- CHAPTER THREE -
The Mysterious Letters
By the time uncle Dudley let Aiken get out from the cupboard under the stairs school was over and an entire holiday week has transcurred. Bertie and his friend Gavin wandered around the house all day long trying to chase Aiken, so he'd rather be locked into his bedroom. Cordelia spent the afternoons at her friends' houses, so Aiken had no one to talk to and he was very, very bored. One day aunt Marguerite went with her children to London to parchase Bertie's school uniform, leaving Aiken at Mrs. Figg's home. It was not so bad, Mrs. Figg told him stories about her young times, and they were pretty darn interesting. Aiken told her about the snake episode at the zoo and the old lady said: 'Well, it's not really surprising'. 'How is that?' 'You'll find out in a couple of days. You're a special boy, Aiken'. The boy couldn't figure out what to say or think. He, Aiken Potter, a special boy? Special in what way? Aiken had always thought he was from average down. Meaning he was as boring as anyone could be. That afternoon Bertie walked around the living room wearing his new uniform, ando f course aunt Marguerite emotionally cried and hugged her son and took a lot of pictures of his greasy figure. 'You'd better do well at Smeltings, son, as every male Dursley has done so far. Make me feel proud of you,' said uncle Dudley. Smeltings was the fancy school where every single Dursley boy had attended during highschool years. The emotional moment made Aiken cover his face with a cushion just to keep his laughter unnoticed. Cordelia, on the other hand, was able to remain serious in her place. Later that day, in the Dursley's front yard, she did a little parody of the previous episode. Aiken was laughing like mad. His cousin had a bright future as an actress. Aiken would attend the public school in the neighborhood, of course. He was expecting that, he had no hope that the Dursleys would pay for his education. But the idea wasn't bad, since being at school without Bertie sounded just fantastic to him. It was a great opportunity to start all over again. He'd never had any friends because everyone in his class was afraid of Bertie and wouldn't want to upset him in any way, so no one would speak to Aiken ever. Also, many children made fun of Aiken's old and baggy clothes. He just hoped he could make some friends that year. The following morning, when Aiken entered the kitchen to make breakfast, he saw through the window some grey things that looked like clothes. 'What's that?,' he asked aunt Marguerite, who was just coming into the kitchen from the backyard. 'Your school uniform," she replied. 'I've just washed the uniform Mrs. Grimauld gave me for you. It belonged to her son Rusty, it was too small for him and she didn't know what to do with it, so she gave it to me. It will be like everybody else's'. Aiken wasn't very sure of that. Rusty Grimauld was as huge as his cousin Bertie, and Bertie's clothes didn't fit him well at all. But he didn't complain, he knew it was better not to say anything. Surviving at the Dursleys' was something he had to learn for the past years. While they were having breakfast the postman came, and the envelopes made a soft noise as they were falling on the vestibule's carpet. 'Go pick up the mail, Aiken'. He stood up, walked slowly to the vestibule and picked up the four letters from the floor by the front door. A postcard from aunt Petunia, the phone bill, a letter to "the manager of Grunnings, Mr. D. Dursley" and a strange heavy envelope made of yellowish parchment, written in emerald-green ink. He read the tiny letters on it, and almost fainted. That weird letter was addressed to...
