Chapter 2: The Grangers Arrive
Dear Hermione,
You may of heard that Charlie's been injured by a dragon and now Ron won't be picking me up on Saturday. The Dursleys are demanding I find a place to stay while they go to stay with Uncle Vernon's sister. I don't want to trouble you but if I don't find a place to stay then I imagine I'll be out on the streets. Write back soon.
Love Harry.
"There we go," Harry said looking over his letter. He opened Hedwig's cage and she flew out and landed calmly on the desktop followed by Pigwidgeon who shot out like a bullet. The miniscule bird began zooming around the room and Harry had to leap into the air to catch it. "Uh... Get - back - in there!" Harry said forcing the struggling owl back into the cage. "Ok, now you take this to Hermione's house." Hedwig stuck out her leg so Harry could attach the letter, then she turned and soared gracefully through the window into the clear blue sky. Pigwidgeon was now screeching and rattling the cage, demanding to be let out. "Hang on!" Harry said irritably. "Just let me write this reply to Ron and then you'll be on your way."
*
Once both owls had left with their messages, Harry spent the remainder of the afternoon doing gardening for the Dursleys. He watered plants, mowed grass, and dug up weeds until his hands were filthy, his back was sore, and the setting sun had turned the sky a blazing red. Once he had completed his work, Harry headed indoors for a spot of dinner before heading back up to his bedroom. Hedwig had still not returned with a reply from Hermione so Harry climbed into bed and quickly drifted off to sleep.
The sky was pitch black and rain was pouring down the next time Harry opened his eyes. A small tapping sound awoke him. Harry sat up, put on his glasses, and looked blearily around the room to eventually see Hedwig rapping her beak on the window.
"Hedwig," Harry whispered happily.
He clambered out of bed and opened the window so Hedwig could get inside. She shot into the room, landed on Harry's bed, and shook her feathers to dry them. "Have you got the reply?" Harry asked his owl eagerly. Hedwig stuck out her leg which had a note attached to it. Harry took it, then tickled Hedwig's neck as a sign of gratitude. Hedwig screeched happily then soared proudly back into her cage. Harry unrolled the note and began to read.
Dear Harry,
Unsuitable as it is, I would feel guilty just leaving you there (I know what those relations of yours can be like). Tell them we'll be round Saturday afternoon at two to pick you up.
Love Hermione.
"Unsuitable? Well, sorry to ruin your summer Hermione," Harry said slightly annoyed. "Still," Harry said to Hedwig, "at least we've got a place to stay." Harry climbed back into bed and rested his head on his pillow. "C'mon, lets get some sleep. I'll tell the Dursleys in the morning."
*
"Grangers eh?" Uncle Vernon said munching away on a piece of toast. The entire Dursley family was sitting around the dining table the next morning eating breakfast. "Well I don't trust any of your freaky friends or their families but at least you've got a place to stay."
"Stop calling them freaky!" Harry snarled angrily. "Besides, Hermione's parents aren't wizards."
"But their daughter is? Is that possible?" asked Uncle Vernon.
"Of course," Harry replied. "You see there are..."
"Ok, you don't need to explain it," Uncle Vernon said bitterly. "And even if they are normal, it still doesn't make me want them in my house. When they arrive, you can put your stuff in their car and go. I don't even want to speak with them."
*
So Saturday slowly rolled around and Harry just couldn't wait to get away from the Dursleys. In the morning, Harry packed away all his Hogwarts stuff inside his trunk. His robes, his wand, his schoolbooks, his incomplete homework, and his Firebolt, the broomstick he used to play Quidditch. Harry spent the entire day up in his room with Hedwig, just looking out of the window. Closer to two o clock, he kept staring at the top of Privet Drive, just waiting to for the Granger's car to come streaming round the corner but still they didn't arrive. Then, twenty minutes later, Uncle Vernon came bursting into the room and Harry jumped round in shock.
"Where the devil are they boy?" Uncle Vernon said angrily.
"I... I don't know," Harry replied uncertainly. "I'm sure they're just a little late."
"You'd better be right," Uncle Vernon snarled. "And you'd better hope, for your sake, that..." But Uncle Vernon's threat was cut short by a knock at the door.
"That'll be them," Harry cheered. He turned round and looked out the window to see a bright, silver Subaru Impreza parked in the Dursley's driveway. Uncle Vernon watched unsurely as Harry placed Hedwig's cage on his trunk, then carefully picked it up. "Are you going to answer the door?" Harry asked over the top of his trunk.
"Y-Yes. Of course," Uncle Vernon replied uncertainly.
Uncle Vernon clumped downstairs followed by Harry who was struggling with his heavy trunk. Aunt Petunia and Dudley were standing in the corridor looking at the door like it was going to explode. Dudley was cowering behind his mother, which didn't surprise Harry owing to the fact that Dudley had had some rather nasty experiences with wizards in the past. Uncle Vernon reluctantly reached for the door handle while they all the Dursleys stood in a tense silence, which Harry found pathetic. Uncle Vernon turned the handle, pulled open the door, and was greeted by the smiling face of Mr Granger.
"Hello. Nice to meet you. I'm Giles Granger, and you must be Harry's uncle," Mr Granger said happily grabbing Uncle Vernon's large hand and shaking it vigorously. Uncle Vernon replied with a slight grunt.
"And I'm Sheryl," Mrs Granger said taking Uncle Vernon's hand and shaking it.
"So how are you Harry? All ready to go?" Mr Granger asked brightly. Harry smiled and nodded.
A young girl with bushy brown hair then appeared from behind them, Hermione. Dudley gave a slight whimper upon laying eyes on her and Uncle Vernon's body went rigid, his widened eyes fixed on her.
"Hi Harry," she said, ignoring Uncle Vernon's frightened stare. "Sorry were a little late but we had trouble with the car."
"Not a problem," Harry replied with a relieved smile.
"Oh!" cried Hermione, appearing to have just remembered something. She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out a familiar looking box. "I've got you a present. Here you go," she said, handing the box to Harry.
"A chocolate frog!" Harry said with delight. "Oh thanks so much Hermione," Harry said with deep gratitude. He was about to slip the box into his pocket when he felt it being whipped out of his hand. Harry turned around and there was Dudley standing with the chocolate frog box in his hand, drooling.
"Chocolate?" Dudley said happily.
"Dudley... don't!" Harry said warningly.
"Dudley, give it back to Harry," Aunt Petunia said fearfully. "You know what happened last time."
"Yes. Put the box down son," Uncle Vernon said, also getting scared.
But Dudley wasn't listening. He pulled the tab and the box lid flipped open. Harry leapt forward and tried to close the box but he was too slow. The enchanted chocolate frog bounded out and hooked itself to Dudley's fat face.
"Argh!" Dudley screamed, his arms flailing wildly. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia both began screaming as well and trying to knock the frog off but they couldn't get near Dudley who was staggering around the hallway knocking vases and ornaments off of small wooden stands. Dudley eventually disappeared, howling, into the kitchen followed by his screaming parents leaving Harry and the Grangers alone in the corridor.
"So... Shall we get going," Mr Granger suggested after an awkward silence.
"Yeah," Harry replied. "Lets go, we don't need to worry about them. The Dursleys have always managed to take care of themselves."
The Grangers smiled at Harry, then Mr Granger grabbed the other end of Harry's trunk and he and hauled it out to the car. Together they left the Dursley's house and once again Harry said goodbye to Privet Drive.
