When they got back inside Harry's home, he remembered the pancake. "Oh, I'm sorry, Lacci! I forgot to get you breakfast!"
Lacci shook her head. "Buggles gimme fud." She gave him a toothy smile. There were bits of leaves stuck between her not-so-clean teeth. Harry already had a mental picture forming. The muggle kids she had been playing with had probably been feeding her leaves off the bushes by the park. Harry hoped they weren't poisonous. Lacci seemed fine.
"All right. Tell me if you need food though, don't go... eat someone or something." Lacci laughed at this, but in the way someone would laugh if you said, "Don't go eating food or anything." She ran back up the stairs, thudding all the way. Harry walked up after her. He had hoped the park would get rid of some of her energy. But it seemed she had endless amounts of it, whether she had food or not.
Harry was relieved to have a letter back from Ron already. Harry set Hedwig in her cage, where she fell asleep. Harry opened the note, while Lacci tried to eat her straight jacket.
Dear Harry,
Released from Azkaban? Does she turn into a dog or a gerbil or anything like that? Sorry, that was a dumb joke. Maybe she's related to Creevey. I already asked mum about you coming to spend the summer with us, and she agreed. But she isn't sure about Lacci. Does Lacci break things a lot? If she does, she'll get along well with Fred and George. They've got a new project going. I don't even want to know what they're up to this time. But anyway, ask the Dursleys if you can spend the summer with us. If they say yes, we'll be over to pick you up tomorrow. If they say no, we'll be over to pick you up tomorrow.
- Ron
There was a crash behind Harry, and he didn't pay attention to it this time. He knew who it would be. He decided to send the letter later, when Hedwig was up for it. After all, he had promised her some rest. Harry sighed and hid the note where Lacci couldn't eat it. She popped up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Hiya Hayyee, Towee Heebum?"
"Nothing that concerns you," Harry said, pulling her hands off his shoulders. He turned his head a bit so he could see her. "How old are you, anyway?'
Lacci smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. "footen," she replied.
Harry's eyes widened. "Fourteen? I thought you were nine! I'm fifteen. Azkaban must have stunted your growth." The moment it came out of his mouth he knew he had said the wrong thing. Lacci slapped him. Hard. She looked excruciatingly evil with the blood in her eyes and the bruises under them. She bit her lip and turned away.
"Sohhee," she said quietly. Harry was her idol. That would be like the author of this fanfic slapping Alan Rickman. It just isn't right. Of course, if Alan _asked_ to be slapped, perhaps not on the face... anyway, back to the fic.
Harry thought of patting her comfortingly on the shoulder, but it really stung. Instead he said, "That's ok. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it." Lacci turned around and flashed a bright smile. It seemed all was forgiven then. She hugged him and bounced out of the room and down the stairs. Harry pulled out a sheet and quickly wrote, "memo to self - don't mention azkaban or dementors or AYTHING to Lacci."
As he finished his memo, a door slammed downstairs, and the sound of three people entering the house could be heard. Then there was a frightened squeal and a bunch of thudding. Lacci burst into the room and hid in the closet. Harry stepped out of his room and walked down the steps cautiously.
"Good to see she know where not to be," said Vernon approvingly. Harry decided to try approaching him. Mr. Dursley appeared to be in a good mood.
"Speaking of," Harry said hopefully, "I was wondering if I could bring Lacci to a friend's house. Where there are other people of our kind. We'll stay there for the rest of the summer, and you wont have to see us for another year." Harry bit the inside of his lip, hoping Vernon wouldn't ask who's house it was he wanted to go to.
Vernon considered Harry's suggestion. "Who on earth would want to have that thing in their house? I'm not giving you a ride across the country, you hear? Where is it you want to go?"
Harry took a breath. "Ron Weasley." Before Vernon could object, Harry quickly continued, "But there wont be as much trouble this time, I promise. You can drive me out to King Cross, and they'll pick me up from there. No floo powder, no trick candy, nothing like that, I swear." Harry stopped and waited for Dursley's answer.
Vernon was going to object and send Harry back to his room, but this did seem like a good alternative to having Harry and Lacci in his house for the rest of the summer. "Oh, all right. I'll drive you out there tomorrow. I hope your little friend doesn't get freak out by car rides. I want her in that jacket on the way there, you understand? And you get her into it."
Harry wanted to object. The straight jacket was a cruel way to confine someone. But he'd have to do as Vernon said, if he wanted to get out of this house. "Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry turned and began walking upstairs to pack his things. "And don't forget, you're making dinner tonight!" Vernon called up after him. "Yes Uncle Vernon," replied Harry, not listening anymore.
It was getting dark out, and Lacci was sitting on Harry's bed, holding a safety pin. She was scratching the top of the cushion open.
"Oh stop that," said Harry, taking the pin from her. She gave him an offended look and stuck her tongue out at him. She rolled off the bed and onto the floor. "Gone?" she asked. "Tomorrow," Harry answered, and started writing back to Ron.