Mr. A. Potter
The cupboard under the stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Awesome! They even know where he slept, whoever they were! The envelope had a purple wax seal with a coat of arms. A lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a big letter H. Aiken was putting the large letter in his pocket when Bertie saw him and shouted: 'Dad, Aiken received mail!' Uncle Dudley's skin got pale. Suddenly he stood up and demanded Aiken to give him the envelope. 'No way, it's mine!' 'Nonsense. Who on Earth would want to communicate with you?', said Mr. Dursley. Uncle Dudley jerked the letter out of Aiken's hand and ordered the children to get out of the kitchen. Aiken, Bertie and Cordelia placed their ears on the kitchen door trying to hear the conversation between uncle Dudley and aunt Marguerite, and wondering about the reason of all that fuss over the stupid letter. 'We'll have to write and tell them we don't want to...', said aunt Marguerite with a trembling voice. 'I wouldn't want to have an abnormal of those in my house...' Abnormal? What did she mean by that? Aiken stopped the wondering when uncle Dudley answered: 'We're leaving right now. If they can't find him, they won't try to send him more of those stupid letters. I surely don't want Bertie to have to deal with a... A weirdo, as I had to do years ago'. Half an hour later they were hitting the road. They were carrying minimum luggage, and some black clouds could be seen in the horizon. The night finally covered them, and uncle Dudley decided to stop at a tiny hotel until the following morning. The following day, while having breakfast, the receptionist came by with a pile of large parchment envelopes in her hands. 'Is any of you by any chance Mr. A. Potter?', she asked. 'I found the counter covered with these this morning'. Aiken was going to say those letters were his, but before he could open his mouth uncle Dudley said: 'Give them to me, I'll take care'. That same day he set the letters on fire and decided they should go away from there. They were running around in the car all day long, and at night they got into a forest nearby. 'Are we seriously going to stay here?', asked Bertie horrified. 'My favorite TV show starts in thirty minutes!' Aiken sighed in desperation. He wanted to know what was in those letters. The person who sent them, whoever he or she was, surely had to contact him urgently. The following day was Aiken's birthday, and he was sure the Dursleys wouldn't remember it. Well, Cordelia would, but she didn't count as a Dursley. As Aiken saw it, Dursley wasn't just a surname, it was a way of living. The last present the Dursleys had given to him was a twenty pence coin when he turned seven. 'Here are some blankets. We'll sleep in the car', said uncle Dudley. Uncle Dudley, aunt Marguerite and Bertie fell asleep almost immediately, Aiken was looking at the luminous watch his cousin had around his fat wrist. When the numbers indicated midnight Cordelia whispered: 'Happy birthday, Aiken', and she fell asleep soon after saying it. He was eleven. In September he would start in a new school. He was just getting to Sleepy Hollow when something made the entire car shake violently. 'Who's there?', asked uncle Dudley waking up in shock. Aiken almost fainted. Outside the car, by his window, a giant hairy-faced man was staring right at him.
The Mysterious Letters
By the time uncle Dudley let Aiken get out from the cupboard under the stairs school was over and an entire holiday week has transcurred. Bertie and his friend Gavin wandered around the house all day long trying to chase Aiken, so he'd rather be locked into his bedroom. Cordelia spent the afternoons at her friends' houses, so Aiken had no one to talk to and he was very, very bored. One day aunt Marguerite went with her children to London to parchase Bertie's school uniform, leaving Aiken at Mrs. Figg's home. It was not so bad, Mrs. Figg told him stories about her young times, and they were pretty darn interesting. Aiken told her about the snake episode at the zoo and the old lady said: 'Well, it's not really surprising'. 'How is that?' 'You'll find out in a couple of days. You're a special boy, Aiken'. The boy couldn't figure out what to say or think. He, Aiken Potter, a special boy? Special in what way? Aiken had always thought he was from average down. Meaning he was as boring as anyone could be. That afternoon Bertie walked around the living room wearing his new uniform, ando f course aunt Marguerite emotionally cried and hugged her son and took a lot of pictures of his greasy figure. 'You'd better do well at Smeltings, son, as every male Dursley has done so far. Make me feel proud of you,' said uncle Dudley. Smeltings was the fancy school where every single Dursley boy had attended during highschool years. The emotional moment made Aiken cover his face with a cushion just to keep his laughter unnoticed. Cordelia, on the other hand, was able to remain serious in her place. Later that day, in the Dursley's front yard, she did a little parody of the previous episode. Aiken was laughing like mad. His cousin had a bright future as an actress. Aiken would attend the public school in the neighborhood, of course. He was expecting that, he had no hope that the Dursleys would pay for his education. But the idea wasn't bad, since being at school without Bertie sounded just fantastic to him. It was a great opportunity to start all over again. He'd never had any friends because everyone in his class was afraid of Bertie and wouldn't want to upset him in any way, so no one would speak to Aiken ever. Also, many children made fun of Aiken's old and baggy clothes. He just hoped he could make some friends that year. The following morning, when Aiken entered the kitchen to make breakfast, he saw through the window some grey things that looked like clothes. 'What's that?,' he asked aunt Marguerite, who was just coming into the kitchen from the backyard. 'Your school uniform," she replied. 'I've just washed the uniform Mrs. Grimauld gave me for you. It belonged to her son Rusty, it was too small for him and she didn't know what to do with it, so she gave it to me. It will be like everybody else's'. Aiken wasn't very sure of that. Rusty Grimauld was as huge as his cousin Bertie, and Bertie's clothes didn't fit him well at all. But he didn't complain, he knew it was better not to say anything. Surviving at the Dursleys' was something he had to learn for the past years. While they were having breakfast the postman came, and the envelopes made a soft noise as they were falling on the vestibule's carpet. 'Go pick up the mail, Aiken'. He stood up, walked slowly to the vestibule and picked up the four letters from the floor by the front door. A postcard from aunt Petunia, the phone bill, a letter to "the manager of Grunnings, Mr. D. Dursley" and a strange heavy envelope made of yellowish parchment, written in emerald-green ink. He read the tiny letters on it, and almost fainted. That weird letter was addressed to...
