Chapter 19

In which Harriet got a warning

Harriet was deep in her tax report when the front door slammed open, and Uncle Vernon excitedly called for Aunt Petunia, Dudley and her to come to the living room. She exchanged glances with Dudley, who was lounging with a comic in one hand and her little pug puppy Esmeralda in his lap and shrugged. Marking the page she was working on with a collection of rulers and pencils, she stood up and trailed behind her cousin down the stairs.

Uncle Vernon was bouncing in excitement as they entered the living room.

"Mr. Mason, of the Mason's Builders is coming for dinner."

Aunt Petunia frowned at that.

"Today?"

Uncle Vernon nodded exuberantly.

"Today. He and his wife agreed to come for dinner."

Dudley and Harriet exchanged looks.

"But it's Harriet's birthday dinner, remember? It's supposed to be just family." Aunt Petunia wrung her hands. "I understand that this is an important opportunity, but… "

"I know… I know… he was inviting me to dinner to talk about sourcing from Grunnings. I told him that I can't do it today because it's Harriet's birthday, but he was so busy and had no opening until late August, but by then the project at Cornwall would have started, and it would be too late to discuss the drills. So I asked if he'd be willing to come to Harriet's dinner instead and he agreed." Uncle Vernon explained in a rush.

"Mason's Builders operated in the whole country and this account is highly sought after. It's a big opportunity for Grunnings. Harriet wouldn't mind, would you?" He turned to Harriet.

"Not at all, the more the merrier, right? Moreover, it's a prospective client." Harriet said easily, putting a huge smile on her Uncle's face.

Aunt Petunia sighed resignedly. "If that's the case, should we invite The Malfoys and Daphne too?"

Harriet tilted her head. "It's too late to invite them. I gave Draco and Daphne two weeks yesterday, and I think Lucius took his family to Albany for a holiday. Daphne is planning to visit her grandparents."

"Oh… that's nice of you, dear. I was wondering why they didn't come today." Aunt Petunia said.

"Besides, didn't Uncle Vernon already said that it's a family dinner? It would be strange if my friends are there." Harriet added. "It's alright, Aunt Petunia. I don't mind guests."

"Oh, alright then, if you're sure." Harriet nodded to convince her Aunt.

"Well, I'd better start dinner then" Aunt Petunia went to the kitchen, muttering about additional menus for the two unexpected guests.

Uncle Vernon gave her a hug. "Thank you, Harriet."

She beamed at him and went back to her room to finish her work, Dudley followed her sedately.

"Are you really okay with Dad inviting Mr. Mason? " He asked curiously as he plopped back to her sofa.

"Sure. I don't mind. It's important to your Dad." Harriet said as she traced back to the point she left from.

"If you're uncomfortable, you can just say no. You know that, right? It's your special day." He said as he went back to his comic. "I'd have thrown a tantrum if it was me. "

Harriet smiled amusedly. "Why, Dudley, are you admitting to throwing a tantrum on your birthday last year? "

It was because Harriet's gift was tickets to the zoo for them and his best friend Piers, so Aunt Petunia held onto the tickets. Dudley thought she didn't get him anything and whaled out.

"I'll have you know that it's perfectly justifiable that I got upset if you didn't give me anything. Also, that was when I was still a child. I'm an adult now. I didn't throw a tantrum on my birthday, right? " He sniffed as Harriet snickered.

Dudley had been acting like an adult, with an emphasis on the adult part since he turned twelve and Mr. Bainbridge of Number 9 Privet Drive, a retired boxing athlete and Dudley's idol wished him a good year for a fine young man. Since then, he has refused to answer to boy or teenager. He only answer to young man, or adult, much to his family's amusement.

"True, you're more mature now. A bit too mature for our age, but that's alright." Harriet smiled fondly and returned her attention to her computer.

Evening came, and the children finally allowed to sit in the living room after being sent back to 'tidy up' no less than five times by a nervous Uncle Vernon.

Harriet rolled her eyes and said,

"Relax, Uncle Vernon, just roll with nature. We don't want to look too fake, do we?"

That stopped his attempt to change Dudley's suit for the umpteenth time. The poor boy, sorry, guy, looked miserable as he pulled the collar of his suit to let out the steam from his neck.

The door bell rang, sending Uncle Vernon to his feet. He nodded and straightened his suit.

"He's here. Remember, children… "

Dudley cut him. "I opened the door and greet Mr. And Mrs. Mason, while Harriet offered to take their coat. We know, you've repeated it about 100 times."

He strolled to the door, followed by a snickering Harriet that composed herself right before he opened the door.

"Ready? " Dudkey asked as he pasted a smile in his face.

At her nod, he opened the door and simpered.

"Good Evening, Mr. And Mrs. Mason. Thank you for coming. I'm Dudley Dursley, and this is my cousin, Harriet. "

The older couple smiled kindly as they entered the house.

"May I take your coat, Mr and Mrs. Mason?" Harriet asked politely.

Mr and Mrs. Mason shrugged out of their coat and handed them to Harriet who stored the coat and led them to the living room.

