Harry woke up. This was normally the first thing he did in the morning. Petunia was yelling up the stairs, and Lacci was banging on the door and shouting nonsense at her. Sensing an immediate problem, Harry sprang out of bed and nearly tackled Lacci. She seemed to take it as a compliment.
"Pish, Hayyee Pahher," she said brightly. Petunia stopped yelling.
"Look, you cant go around yelling at my relatives, ok? They're muggles. Do you know what muggles are?"
"Buggles?"
"No, that's a band. A muggle is someone who cant do magic. They don't like you and me, ok? And these ones are big and mean, so you have to be nice to them." Harry knew this wasn't the nicest way to make her understand, but it was honest and straightforward. Petunia started yelling again. "I have to go downstairs and do important things now, Lacci. I'll get you some food. Please, please please please stay up here."
Lacci gave him a pouty look. "Wan' footshtopsh." She bit her swollen lip.
"You can go down there later, when they all leave," Harry suggested, taking a stab at what she meant. "I'll be back." Harry opened the door and slid through, making sure to lock it behind him. The Dursleys had been sure to put plenty of locks on it, earlier. They hadn't bothered taking them off. Harry was thankful for that now.
***
"Harry," said Mr. Dursley in a smug voice, as Harry entered the kitchen, "How is that maniac of yours treating you? I expect you're getting along just fine."
Harry nodded his head submissively. He wasn't going to start a fight today. "Yes Uncle Vernon. We are getting along fine." He began pouring the family their orange juice. He slipped some pancakes into his pocket for Lacci while Vernon and Petunia weren't looking. But he had forgotten about Dudley.
"Muuumm, Harry's sneaking food! He shouldn't get extra food!!" Dudley reached into Harry's pocket and grabbed the pancakes, which started to break into pieces in Harry's pocket.
"Harry, you go throw that away. A boy like you shouldn't need extra feeding." Aunt Petunia pointed to the crumbs on the floor. Dudley was eating the pancakes he had managed to save from Harry's pocket.
"It's not for me! It's for Lacci. She needs food too. You saw her, she's nothing but skin and bones!" And besides, he said in his head, Dudley is the one who doesn't need more feeding.
"See, he's already given it a name. Why cant I have a cool pet like that too, dad?" Dudley shot Harry a jealous glance and poured himself some more syrup.
"I don't care if she's skin and bones. That little rat deserves it. Go back to your room, Harry. Now." Mr Dursley pushed Harry out of the kitchen and turned back to Dudley. "He's not taking care of it as a pet, he's taking care of it as a punishment. Don't worry, I'll go get you a big ferocious animal that's twice as scary as her."
Dudley gave a yelp of happiness.
"When you're older," Mr. Dursley continued.
"Awww.." complained Dudley, but didn't push it.
***
Harry trudged up to his room, trying to see if he had any food left for Lacci. There was a _bit_ of pancake...
Harry opened the door to his room only to find that Lacci wasn't in there. Where could she have gone? He heard voices and then the door downstairs opened and slammed shut. The Dursleys had left. That was good. At least Lacci wouldn't do anything to them today. Harry sat down at his desk and wondered where to start on his letter to Ron.
Dear Ron,
Actually, something amazing did happen when I got home. There's a girl here. She calls herself Lacci De. She keeps speaking nonsense, but I pretty much understand her. The Dursleys somehow got her into a straight jacket, don't ask me where they got it. She's the scariest thing I've ever see..
Harry jumped, and his quill slid across the paper. Lacci was standing directly behind him, playing one of Dudley's broken French Horns, very badly. She started skipping around.
"LACCI!! LACCI!!" Harry tried to yell over the noise. "LACCI!!!" Lacci stopped, and turned around. She looked at him innocently. "Yesh?"
"Lacci, you cant go around making noise like that. You nearly scared me to death. Why don't you.." Harry stopped. Would it be a good idea to let her sit around downstairs? "Here, how about this. If you are quiet for another 10 minutes, we can go outside for a walk. Doesn't that sound like fun?" Harry smiled encouragingly. It was like talking to a little child. She looked about 9 years old.
Lacci pondered this. It appeared to take a lot of effort. Finally she came to a conclusion. "Sit," she said, and sat. On a small plastic cactus, with a broken pot. She didn't seem to mind, so harry left it alone.
..n. She was just released from Azkaban, apparently. I don't know why she was there, though. I don't know if I want to. She's kind of cute, when she isn't awake or moving or making noise. I don't know what to do with her. She seems to be obsessed with me. Write back, and HURRY.
- Harry
ps: You might not want me coming over this summer. Lacci has to come too.
Harry folded the paper and attached it to Hedwig, who had returned that morning,'s leg. "Sorry about all this, Hedwig. Ill see you get plenty of resting time later. Thanks." He patted her on the head and sent her off. Lacci watched her go out the window.
"Bi bi ool..."
