Disclaimer: Of course I don't own any of this. The characters and many of
the stories belong to J. K. Rowling. Some of the plot happens to be my
own.
Chapter One - An Unexpected Invitation
The sun was blazing through Harry's window on the first morning of summer. As reluctant as he was to wake up, Dudley's music couldn't have left him in bed even with the use of a Sleeping Charm. He walked to his trunk in the corner and pulled out a dark green t-shirt and some wretched jeans. The jeans had been Dudley's 5 years before and age couldn't help but rip them apart as he stepped into a tear mistaken for the real leg hole. He hobbled a bit and tripped over a book he had been reading the night before.
"Harry!" screamed his aunt, "stop making such a racket! Make yourself useful now that you're awake you dreadful lazy boy. Get down here and help me cook your uncle's breakfast..."
She'll never shut up until I get down there, Harry thought. How could she accuse me of making a racket when Dudley is playing his awful music that loud?
That was the way of life at 4 Privet Dr. Dudley had become much worse since Harry's last summer with him. Harry thought his experience with the dementors (sent by Umbridge, Harry had just recently found out) last summer would have permanently unnerved his cousin, but instead Dudley showed another side to his character and used it to build on his terror over others. He had spent his last school year stealing homework, damaging his school's property, and beating up victims too small to give a fight. Worst of all, he had scared his teachers into giving good marks to him, making his parents pleased with his raise in grades. His dieting his past two years had made his size roughly shrink to the size of a bull walrus. He was much too big even for his parents to control and they had long given up hope of doing so. Dudley spent his days now with a gang of boys as troublesome as he, destroying property around Little Whinging. Not that it mattered to Harry's aunt and uncle. As far as their worries went, at least he didn't display any signs of mag... (Don't say that word!) that Harry did. Besides, he would grow out of his troublesome teens eventually.
"Put some eggs and toast on, you can have the grape fruit that Dudley didn't eat yesterday," Aunt Petunia screeched as he passed from the hall into the kitchen, "if you make a mess you'll be doing dishes for a week! After you finish I want you to make yourself presentable; Mrs. Figg invited you for cakes and tea today. Although why she'd want to spend time in your company I don't know. AND YOU WILL BE POLITE! I DON'T WANT..."
Harry ignored her as he always did now. In fact he didn't know he had heard her at all until he automatically put the food on. He was still half-asleep you see, it was before that time in the morning when your senses actually begin to awake and you walk around obliviously. He stared at the eggs as they hissed and gurgled. He had had a strange dream last night, and that was saying something for sure by all the weird dreams he had over the past years. He was sitting down for butterbeer at Hog's Head. A little strange since he rarely went into that rundown Inn. But he wasn't with Ron or Hermione, he was with a goblin. A goblin he reckoned he must have seen at Gringott's because he rarely saw them any other time. There were cats everywhere and Mrs. Figg was running around collecting them. Wait a moment, Harry thought.
"Aunt Petunia did you say Mrs. Figg invited me over?!" Harry shouted, although not meaning too, he was just taken back.
"You waste so much of my time, if you would just listen- but anyways, yes she did Harry. And you're going, I don't want to hear any mark of protestation. You'll do what I tell you unless you want to go hungry for the next couple of days." said Aunt Petunia dryly. She was fixing up the table for Uncle Vernon to eat at. He came lumbering in.
"Morning Petunia, I'm running a little late. No time for breakfast, we have an important meeting at the company. I'll get some coffee and donuts there." said Uncle Vernon hastily. He ran past Harry, ignoring him, as was the normal procedure. "Goodbye Dudley! Have a good day!" And with that note, he was out of the house. Surprisingly quick for a man in his shape.
Aunt Petunia growled. This had meant she had Harry make his breakfast for nothing. Dudley already haven eaten his meal, she had nothing to do with the food. "You can eat that breakfast now that he's not." She walked out of the room briskly, muttering about how well she treats that troublesome boy.
Harry didn't need to be told twice. He shoved down the eggs and toast in a minute; it was hardly food compared to what meals he was given at Hogwarts, but around here food of this substance was rarely given to him. He ran upstairs and put his wand in his jeans. He was utterly thrilled that he was going to be involved with someone from the magical world this early in the summer. Since Sirius's death he was unable to find ways to cope. The thought of spending all summer wallowing in his shock didn't appeal to him. After all, not one of the Dursley's knew what had happened, and even if they did, they wouldn't have cared. He needed someone to talk to. Even if it was Mrs. Figg, though a squib, she was a member of the Order. She knew what had happened and perhaps talking to her would make him feel better. Thank goodness Aunt Petunia doesn't know what she is or she'd never allow me to go, Harry thought happily.
