." Vernon leaned close to Harry's ear. "Another lesson you'll have to learn." His voice was icy cold and hard as stone. Harry trembled in fear. For the first time in four years, he was truly afraid of Vernon Dursley.



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"Where are we?" Sirius asked.



Glynnis looked around. Gone was the sidewalk and the street around them. They were now inside a plain looking lobby with doors leading off in several directions. "We're in the lobby of Grunnings. I was here once, about a year ago. I had to ask directions to somewhere else. I remember it because Hermione had mentioned Harry's uncle worked here. I wanted to see what kind of place would employ someone like that."



"Do you have any idea where they might be?"



Glynnis shook her head. "I've no idea. I've not been any farther than this." She looked at Sirius solemnly. "You'll have to find him, Sirius. And fast."



Sirius nodded and instantly transformed himself once more. A few quick sniffs and he bounded off to the last door. Glynnis opened it and followed him inside. A maze of machinery greeted them. Sirius barked and headed for the back of the huge room, leading Glynnis into the bowels of the darkening factory.



***********************



Icy water brought Harry back to consciousness. It ran down his face and back and caused him to shiver, an action that further exacerbated the agony already inflicted on him. He opened one of his eyes, the other having swollen shut several minutes ago, and feebly spat out the blood that had pooled in his mouth.



"Back among the living, I see," Vernon crowed. "Well, don't worry, you'll be out of my misery soon enough." He laughed. "I'm sorry, did I say my misery? Of course I meant your misery. In a few moments you won't feel a thing." Vernon's fingers slid along the gun's barrel in a grisly caress.



"You're insane," Harry mumbled through his split lips.



"What did you say? You aren't speaking out of turn, are you?" Vernon demanded, pressing the gun into Harry's broken ribs. Harry blanched and an unwilling scream escaped. Vernon smiled nastily. "I didn't think so. I would hate to have to go back over what you've already learned." His voice didn't sound sorry. In fact, Vernon sounded like he would enjoy teaching Harry all day. Harry braced himself for more of Vernon's 'lessons' but instead of lashing out, Vernon only sighed. "It's time to end school for today, I'm afraid. Petunia must have dinner ready by now and I don't want to be late. You know how worried she gets when Dudley or I are late. Not that she ever wondered where you were," he added cruelly.



Harry watched as Vernon backed away. He watched as his uncle brought the gun up even with his head. Harry knew that his uncle was going to kill him. He thought for a second about how Glynnis had promised him he wouldn't die soon. Harry almost laughed. "Even those with the Sight can be mistaken, I guess," he thought.



Harry had often wondered what his last thoughts would be, especially these last couple of months. Oddly enough, he wasn't thinking about his friends or family, but of how he would not die afraid. Harry stared straight down the gun's gleaming black barrel and met Vernon's eyes. "I will not flinch," he promised himself. "I will not let him see me afraid." Vernon must have seen this resolve in Harry's eyes for he lowered the gun a fraction and stared back at his nephew, puzzled.



"I'm going to kill you, you know! Don't you understand that?"



Harry nodded. "I understand."



Vernon frowned. "Aren't you afraid?"



Harry shook his head.



"You think I won't do it," Vernon stated smugly.



Harry shook his head again. "I think you'll do it. I am simply not afraid of you anymore, Vernon."



Vernon took notice of Harry's lack of title for him. "Show some respect, boy," he growled, raising the gun again. "Hell waits with open arms for the likes of you."



Harry wheezed out a chuckle, although his body protested greatly at the effort. "I have faced the devil. More than once. And he's not in hell, he's right here in England. And guess what? He's coming for all of us. Muggle and wizard. And only the wizards that you hate so much can save you."



"You expect me to believe that? You're lying, Harry. You have always lied." His finger reached for the trigger and he smiled. "Say hello to your parents for me."