Harry smiled, and helped Lacci to her feet. He pulled some plastic cactus quills from her bottom, and she giggled happily. "Well," Harry said, opening the door, "I promised you we could go outside. Let's go to the park." Lacci smiled and zoomed out the door, bouncing down the stairs and landing on her bum. Harry couldn't help but chuckle a little. I hope she likes parks.. he thought, as he led her out the door.
***
At the park, Lacci played on every piece of equipment there was, twice. She appeared about to burst from excitement. That made sense, of course. She had been in Azkaban, who wouldn't find everything so wonderful after that? harry decided he might as well have some fun as well. It wasn't broomsticks, but a jungle gym could be just as fun.
Lacci Grinned and slowly approached Harry from behind. He was standing right next to the slide, and she was under the boards, right behind him. She reached up and poked his posterior.
"ARGH!" Harry jumped, and turned around. "Lacci!" He tried to scold her, but he was laughing. Lacci giggled "Hayyee it." Then she got up and ran off. Harry chased her.
After about two hours, Harry went and sat down for a rest. Lacci had gotten him to play almost every single game she knew. Tag, Spoons (not the normal spoons, this involved throwing them at the fence), Crosses (explained later), Don't Wake the Dragon, Snappy Slytherin, and Steal the Potion. Lacci had never actually played Snappy Slytherin, at least not by that name. She called it "Throw Mr. Ferret," which Harry found amusing. He had a mental image of a ferret bouncing up and down...
"Lacci, we should go home now. The Dursleys will be home soon, and we aren't allowed to be out." But Lacci wasn't listening. She was lying in the grass, next to three muggle children. They all appeared to be about 6 or 7. Lacci was pointing at the sky and talking to them.
"Bunni," she said.
"No. It looks like a pillow," said a little blonde girl.
"Bunni!" Lacci insisted. She held the girl's head and tilted it a little. "Noi remd poik nurr fok bee." The little girl nodded. "Oooh! I see it!!"
A boy looked up at the. "Well, look at that one. It looks like a man in a hood."
Lacci looked up at the cloud the boy was pointing to. She jumped, and screamed. "Dementor!" She cried. The two girls hugged her, in that cute way that little kids do. They seemed to be calming her down.
Harry took this moment to interrupt. "Ehem," he coughed. 4 heads look up at him from the grass. "Sorry, but Lacci has to go home now," he said softly, pointing to Lacci. Lacci stood up. "Guten tag," she said, waving to the kids. "Bye, Miss Vrij!" the chorused, and ran off to their respective families. Lacci pointed at another cloud, and tilted Harry's head upwards.
"Litnig blot," Lacci said plaintively. Harry nodded. "Yes. Just like my scar. Lets go." They walked, or rather, Harry walked and Lacci skipped, back home.
"Pish, Hayyee Pahher," she said brightly. Petunia stopped yelling.
"Look, you cant go around yelling at my relatives, ok? They're muggles. Do you know what muggles are?"
"Buggles?"
"No, that's a band. A muggle is someone who cant do magic. They don't like you and me, ok? And these ones are big and mean, so you have to be nice to them." Harry knew this wasn't the nicest way to make her understand, but it was honest and straightforward. Petunia started yelling again. "I have to go downstairs and do important things now, Lacci. I'll get you some food. Please, please please please stay up here."
Lacci gave him a pouty look. "Wan' footshtopsh." She bit her swollen lip.
"You can go down there later, when they all leave," Harry suggested, taking a stab at what she meant. "I'll be back." Harry opened the door and slid through, making sure to lock it behind him. The Dursleys had been sure to put plenty of locks on it, earlier. They hadn't bothered taking them off. Harry was thankful for that now.
***
"Harry," said Mr. Dursley in a smug voice, as Harry entered the kitchen, "How is that maniac of yours treating you? I expect you're getting along just fine."
Harry nodded his head submissively. He wasn't going to start a fight today. "Yes Uncle Vernon. We are getting along fine." He began pouring the family their orange juice. He slipped some pancakes into his pocket for Lacci while Vernon and Petunia weren't looking. But he had forgotten about Dudley.
"Muuumm, Harry's sneaking food! He shouldn't get extra food!!" Dudley reached into Harry's pocket and grabbed the pancakes, which started to break into pieces in Harry's pocket.
"Harry, you go throw that away. A boy like you shouldn't need extra feeding." Aunt Petunia pointed to the crumbs on the floor. Dudley was eating the pancakes he had managed to save from Harry's pocket.
"It's not for me! It's for Lacci. She needs food too. You saw her, she's nothing but skin and bones!" And besides, he said in his head, Dudley is the one who doesn't need more feeding.
"See, he's already given it a name. Why cant I have a cool pet like that too, dad?" Dudley shot Harry a jealous glance and poured himself some more syrup.
"I don't care if she's skin and bones. That little rat deserves it. Go back to your room, Harry. Now." Mr Dursley pushed Harry out of the kitchen and turned back to Dudley. "He's not taking care of it as a pet, he's taking care of it as a punishment. Don't worry, I'll go get you a big ferocious animal that's twice as scary as her."