***
Lacci sat in her respective pile of cloth on the floor, watching Harry. He appeared to be writing back to that letter that flew in the window with the owl. Lacci wondered where the letters were coming from. All of this was so new to her. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so free to do things. And she got to do them with Harry Potter, the boy who single-foreheadedly defeat the dark lard! 3 times! Lacci had viewed Harry as a deity higher above her in every way imaginable. He was noble and strong, the perfect figure of a man. Her ideal. It took a lot of willpower not to bow every time he looked at her. And her treated Lacci like an equal, like someone just as good as himself.
Lacci had always had a speech problem. When she was 4, she made up her own language. She forgot how to talk in English, and all other intelligible languages. But she knew how to talk her own. She had been dubbed insane by many, and had been sent to azkaban at age 6 after a traumatizing incident with a sharpened spoon and her father.
Now she met the famous Harry Potter at last, and he could understand her gibberish! He truly was far more advanced than she had imagined him to be.
Lacci had tried very very hard to learn to speak the english tongue again, because she wanted him to understand her. She wanted people to think she was normal. It seemed she didn't need to learn it as quickly, because Harry could understand what Lacci said anyway! She sighed and snuggled back into the cloth. She felt like she was in paradise. There couldn't possibly be a safer place for her to be, in her opinion. Lacci drifted into a quiet sleep, dreaming about Harry Potter in a superhero costume, fighting off dark lords with ease and carrying Lacci off to a beautiful haven with trees and singing birds and waterfalls, and other children like her.
***
Harry finished his letter and walked over to Hedwig's cage. "Psst, Hedwig!" He whispered, trying not to wake the small filthy girl in the pile of clothes on the floor.
Hedwig lifted her head and looked Harry in the eye.
"Hedwig, are you up for another trip? Can you bring this to Ron, pleeeaase?" Harry gave her a sad puppy face, and made pouty noises.
After a few moments, Hedwig gave in. Harry smiled and tied the note around Hedwig's leg. "Thanks Hedwig. Dont bother coming back here, we're going over there. Stay at Ron's house, rest up a bit." Hedwig would have given Harry a sarcastic smirk, if her face was able to form itself that way. Instead she just gave a squawk and flew out the window, which Harry had been thoughtful enough to open.
Harry watched Hedwig leave, and then sat down on his bed. Ron was right, weird things were happening. But nothing he couldn't handle this time. It was a little girl who wanted to be cared for, not an evil man who looks like a snake who wants nothing more than to kill Harry and take over the world. With that comforting thought, Harry lay down for a dream filled sleep.
Lacci shook her head. "Buggles gimme fud." She gave him a toothy smile. There were bits of leaves stuck between her not-so-clean teeth. Harry already had a mental picture forming. The muggle kids she had been playing with had probably been feeding her leaves off the bushes by the park. Harry hoped they weren't poisonous. Lacci seemed fine.
"All right. Tell me if you need food though, don't go... eat someone or something." Lacci laughed at this, but in the way someone would laugh if you said, "Don't go eating food or anything." She ran back up the stairs, thudding all the way. Harry walked up after her. He had hoped the park would get rid of some of her energy. But it seemed she had endless amounts of it, whether she had food or not.
Harry was relieved to have a letter back from Ron already. Harry set Hedwig in her cage, where she fell asleep. Harry opened the note, while Lacci tried to eat her straight jacket.
Dear Harry,
Released from Azkaban? Does she turn into a dog or a gerbil or anything like that? Sorry, that was a dumb joke. Maybe she's related to Creevey. I already asked mum about you coming to spend the summer with us, and she agreed. But she isn't sure about Lacci. Does Lacci break things a lot? If she does, she'll get along well with Fred and George. They've got a new project going. I don't even want to know what they're up to this time. But anyway, ask the Dursleys if you can spend the summer with us. If they say yes, we'll be over to pick you up tomorrow. If they say no, we'll be over to pick you up tomorrow.
- Ron
There was a crash behind Harry, and he didn't pay attention to it this time. He knew who it would be. He decided to send the letter later, when Hedwig was up for it. After all, he had promised her some rest. Harry sighed and hid the note where Lacci couldn't eat it. She popped up behind him and put her hands on his shoulders.
"Hiya Hayyee, Towee Heebum?"
"Nothing that concerns you," Harry said, pulling her hands off his shoulders. He turned his head a bit so he could see her. "How old are you, anyway?'
Lacci smiled and gave him a peck on the cheek. "footen," she replied.
Harry's eyes widened. "Fourteen? I thought you were nine! I'm fifteen. Azkaban must have stunted your growth." The moment it came out of his mouth he knew he had said the wrong thing. Lacci slapped him. Hard. She looked excruciatingly evil with the blood in her eyes and the bruises under them. She bit her lip and turned away.
"Sohhee," she said quietly. Harry was her idol. That would be like the author of this fanfic slapping Alan Rickman. It just isn't right. Of course, if Alan _asked_ to be slapped, perhaps not on the face... anyway, back to the fic.
