Chapter 6
Harry took a deep breath and pushed open the sitting room door.
His uncle was lying flat out on the sofa watching a rugby game on the televisioon and looked less than pleased to see him.
"What do you want?" he snarled, not bothering to move his eyes to look at him.
Harry took a deep breath.
"My friend from Hog-my friend Ron has asked me to go and stay with him next week, untill I go back to...untill term starts again."
Silence.
He waited for the usual tortured look to appear on Vernons face. The face that showed the battle between making Harry happy, which was a thing he normally tried his hardest not to do; and getting rid of his least favourite nephew, which was something he very often wished he could do.
But instead, a smug grin spread across his uncles' face.
"We've already made arrangements for you."
Harrys heart sank.
"What...arrangements?"he asked weakly.
"Dermont says he'll have you an' Dudley to stay while we're in Paris."
"Paris?"
"You hard of hearing, boy?"
Harry shook his head, his fists clenched.
"Well, can't I go to Rons instead? I need to go and buy my school stuff."
Vernon sat up.
"We've already made the plans-it would be rude to change them now!"
"But-"
"But nothing! Now bugger off! I want to see the rest of the game in peace!"
Harry grimaced. He was beaten and he knew it.
Not only was Vernon getting rid of him, he was also making sure that Harry would be as miserable as possible.
The best of both worlds.
* * *
Once in his cupboard, he threw himself on the bed and lay flat out, staring up at the ceiling.
Why was everything going so badly for him?
Staying with Dermont meant that there was no way he could get to the portkey and if he left now, there would be nowhere for him to go for two weeks.
And then there was Abi.
What was it about her that made him feel so wretched?
He was used to being taunted and bullied-his cousin had made sure of that. Over the first ten years of his life he had learned to block out name calling and the humiliating pranks. The opinions of those who hated him meant nothing because he hated them right back.
But Abi was different.
She stopped him from thinking clearly. She could make his stomach flutter just by looking at him.
She had gotten through the protective barrier that separated him from his enemies and he could not block her out.
He wanted to hate her.He tried with all his strength of mind to do so, but he simply couldn't.
Harry took a deep breath and pushed open the sitting room door.
His uncle was lying flat out on the sofa watching a rugby game on the televisioon and looked less than pleased to see him.
"What do you want?" he snarled, not bothering to move his eyes to look at him.
Harry took a deep breath.
"My friend from Hog-my friend Ron has asked me to go and stay with him next week, untill I go back to...untill term starts again."
Silence.
He waited for the usual tortured look to appear on Vernons face. The face that showed the battle between making Harry happy, which was a thing he normally tried his hardest not to do; and getting rid of his least favourite nephew, which was something he very often wished he could do.
But instead, a smug grin spread across his uncles' face.
"We've already made arrangements for you."
Harrys heart sank.
"What...arrangements?"he asked weakly.
"Dermont says he'll have you an' Dudley to stay while we're in Paris."
"Paris?"
"You hard of hearing, boy?"
Harry shook his head, his fists clenched.
"Well, can't I go to Rons instead? I need to go and buy my school stuff."
Vernon sat up.
"We've already made the plans-it would be rude to change them now!"
"But-"
"But nothing! Now bugger off! I want to see the rest of the game in peace!"
Harry grimaced. He was beaten and he knew it.
Not only was Vernon getting rid of him, he was also making sure that Harry would be as miserable as possible.
The best of both worlds.
* * *
Once in his cupboard, he threw himself on the bed and lay flat out, staring up at the ceiling.
Why was everything going so badly for him?
Staying with Dermont meant that there was no way he could get to the portkey and if he left now, there would be nowhere for him to go for two weeks.
And then there was Abi.
What was it about her that made him feel so wretched?
He was used to being taunted and bullied-his cousin had made sure of that. Over the first ten years of his life he had learned to block out name calling and the humiliating pranks. The opinions of those who hated him meant nothing because he hated them right back.
But Abi was different.
She stopped him from thinking clearly. She could make his stomach flutter just by looking at him.
She had gotten through the protective barrier that separated him from his enemies and he could not block her out.
He wanted to hate her.He tried with all his strength of mind to do so, but he simply couldn't.