Dudley gave a yelp of happiness.
"When you're older," Mr. Dursley continued.
"Awww.." complained Dudley, but didn't push it.
***
Harry trudged up to his room, trying to see if he had any food left for Lacci. There was a _bit_ of pancake...
Harry opened the door to his room only to find that Lacci wasn't in there. Where could she have gone? He heard voices and then the door downstairs opened and slammed shut. The Dursleys had left. That was good. At least Lacci wouldn't do anything to them today. Harry sat down at his desk and wondered where to start on his letter to Ron.
Dear Ron,
Actually, something amazing did happen when I got home. There's a girl here. She calls herself Lacci De. She keeps speaking nonsense, but I pretty much understand her. The Dursleys somehow got her into a straight jacket, don't ask me where they got it. She's the scariest thing I've ever see..
Harry jumped, and his quill slid across the paper. Lacci was standing directly behind him, playing one of Dudley's broken French Horns, very badly. She started skipping around.
"LACCI!! LACCI!!" Harry tried to yell over the noise. "LACCI!!!" Lacci stopped, and turned around. She looked at him innocently. "Yesh?"
"Lacci, you cant go around making noise like that. You nearly scared me to death. Why don't you.." Harry stopped. Would it be a good idea to let her sit around downstairs? "Here, how about this. If you are quiet for another 10 minutes, we can go outside for a walk. Doesn't that sound like fun?" Harry smiled encouragingly. It was like talking to a little child. She looked about 9 years old.
Lacci pondered this. It appeared to take a lot of effort. Finally she came to a conclusion. "Sit," she said, and sat. On a small plastic cactus, with a broken pot. She didn't seem to mind, so harry left it alone.
..n. She was just released from Azkaban, apparently. I don't know why she was there, though. I don't know if I want to. She's kind of cute, when she isn't awake or moving or making noise. I don't know what to do with her. She seems to be obsessed with me. Write back, and HURRY.
- Harry
ps: You might not want me coming over this summer. Lacci has to come too.
Harry folded the paper and attached it to Hedwig, who had returned that morning,'s leg. "Sorry about all this, Hedwig. Ill see you get plenty of resting time later. Thanks." He patted her on the head and sent her off. Lacci watched her go out the window.
"Bi bi ool..."
Harry smiled, and helped Lacci to her feet. He pulled some plastic cactus quills from her bottom, and she giggled happily. "Well," Harry said, opening the door, "I promised you we could go outside. Let's go to the park." Lacci smiled and zoomed out the door, bouncing down the stairs and landing on her bum. Harry couldn't help but chuckle a little. I hope she likes parks.. he thought, as he led her out the door.
***
At the park, Lacci played on every piece of equipment there was, twice. She appeared about to burst from excitement. That made sense, of course. She had been in Azkaban, who wouldn't find everything so wonderful after that? harry decided he might as well have some fun as well. It wasn't broomsticks, but a jungle gym could be just as fun.
Lacci Grinned and slowly approached Harry from behind. He was standing right next to the slide, and she was under the boards, right behind him. She reached up and poked his posterior.
"ARGH!" Harry jumped, and turned around. "Lacci!" He tried to scold her, but he was laughing. Lacci giggled "Hayyee it." Then she got up and ran off. Harry chased her.
After about two hours, Harry went and sat down for a rest. Lacci had gotten him to play almost every single game she knew. Tag, Spoons (not the normal spoons, this involved throwing them at the fence), Crosses (explained later), Don't Wake the Dragon, Snappy Slytherin, and Steal the Potion. Lacci had never actually played Snappy Slytherin, at least not by that name. She called it "Throw Mr. Ferret," which Harry found amusing. He had a mental image of a ferret bouncing up and down...
"Lacci, we should go home now. The Dursleys will be home soon, and we aren't allowed to be out." But Lacci wasn't listening. She was lying in the grass, next to three muggle children. They all appeared to be about 6 or 7. Lacci was pointing at the sky and talking to them.
"Bunni," she said.
"No. It looks like a pillow," said a little blonde girl.
"Bunni!" Lacci insisted. She held the girl's head and tilted it a little. "Noi remd poik nurr fok bee." The little girl nodded. "Oooh! I see it!!"
A boy looked up at the. "Well, look at that one. It looks like a man in a hood."
Lacci looked up at the cloud the boy was pointing to. She jumped, and screamed. "Dementor!" She cried. The two girls hugged her, in that cute way that little kids do. They seemed to be calming her down.
Harry took this moment to interrupt. "Ehem," he coughed. 4 heads look up at him from the grass. "Sorry, but Lacci has to go home now," he said softly, pointing to Lacci. Lacci stood up. "Guten tag," she said, waving to the kids. "Bye, Miss Vrij!" the chorused, and ran off to their respective families. Lacci pointed at another cloud, and tilted Harry's head upwards.
"Litnig blot," Lacci said plaintively. Harry nodded. "Yes. Just like my scar. Lets go." They walked, or rather, Harry walked and Lacci skipped, back home.