Chapter 3- The gift
The bag of cookies lasted him for a week. Uncle Vernon had shut him in his room the whole time. Aunt Petunia came up every one hour to see if Harry had the cure for her 'lil ickey Duddy' yet but Harry had lied to Aunt Petunia the whole week.
On the last day of the week, that was Sunday, Harry was woken up by a tapping sound just outside his window. He sleepily got off his bed and shuffled over to the window. He drew the curtains and saw a frantic owl furiously pecking the window. Harry opened the window and the owl zoomed in, landing right into Harry's open hand. He took the note and the owl flew off, almost flying into another pigeon.
Harry flicked on the table lamp and put on his glasses. He unrolled the note and read it:
Harry, Ron told me all about the silly prank! How could that Fred and
George do this? It's so childish. Your poor muggle cousin! Is he cured
yet? Harry, you should have known better than to let your cousin eat
those sweets! I'm so ashamed of Ron! What is it with you boys and
silly pranks?
You boys better watch yourselves, you might go too far one day. Uh,
we're sixteen, Harry, grow up! Anyway, see you on Thursday.
Harry looked over at his calendar and saw only four more days that hadn't been crossed out yet. He already had his trunk packed and put nicely at the corner of the room. Harry couldn't wait for Thursday. Thursday and he's saved from his misery for a whole year. He slunk into his bed and puffed his fringe out of his eyes.
"Four days...four days...." Harry kept chanting. He smiled as the visions at Hogwarts came to him. "Four days and I'll be back where I belong, home." The thought gave Harry a familiar, comforting sensation that he always had whenever he thought of Hogwarts.
Bang! Harry's door flung open. Aunt Petunia was standing at the doorway, with her hands at her hips.
"HARRY! IT'S ALREADY BEEN A WEEK AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T GOT THE CURE FOR MY POOR DUDERS YET! HAVE YOU WRITTEN TO YOUR SILLY LITTLE FRIENDS YET? IS THIS SOME KIND OF STUPID JOKE? I'M GIVING YOU UNTIL TOMORROW, YOU NASTY MONGREL, OR YOU'RE NEVER GOING BACK TO THAT ABNORMAL SCHOOL OF YOURS EVER AGAIN! VERNON'S HAVING GUESTS COMING OVER TO OUR HOUSE TOMORROW AND DUDLEY MUST BE IN HIS RIGHT STATE AGAIN OR YOU'RE DEAD MEAT! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?! "she barked and a throbbing blue vein beside her left temple was visible.
"Actually, Aunt Petunia, I was just going to tell you." Harry paused and stroked his chin dramatically. "Oh, never mind about it. It's nothing important."he said as he slowly paced around the room. "It's JUST that I HAVE the CURE for your little DUDLEY." Harry raised his voice on purpose and watched with amusement as he saw Aunt Petunia's face going red and she was about to open her mouth, probably to scream at him, thought better of it and closed it.
"Well, Harry, my GOOD little nephew, "she said, as she attempted a forced smile at Harry. The best she could do was making her mouth twitch slightly up and her eyes became unusually small. "Come on now, be a good little boy and tell Aunt Petunia the cure. "she crooned in a honey-sweet voice.
"Hmm.Aunt.. let me see, you and Uncle Vernon threaten me, Dudley bullies me.you guys just suck. Big time. So, I don't see why I should give it to you." He stopped to think. "Well, not if.. not if you agree to my conditions."
Aunt Petunia took a while to think but at last she reluctantly agreed.
"Ok, Aunt P. Condition number one: I want to be treated like a human being, not some kind of dog you guys feed your leftover dinners to.
Conditions number two: You guys will stop talking about my school like it's some weird abominable alien school or something.
Conditions number three: You guys will stop calling my friends rude names. They're my friends, and you shall not insult them.
Condition number four: Stay out of my life and I'll stay out of yours."
"Yeah, whatever. Now tell me the cure, Harry! "sighed Aunt Petunia impatiently. "I'm losing my patience with you, boy."
"Ok, first, you have to get a really fresh coconut, then add two teaspoonful of lime juice in it, stir it, and drink it all up." Harry told her. Then deciding to spice things up a little, he added, "While hopping around on one foot yelling 'I'm an idiot! Look at me, the stupid idiot!' And Dudley must do it in my room."
Aunt Petunia quickly called Dudley up. Dudley came up as Dudley, and he looked really miserable. His mother got all the ingredients and gave it to him. The liquid turned into a milky gray with some weird fungus spots floating at the surface. Dudley smelled it and scrunched up his nose disapprovingly.
"Drink it up now, baby. You'll be fine after this. "coaxed Aunt Petunia.
Dudley pinched his nose and drank it. He forced himself to swallow it and like an idiot, he started hopping around on one foot yelling, "I'M AN IDIOT! LOOK AT ME, THE STUPID IDIOT!' at the top of his lungs.