Chapter One - An Unexpected Invitation
The sun was blazing through Harry's window on the first morning of summer. As reluctant as he was to wake up, Dudley's music couldn't have left him in bed even with the use of a Sleeping Charm. He walked to his trunk in the corner and pulled out a dark green t-shirt and some wretched jeans. The jeans had been Dudley's 5 years before and age couldn't help but rip them apart as he stepped into a tear mistaken for the real leg hole. He hobbled a bit and tripped over a book he had been reading the night before.
"Harry!" screamed his aunt, "stop making such a racket! Make yourself useful now that you're awake you dreadful lazy boy. Get down here and help me cook your uncle's breakfast..."
She'll never shut up until I get down there, Harry thought. How could she accuse me of making a racket when Dudley is playing his awful music that loud?
That was the way of life at 4 Privet Dr. Dudley had become much worse since Harry's last summer with him. Harry thought his experience with the dementors (sent by Umbridge, Harry had just recently found out) last summer would have permanently unnerved his cousin, but instead Dudley showed another side to his character and used it to build on his terror over others. He had spent his last school year stealing homework, damaging his school's property, and beating up victims too small to give a fight. Worst of all, he had scared his teachers into giving good marks to him, making his parents pleased with his raise in grades. His dieting his past two years had made his size roughly shrink to the size of a bull walrus. He was much too big even for his parents to control and they had long given up hope of doing so. Dudley spent his days now with a gang of boys as troublesome as he, destroying property around Little Whinging. Not that it mattered to Harry's aunt and uncle. As far as their worries went, at least he didn't display any signs of mag... (Don't say that word!) that Harry did. Besides, he would grow out of his troublesome teens eventually.
"Put some eggs and toast on, you can have the grape fruit that Dudley didn't eat yesterday," Aunt Petunia screeched as he passed from the hall into the kitchen, "if you make a mess you'll be doing dishes for a week! After you finish I want you to make yourself presentable; Mrs. Figg invited you for cakes and tea today. Although why she'd want to spend time in your company I don't know. AND YOU WILL BE POLITE! I DON'T WANT..."
Harry ignored her as he always did now. In fact he didn't know he had heard her at all until he automatically put the food on. He was still half-asleep you see, it was before that time in the morning when your senses actually begin to awake and you walk around obliviously. He stared at the eggs as they hissed and gurgled. He had had a strange dream last night, and that was saying something for sure by all the weird dreams he had over the past years. He was sitting down for butterbeer at Hog's Head. A little strange since he rarely went into that rundown Inn. But he wasn't with Ron or Hermione, he was with a goblin. A goblin he reckoned he must have seen at Gringott's because he rarely saw them any other time. There were cats everywhere and Mrs. Figg was running around collecting them. Wait a moment, Harry thought.
"Aunt Petunia did you say Mrs. Figg invited me over?!" Harry shouted, although not meaning too, he was just taken back.
"You waste so much of my time, if you would just listen- but anyways, yes she did Harry. And you're going, I don't want to hear any mark of protestation. You'll do what I tell you unless you want to go hungry for the next couple of days." said Aunt Petunia dryly. She was fixing up the table for Uncle Vernon to eat at. He came lumbering in.
"Morning Petunia, I'm running a little late. No time for breakfast, we have an important meeting at the company. I'll get some coffee and donuts there." said Uncle Vernon hastily. He ran past Harry, ignoring him, as was the normal procedure. "Goodbye Dudley! Have a good day!" And with that note, he was out of the house. Surprisingly quick for a man in his shape.
Aunt Petunia growled. This had meant she had Harry make his breakfast for nothing. Dudley already haven eaten his meal, she had nothing to do with the food. "You can eat that breakfast now that he's not." She walked out of the room briskly, muttering about how well she treats that troublesome boy.
Harry didn't need to be told twice. He shoved down the eggs and toast in a minute; it was hardly food compared to what meals he was given at Hogwarts, but around here food of this substance was rarely given to him. He ran upstairs and put his wand in his jeans. He was utterly thrilled that he was going to be involved with someone from the magical world this early in the summer. Since Sirius's death he was unable to find ways to cope. The thought of spending all summer wallowing in his shock didn't appeal to him. After all, not one of the Dursley's knew what had happened, and even if they did, they wouldn't have cared. He needed someone to talk to. Even if it was Mrs. Figg, though a squib, she was a member of the Order. She knew what had happened and perhaps talking to her would make him feel better. Thank goodness Aunt Petunia doesn't know what she is or she'd never allow me to go, Harry thought happily.