"It's your birthday today, is it Harriet? " Mr. Mason asked. " How old are you now?"

"Yes sir, I turned twelve today." Harriet answered demurely.

"Oh, how marvelous. Happy Birthday! My son is fifteen, but he's away at Eton. You know, summer classes. He's on the Honor Roll." Mrs Mason said cheerfully. "Oh, I'd like to introduce you two. You'd make such a cute couple."

Harriet smiled, but she questioned if it was normal to matchmake on your first meeting.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. But I already have a betrothed, and while he is older, he is the jealous sort. I'm afraid that I have to decline." Harriet said as politely as possible.

Thomas does have his uses after all.

"A betrothed? At twelve?" Mr. Mason asked in concern.

"My father's family was an old family, Mr. Mason. The betrothal was arranged for the heir of another old family. Unfortunately, my grandfather and my father were unable to fulfill the contract, so it fell into Thomas and I. " She said blandly.

"My sympathy for you, child. I still think that you'd make a good match for my son." Mrs. Mason said, but moved to another topic with Aunt Petunia.

After a wonderful dinner,ended with her favorite treacle tart, Dudley and Harriet were excused, so that the adults could talk. They went to Harriet's room with a cheeky snicker, having avoided Mrs. Mason's attempts to make her meet her son. Really, something must be wrong with that son the way Mrs. Mason tried to upsell him.

They stopped as they saw a creature jumping on Harriet's bed. Harriet tilted his head.

"Dobby, was it? " She asked politely.

"The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss knew Dobby's name?! " He squealed.

Harriet looked at Dudley and gestured for him to close the door.

"Weren't you Draco's elf? How may I help you? " She asked the excited little creature.

"Dobby's Master is planning something dangerous. Dobby is warning The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss must not return to Hogwarts. It be too dangerous for The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss."

"What is Lucius planning?" Harriet asked in confusion. "Something to do with Thomas? "

What is Thomas planning now? she thought as she watched Dobby wailed and threw himself to the wardrobe, about to hit his head on the door, only for Dudley to catch him and hold him firmly.

Harriet rolled her eyes. "Lucky this room is soundproof. Your Dad would have a kitten if he heard the ruckus. " She glared at the elf.

"If you can't say anything about the plan, just say so. Do not punish yourself in my presence. Now, I wouldn't mind staying at home, only, I don't think they would let me. My parents signed a contract to pay my school fees, so I have to attend them to honor the contract. Anyways, any plans of Lucius and Thomas wouldn't hurt me, so don't worry about that. "

"But… but there be great danger waiting for The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss." The little elf looked stressed when Harriet refused to be swayed.

"That is alright. The castle will protect me. You don't need to worry, Dobby. " Harriet smiled kindly. "Now, please return to Draco. You're scaring Esmeralda."

The puppy had taken to hide under her sofa, only her quivering nose can be seen from where she's standing. Dobby looked dejected but bowed at the dismissal. He pulled a bunch of letters from beneath his tea towels.

"Dobby is sorry, The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss. Dobby took The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss' letters so that The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss be not wanting to return to Hogwarts."

Harriet took the letters and sorted it. She sighed in exasperation.

"Dobby, I don't know if you knew, but I didn't want to go to Hogwarts to begin with. But I ended up there anyway. There is a difference between wanting and having to attend. Even if I relocate somewhere, the school will send someone to retrieve me. The best I can do is go with it. Alright, if you're still worried, why don't you protect me at school? If the danger is coming, you can tell me to avoid it. Right? "

Dobby nodded excitedly. "Dobby will protect The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss from Great Danger, Dobby will! The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss can stop worrying"

He got so excited and shook up and down, shaking Dudley so bad that he fell down, his elbow snagging a China Vase.

"Dudley! Are you alright? " Harriet rushed to help him.

Dudley grunted, but his eyes widened at the hovering China in front of him. The vase flew back to its place quietly. Harriet looked at the Vase curiously, then to Dobby.

"Were you channeling my magic? " She asked.

"Dobby is sorry, The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss. Dobby forgot to change the signature." He wrung his bat like ear.

A brown owl swoop through the open window, dropping a letter to Dobby's head.

Harriet sighed as she read the letter.

"What is that Harriet? " Dudley asked.

"A warning for using magic in front of a muggle." She put the letter on her table. "I'm going to have to tell your Master, Dobby. You understand, right? It's not fair that I have to get a record for your mistake."

Dobby looked downright miserable.

"Dobby understands, The Great Mistress Harriet Potter, Miss. Dobby is leaving now."

The elf snapped his finger and disappeared from the room.

"Will the little guy be alright? " Dudley asked after a while. "He looked bad."

Harriet sighed again. "I'll just tell Lucius. It's his elf after all."

They went silent in thought as Harriet looked around the place.

"We don't have the space, Dudley."

Her cousin shrugged.

"He can stay in my room."

Harriet thought it over.

"I'll see if the Conservatory needs an elf. If they didn't, I'll see what I can do."