Birthday Surprises Chapter Eight
Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only… Lolly, xxx.
Harry slowly ate his breakfast. After a little while, McGonagall left, leaving only Harry and Snape - that was, until Vernon appeared back, almost purple with rage. Snape was watching carefully, but Vernon didn't notice him. He was too intent on Harry. Or rather, he was too intent on smashing the life out of Harry. He towered above the seated boy, who turned around. The almost bored look on his face incensed Vernon even more. He was ready to kill the boy once and for all. He lifted his fist, ready to pound it into his face. Harry stood up rapidly, not so short anymore, he looked Vernon in the eye. His wand had appeared in his hand, and he stared at Vernon. "If you so much as lay a finger on me, Vernon, I swear to Merlin that you'll regret it. I'm not too bad with curses, as it goes, and if you so much as touch me, I will hex you so badly that you won't know what's hit you. I'm not a kid anymore, you can't beat me into submission." Harry said furiously.
"I can and I will. Only this time I won't stop until you're dead!" Vernon said, taking no notice of the wand that was creeping upwards. He raised his fist and ground it into Harry's nose, feeling intense satisfaction as the crack of a bone echoed through the hall.
"Bad move, Vernon." Harry said. He muttered a spell beneath his breath, followed by a few others. Vernon was thrown into the air, landing with a sickening thud twenty feet away. Harry pressed a hand gingerly to his nose, wiping away some of the blood flow. "Oh for Merlin's sake." He muttered as Vernon attempted to get up. He called out another spell, watching as his Uncle was knocked out.
"What was all that about, Potter?" Snape demanded, suddenly beside Harry.
"Nothing." Harry murmured. Blood was splashed down the front of his robes, and he mentally cursed Vernon - stupid idiot that he was.
"You had better get to the Hospital Wing. He broke your nose."
"Really?" Harry said, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
"What are you going to do with your Uncle?"
"Leave him there to rot, for all I care. He'll be out for a couple of hours at least." With that, Harry left, carefully standing on Vernon as he went. "Fair warning, you great bullying idiot." He muttered as he passed.
Severus pulled his own wand and floated the body of Vernon Dursley up to the headmaster's office. He knocked at the door, waiting for it to open. "Severus! Oh my - what happened?" The headmaster said, as Vernon Dursley floated past him.
"Potter happened - with good excuse, though it pains me to say it." Severus replied, eyeing up the thin wiry woman - so that was Lily Evans' sister. They looked nothing alike.
"What happened?" The older man repeated, his eyes glittering dangerously.
"He broke Potter's nose." Anger flared the old man's eyes, so forcefully that it was all Severus could do not to step back from him.
"He attacked Harry?"
"Yes - he walked into the Great Hall, looking fit to kill. I imagine the thought went through his head. Anyway, Potter stood up and said something like he couldn't be pushed around anymore. He gave the idiot fair warning, but he punched him anyway - Potter cursed him several times before going to the Hospital Wing."
"Petunia." Albus snapped. The woman cowered away from him. "Did your husband ever lift a hand to Harry before this?"
"Yes." She whispered.
"When?"
"Before he came to Hogwarts - I guess Vernon thought he could crush the magic out of Harry."
"How old was Harry?"
"He started when Harry was three - when he started showing the signs." She whimpered. Even Severus got angry at this - it was beyond comprehension how anyone could be so horrible - except maybe Voldemort - even if it was toward Potter.
"Three years old?" The headmaster repeated.
"Yes."
"How often?"
"Every week or so - if Harry spoke out of turn, even if he did the slightest thing wrong."
"Every week until he was eleven?" Severus asked, looking mildly horrified.
"Until the letters started coming." By the look on Albus' face, it was probably a good job that Vernon was unconscious.
"Severus, please ask Minerva to come up. Take Vernon down to the hospital wing and tell Harry that he is to come up as soon as he's been fixed up."
"Yes headmaster."
"And you - you are going to tell me everything about these beatings."
"I don't really know much - I was never there. Vernon would beat him while I was away, or in another room. I only knew because of the bruises - and occasionally blood." Severus left at this point, not wanting to be Petunia.