After he was done, Aunt Petunia ran and hug Dudley, who had tear streaks leaking over his cheeks. She cautiously called 'Vernon' and bless Dudley's lil soul, he didn't turn into his dad. Aunt Petunia burst with emotion and pulled Dudley out of the room, dragging him down the stairs to show Uncle Vernon that their precious son had been cured.
Harry leaped back on his bed, and suddenly a pretty girl's image floated through his mind. It was Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw's seeker. Harry had secretly grown fond of her since he first met her. They had both kissed in 'Dumbledore's Army's secret meeting room last year and things had been blurry since. Cho had left school and never did she post him a note or anything. He had been hoping to hear from her but until now, not a word from her had been heard.
"She must be playing you." A voice whispered to Harry somewhere in his head. "She's a senior, how can she ever really get serious in you? You're just a little immature boy to her eyes. That kiss was just to give you what you want. She never did get serious now, did she, Harry? Forget her and move on."
Harry thought for a while about the kiss. It had made him soar through the skies and made him feel that anything was possible with her. It made him dizzy and crazy all at the same time and he had loved it. He doubted that anyone could ever have the same effect Cho had given him when they had kissed. He couldn't ever forget her, although she must have forgotten him by now and have a handsome and cool senior boyfriend. The thought of Cho making out with some senior pretty boy angered him.
"Yeah, maybe I should forget you, Cho, and move on with someone who's serious about me." Harry said aloud angrily. "Who are you kidding, Harry?" The voice said again. "It's impossible you'll forget her. She's your first love and nobody can forget his or her first love. You kissed her, and that tightened the bond and emotion you have for her. You're obsessed with her."
"I so am not obsessed with her." He argued. "How much do you want to bet, Harry? I know better then you do." The voice said. "Who are you anyway?" Harry asked. "I am you, Harry. I am your soul." replied the voice. "So basically, I'm talking to myself?! "asked Harry, feeling pretty stupid.
"Yup. Not everyone can do that, you know. Only very talented and desirable people can really open up their souls. You're called a soul-speaker, and that's a very rare gift, Harry. Only one out of a thousand wizards is a soul-speaker. But you must not tell anyone about this or your talent would be gone."
"I promise."said Harry and continued thinking about Cho, where she might be now, and what she might be doing, and thinking a little about his newfound talent. Now he's a parceltongue and a soul-speaker. He felt pretty special and happy that he had a new friend that really could understand him....his own soul.
The bag of cookies lasted him for a week. Uncle Vernon had shut him in his room the whole time. Aunt Petunia came up every one hour to see if Harry had the cure for her 'lil ickey Duddy' yet but Harry had lied to Aunt Petunia the whole week.
On the last day of the week, that was Sunday, Harry was woken up by a tapping sound just outside his window. He sleepily got off his bed and shuffled over to the window. He drew the curtains and saw a frantic owl furiously pecking the window. Harry opened the window and the owl zoomed in, landing right into Harry's open hand. He took the note and the owl flew off, almost flying into another pigeon.
Harry flicked on the table lamp and put on his glasses. He unrolled the note and read it:
Harry, Ron told me all about the silly prank! How could that Fred and
George do this? It's so childish. Your poor muggle cousin! Is he cured
yet? Harry, you should have known better than to let your cousin eat
those sweets! I'm so ashamed of Ron! What is it with you boys and
silly pranks?
You boys better watch yourselves, you might go too far one day. Uh,
we're sixteen, Harry, grow up! Anyway, see you on Thursday.
Harry looked over at his calendar and saw only four more days that hadn't been crossed out yet. He already had his trunk packed and put nicely at the corner of the room. Harry couldn't wait for Thursday. Thursday and he's saved from his misery for a whole year. He slunk into his bed and puffed his fringe out of his eyes.
"Four days...four days...." Harry kept chanting. He smiled as the visions at Hogwarts came to him. "Four days and I'll be back where I belong, home." The thought gave Harry a familiar, comforting sensation that he always had whenever he thought of Hogwarts.
Bang! Harry's door flung open. Aunt Petunia was standing at the doorway, with her hands at her hips.
"HARRY! IT'S ALREADY BEEN A WEEK AND YOU STILL HAVEN'T GOT THE CURE FOR MY POOR DUDERS YET! HAVE YOU WRITTEN TO YOUR SILLY LITTLE FRIENDS YET? IS THIS SOME KIND OF STUPID JOKE? I'M GIVING YOU UNTIL TOMORROW, YOU NASTY MONGREL, OR YOU'RE NEVER GOING BACK TO THAT ABNORMAL SCHOOL OF YOURS EVER AGAIN! VERNON'S HAVING GUESTS COMING OVER TO OUR HOUSE TOMORROW AND DUDLEY MUST BE IN HIS RIGHT STATE AGAIN OR YOU'RE DEAD MEAT! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?! "she barked and a throbbing blue vein beside her left temple was visible.
