Chapter 4 -- Bully
Harry walked down to the kitchen where Aunt Petunia was working.
"Aunt Petunia, Dudley seems to be going around the bend. Maybe I could call up someone to help him forget what happened..." Harry suggested.
Aunt Petunia glared at him.
"He doesn't want any help from your wizard brainwashers to make him forget what you did in that alley."
"For the last time, it wasn't me, it was dementors!" said Harry.
"I suppose the dementors appearing had nothing to do with you," said Petunia sarcastically.
"An enemy sent them after me," Harry admitted. Dolores Umbridge, a teacher so evil Harry still got a knot in his stomach thinking about her. She hadn't been seen since the day Peeves drove her from Hogwarts.
"One of YOUR enemies, like the wizard thugs who attacked us today. But if you knew there was danger why did you get close to him, so my boy got attacked by dementors sent after you?," asked Petunia.
"Ummm, it just happened that way," said Harry.
"I know why. You went out looking to pick a fight with him and then you threatened him with your wand. As far as I'm concerned, that's just like pointing a gun at him."
"I wasn't really going to use it..." Harrry said.
"No excuses. It was an assault with a deadly weapon," Petunia said. "I thought you were going to be expelled for that. Why weren't you?"
"I got off..." said Harry.
"Trust wizards to protect wizards when they hurt ordinary people," Pentunia interrupted. "You're nothing but a bully!"
"I'M a bully? What about Dudley?" Harry asked angrily.
"Dudders can play a little rough. He's high-spirited. But wizards are arrogant, drunk with power. Like your father. You think he was a great hero, don't you?" Petunia demanded.
"Not exactly," Harry mumbled, thinking of Snape's memory.
"One time I told him what I thought of him. I said that Lilly was too good for him. He threatened me with magic unless I stayed out of his way. Said he would turn my hair green, my nose into a pumpkin, and send spiders down my back. I suppose you think that's funny?"
"No," said Harry, stifling a chuckle at the image of Aunt Petunia jumping around with green hair and a pumpkin nose.
"It's not funny. Your father was an arrogant bully, and you're just like him."
"I'm not," said Harry. But doubt churned inside him.
"I took you in for the sake of your mother. Now I wish I'd never done it. You've dragged us into the middle of a wizard war. I can't kick you out now because that blood curse of yours is our only protection. But I wish I could! I wish I could!"
She ran out of the room, crying.
It was no use talking to Uncle Vernon, so Harry went back to his room.
----------
That night, Harry tried to clear his mind of feelings as he had been instructed by Snape. But there were just too many things going through his mind: rage, self-pity, fear, and guilt. It was hard to get to sleep at all, but when he finally did it was not for long.
He was seated in an ornate chair, and a man was kneeling before him, extending his silver right hand in a Nazi-like salute.
"You have been a faithful servant, Wormtail," he said, "Unlike those other incompetents who botched a simple carjacking." He was feeling cruelly amused. "I shall get at Potter through someone he..."
Suddenly angry, he sensed an intrusion.
"The brat is in my mind again! Mark my words, Potter. I'll get at you by killing another person you care about!"
"Let me destroy the Weasleys, Master," offered Wormtail. "I want to avenge the years of indignities I suffered as their pet."
"We'll see, Wormtail, we'll see..." and with an effort he used occlumency to close his mind to the intruder.
Harry woke suddenly with a searing headache.
Harry walked down to the kitchen where Aunt Petunia was working.
"Aunt Petunia, Dudley seems to be going around the bend. Maybe I could call up someone to help him forget what happened..." Harry suggested.
Aunt Petunia glared at him.
"He doesn't want any help from your wizard brainwashers to make him forget what you did in that alley."
"For the last time, it wasn't me, it was dementors!" said Harry.
"I suppose the dementors appearing had nothing to do with you," said Petunia sarcastically.
"An enemy sent them after me," Harry admitted. Dolores Umbridge, a teacher so evil Harry still got a knot in his stomach thinking about her. She hadn't been seen since the day Peeves drove her from Hogwarts.
"One of YOUR enemies, like the wizard thugs who attacked us today. But if you knew there was danger why did you get close to him, so my boy got attacked by dementors sent after you?," asked Petunia.
"Ummm, it just happened that way," said Harry.
"I know why. You went out looking to pick a fight with him and then you threatened him with your wand. As far as I'm concerned, that's just like pointing a gun at him."
"I wasn't really going to use it..." Harrry said.
"No excuses. It was an assault with a deadly weapon," Petunia said. "I thought you were going to be expelled for that. Why weren't you?"
"I got off..." said Harry.
"Trust wizards to protect wizards when they hurt ordinary people," Pentunia interrupted. "You're nothing but a bully!"
"I'M a bully? What about Dudley?" Harry asked angrily.
"Dudders can play a little rough. He's high-spirited. But wizards are arrogant, drunk with power. Like your father. You think he was a great hero, don't you?" Petunia demanded.
"Not exactly," Harry mumbled, thinking of Snape's memory.
"One time I told him what I thought of him. I said that Lilly was too good for him. He threatened me with magic unless I stayed out of his way. Said he would turn my hair green, my nose into a pumpkin, and send spiders down my back. I suppose you think that's funny?"
"No," said Harry, stifling a chuckle at the image of Aunt Petunia jumping around with green hair and a pumpkin nose.
"It's not funny. Your father was an arrogant bully, and you're just like him."
"I'm not," said Harry. But doubt churned inside him.
"I took you in for the sake of your mother. Now I wish I'd never done it. You've dragged us into the middle of a wizard war. I can't kick you out now because that blood curse of yours is our only protection. But I wish I could! I wish I could!"
She ran out of the room, crying.
It was no use talking to Uncle Vernon, so Harry went back to his room.
----------
That night, Harry tried to clear his mind of feelings as he had been instructed by Snape. But there were just too many things going through his mind: rage, self-pity, fear, and guilt. It was hard to get to sleep at all, but when he finally did it was not for long.
He was seated in an ornate chair, and a man was kneeling before him, extending his silver right hand in a Nazi-like salute.
"You have been a faithful servant, Wormtail," he said, "Unlike those other incompetents who botched a simple carjacking." He was feeling cruelly amused. "I shall get at Potter through someone he..."
Suddenly angry, he sensed an intrusion.
"The brat is in my mind again! Mark my words, Potter. I'll get at you by killing another person you care about!"
"Let me destroy the Weasleys, Master," offered Wormtail. "I want to avenge the years of indignities I suffered as their pet."
"We'll see, Wormtail, we'll see..." and with an effort he used occlumency to close his mind to the intruder.
Harry woke suddenly with a searing headache.