Harry thought of patting her comfortingly on the shoulder, but it really stung. Instead he said, "That's ok. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned it." Lacci turned around and flashed a bright smile. It seemed all was forgiven then. She hugged him and bounced out of the room and down the stairs. Harry pulled out a sheet and quickly wrote, "memo to self - don't mention azkaban or dementors or AYTHING to Lacci."
As he finished his memo, a door slammed downstairs, and the sound of three people entering the house could be heard. Then there was a frightened squeal and a bunch of thudding. Lacci burst into the room and hid in the closet. Harry stepped out of his room and walked down the steps cautiously.
"Good to see she know where not to be," said Vernon approvingly. Harry decided to try approaching him. Mr. Dursley appeared to be in a good mood.
"Speaking of," Harry said hopefully, "I was wondering if I could bring Lacci to a friend's house. Where there are other people of our kind. We'll stay there for the rest of the summer, and you wont have to see us for another year." Harry bit the inside of his lip, hoping Vernon wouldn't ask who's house it was he wanted to go to.
Vernon considered Harry's suggestion. "Who on earth would want to have that thing in their house? I'm not giving you a ride across the country, you hear? Where is it you want to go?"
Harry took a breath. "Ron Weasley." Before Vernon could object, Harry quickly continued, "But there wont be as much trouble this time, I promise. You can drive me out to King Cross, and they'll pick me up from there. No floo powder, no trick candy, nothing like that, I swear." Harry stopped and waited for Dursley's answer.
Vernon was going to object and send Harry back to his room, but this did seem like a good alternative to having Harry and Lacci in his house for the rest of the summer. "Oh, all right. I'll drive you out there tomorrow. I hope your little friend doesn't get freak out by car rides. I want her in that jacket on the way there, you understand? And you get her into it."
Harry wanted to object. The straight jacket was a cruel way to confine someone. But he'd have to do as Vernon said, if he wanted to get out of this house. "Yes, Uncle Vernon." Harry turned and began walking upstairs to pack his things. "And don't forget, you're making dinner tonight!" Vernon called up after him. "Yes Uncle Vernon," replied Harry, not listening anymore.
It was getting dark out, and Lacci was sitting on Harry's bed, holding a safety pin. She was scratching the top of the cushion open.
"Oh stop that," said Harry, taking the pin from her. She gave him an offended look and stuck her tongue out at him. She rolled off the bed and onto the floor. "Gone?" she asked. "Tomorrow," Harry answered, and started writing back to Ron.
***
Lacci sat in her respective pile of cloth on the floor, watching Harry. He appeared to be writing back to that letter that flew in the window with the owl. Lacci wondered where the letters were coming from. All of this was so new to her. She couldn't remember the last time she had been so free to do things. And she got to do them with Harry Potter, the boy who single-foreheadedly defeat the dark lard! 3 times! Lacci had viewed Harry as a deity higher above her in every way imaginable. He was noble and strong, the perfect figure of a man. Her ideal. It took a lot of willpower not to bow every time he looked at her. And her treated Lacci like an equal, like someone just as good as himself.
Lacci had always had a speech problem. When she was 4, she made up her own language. She forgot how to talk in English, and all other intelligible languages. But she knew how to talk her own. She had been dubbed insane by many, and had been sent to azkaban at age 6 after a traumatizing incident with a sharpened spoon and her father.
Now she met the famous Harry Potter at last, and he could understand her gibberish! He truly was far more advanced than she had imagined him to be.
Lacci had tried very very hard to learn to speak the english tongue again, because she wanted him to understand her. She wanted people to think she was normal. It seemed she didn't need to learn it as quickly, because Harry could understand what Lacci said anyway! She sighed and snuggled back into the cloth. She felt like she was in paradise. There couldn't possibly be a safer place for her to be, in her opinion. Lacci drifted into a quiet sleep, dreaming about Harry Potter in a superhero costume, fighting off dark lords with ease and carrying Lacci off to a beautiful haven with trees and singing birds and waterfalls, and other children like her.
***
Harry finished his letter and walked over to Hedwig's cage. "Psst, Hedwig!" He whispered, trying not to wake the small filthy girl in the pile of clothes on the floor.
Hedwig lifted her head and looked Harry in the eye.
"Hedwig, are you up for another trip? Can you bring this to Ron, pleeeaase?" Harry gave her a sad puppy face, and made pouty noises.
After a few moments, Hedwig gave in. Harry smiled and tied the note around Hedwig's leg. "Thanks Hedwig. Dont bother coming back here, we're going over there. Stay at Ron's house, rest up a bit." Hedwig would have given Harry a sarcastic smirk, if her face was able to form itself that way. Instead she just gave a squawk and flew out the window, which Harry had been thoughtful enough to open.
Harry watched Hedwig leave, and then sat down on his bed. Ron was right, weird things were happening. But nothing he couldn't handle this time. It was a little girl who wanted to be cared for, not an evil man who looks like a snake who wants nothing more than to kill Harry and take over the world. With that comforting thought, Harry lay down for a dream filled sleep.