"Actually, Aunt Petunia, I was just going to tell you." Harry paused and stroked his chin dramatically. "Oh, never mind about it. It's nothing important."he said as he slowly paced around the room. "It's JUST that I HAVE the CURE for your little DUDLEY." Harry raised his voice on purpose and watched with amusement as he saw Aunt Petunia's face going red and she was about to open her mouth, probably to scream at him, thought better of it and closed it.
"Well, Harry, my GOOD little nephew, "she said, as she attempted a forced smile at Harry. The best she could do was making her mouth twitch slightly up and her eyes became unusually small. "Come on now, be a good little boy and tell Aunt Petunia the cure. "she crooned in a honey-sweet voice.
"Hmm.Aunt.. let me see, you and Uncle Vernon threaten me, Dudley bullies me.you guys just suck. Big time. So, I don't see why I should give it to you." He stopped to think. "Well, not if.. not if you agree to my conditions."
Aunt Petunia took a while to think but at last she reluctantly agreed.
"Ok, Aunt P. Condition number one: I want to be treated like a human being, not some kind of dog you guys feed your leftover dinners to.
Conditions number two: You guys will stop talking about my school like it's some weird abominable alien school or something.
Conditions number three: You guys will stop calling my friends rude names. They're my friends, and you shall not insult them.
Condition number four: Stay out of my life and I'll stay out of yours."
"Yeah, whatever. Now tell me the cure, Harry! "sighed Aunt Petunia impatiently. "I'm losing my patience with you, boy."
"Ok, first, you have to get a really fresh coconut, then add two teaspoonful of lime juice in it, stir it, and drink it all up." Harry told her. Then deciding to spice things up a little, he added, "While hopping around on one foot yelling 'I'm an idiot! Look at me, the stupid idiot!' And Dudley must do it in my room."
Aunt Petunia quickly called Dudley up. Dudley came up as Dudley, and he looked really miserable. His mother got all the ingredients and gave it to him. The liquid turned into a milky gray with some weird fungus spots floating at the surface. Dudley smelled it and scrunched up his nose disapprovingly.
"Drink it up now, baby. You'll be fine after this. "coaxed Aunt Petunia.
Dudley pinched his nose and drank it. He forced himself to swallow it and like an idiot, he started hopping around on one foot yelling, "I'M AN IDIOT! LOOK AT ME, THE STUPID IDIOT!' at the top of his lungs.
After he was done, Aunt Petunia ran and hug Dudley, who had tear streaks leaking over his cheeks. She cautiously called 'Vernon' and bless Dudley's lil soul, he didn't turn into his dad. Aunt Petunia burst with emotion and pulled Dudley out of the room, dragging him down the stairs to show Uncle Vernon that their precious son had been cured.
Harry leaped back on his bed, and suddenly a pretty girl's image floated through his mind. It was Cho Chang, the Ravenclaw's seeker. Harry had secretly grown fond of her since he first met her. They had both kissed in 'Dumbledore's Army's secret meeting room last year and things had been blurry since. Cho had left school and never did she post him a note or anything. He had been hoping to hear from her but until now, not a word from her had been heard.
"She must be playing you." A voice whispered to Harry somewhere in his head. "She's a senior, how can she ever really get serious in you? You're just a little immature boy to her eyes. That kiss was just to give you what you want. She never did get serious now, did she, Harry? Forget her and move on."
Harry thought for a while about the kiss. It had made him soar through the skies and made him feel that anything was possible with her. It made him dizzy and crazy all at the same time and he had loved it. He doubted that anyone could ever have the same effect Cho had given him when they had kissed. He couldn't ever forget her, although she must have forgotten him by now and have a handsome and cool senior boyfriend. The thought of Cho making out with some senior pretty boy angered him.
"Yeah, maybe I should forget you, Cho, and move on with someone who's serious about me." Harry said aloud angrily. "Who are you kidding, Harry?" The voice said again. "It's impossible you'll forget her. She's your first love and nobody can forget his or her first love. You kissed her, and that tightened the bond and emotion you have for her. You're obsessed with her."
"I so am not obsessed with her." He argued. "How much do you want to bet, Harry? I know better then you do." The voice said. "Who are you anyway?" Harry asked. "I am you, Harry. I am your soul." replied the voice. "So basically, I'm talking to myself?! "asked Harry, feeling pretty stupid.
"Yup. Not everyone can do that, you know. Only very talented and desirable people can really open up their souls. You're called a soul-speaker, and that's a very rare gift, Harry. Only one out of a thousand wizards is a soul-speaker. But you must not tell anyone about this or your talent would be gone."
"I promise."said Harry and continued thinking about Cho, where she might be now, and what she might be doing, and thinking a little about his newfound talent. Now he's a parceltongue and a soul-speaker. He felt pretty special and happy that he had a new friend that really could understand him....his own soul.