Mr. A. Potter
The cupboard under the stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Awesome! They even know where he slept, whoever they were! The envelope had a purple wax seal with a coat of arms. A lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a big letter H. Aiken was putting the large letter in his pocket when Bertie saw him and shouted: 'Dad, Aiken received mail!' Uncle Dudley's skin got pale. Suddenly he stood up and demanded Aiken to give him the envelope. 'No way, it's mine!' 'Nonsense. Who on Earth would want to communicate with you?', said Mr. Dursley. Uncle Dudley jerked the letter out of Aiken's hand and ordered the children to get out of the kitchen. Aiken, Bertie and Cordelia placed their ears on the kitchen door trying to hear the conversation between uncle Dudley and aunt Marguerite, and wondering about the reason of all that fuss over the stupid letter. 'We'll have to write and tell them we don't want to...', said aunt Marguerite with a trembling voice. 'I wouldn't want to have an abnormal of those in my house...' Abnormal? What did she mean by that? Aiken stopped the wondering when uncle Dudley answered: 'We're leaving right now. If they can't find him, they won't try to send him more of those stupid letters. I surely don't want Bertie to have to deal with a... A weirdo, as I had to do years ago'. Half an hour later they were hitting the road. They were carrying minimum luggage, and some black clouds could be seen in the horizon. The night finally covered them, and uncle Dudley decided to stop at a tiny hotel until the following morning. The following day, while having breakfast, the receptionist came by with a pile of large parchment envelopes in her hands. 'Is any of you by any chance Mr. A. Potter?', she asked. 'I found the counter covered with these this morning'. Aiken was going to say those letters were his, but before he could open his mouth uncle Dudley said: 'Give them to me, I'll take care'. That same day he set the letters on fire and decided they should go away from there. They were running around in the car all day long, and at night they got into a forest nearby. 'Are we seriously going to stay here?', asked Bertie horrified. 'My favorite TV show starts in thirty minutes!' Aiken sighed in desperation. He wanted to know what was in those letters. The person who sent them, whoever he or she was, surely had to contact him urgently. The following day was Aiken's birthday, and he was sure the Dursleys wouldn't remember it. Well, Cordelia would, but she didn't count as a Dursley. As Aiken saw it, Dursley wasn't just a surname, it was a way of living. The last present the Dursleys had given to him was a twenty pence coin when he turned seven. 'Here are some blankets. We'll sleep in the car', said uncle Dudley. Uncle Dudley, aunt Marguerite and Bertie fell asleep almost immediately, Aiken was looking at the luminous watch his cousin had around his fat wrist. When the numbers indicated midnight Cordelia whispered: 'Happy birthday, Aiken', and she fell asleep soon after saying it. He was eleven. In September he would start in a new school. He was just getting to Sleepy Hollow when something made the entire car shake violently. 'Who's there?', asked uncle Dudley waking up in shock. Aiken almost fainted. Outside the car, by his window, a giant hairy-faced man was staring right at him.