Chapter Three-
Uncle Vernon's Lunacy
Harry could see Ron crinkling his nose as he appraised his surroundings.
"It really looks the same as you keep your part of the dorm, really."
"I told you it wouldn't be anything different," Harry laughed, heading back to the door.
"Wait! We can't just leave!" Ron said.
"We have to see the rest of your house!" Ginny said. "That includes your cousin, Harry!"
"How would we do that, anyway?" Harry asked exasperatedly.
"Duh, Harry," Hermione said. When they all raised their eyebrows, she sighed and said, "It's an American expression. Well anyway, I would have thought it obvious. The invisibility cloak, of course!"
Harry saw the mischievous looks on Ron and Ginny's faces. "No way. Uncle Vernon would blow his top if you all went to play some trick on Dudley. He'd blame me!"
"Well, Harry," Ginny said. "You could just bring all your stuff over to Headquarters and just stay there until school starts."
"Better yet, Harry," Ron exclaimed after Harry began to shake his head. "Come to the Burrow!"
Harry's face immediately brightened. "Cool! I don't think the Dursley's would really mind, anyway. You guys can get the cloak, it's at the top of my trunk, and I'll go tell Uncle Vernon. I'll be right by him, too, so he won't have any reason to think that I – did - whatever you all are going to do."
"Good plan, mate." Ron laughed, already opening the trunk. Harry opened the door of his bedroom onto the landing. He walked down the stairs, listening to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon converse down in the kitchen as he went.
"I wonder," Aunt Petunia said through the pursed lips of her bony, horse-like face, "what all those reports on the news this morning were about." Uncle Vernon spluttered slightly on his usual coffee.
"What reports, dear?"
Harry listened as Aunt Petunia sat down upon a chair and began to whisper hurriedly as she leaned forward. "More of those 'unexplainable attacks,' Vernon. The victims were found the same way that they were. You know- all the tests said that they were perfectly fine except for the fact that they were dead. The only- well- sign was that they had looks of terror upon their faces." Harry came to a halt at these words. There was a pause in which Uncle Vernon choked, "It cannot be, Petunia." Harry crept silently to a niche between the kitchen door and a new marble bust of Beatrice of Bourbon, which was beneath a tapestry of King Ederscel.
"Vernon- I don't know what else it could possibly be! I don't want to think that it could be happening again. The people killed seemed- normal enough..." Both remained silent for a while, deep in thought. Suddenly someone tapped Harry on the shoulder. This resulted in Harry whipping around due to his quidditch reflexes. Obviously, Harry did not see anybody as it was Ron and Ginny under the cloak, but Harry accidentally knocked over the bust of King Ederscel.
Luckily Ron and Ginny both had good reflexes too. They threw the cloak over Harry as Aunt Petunia snapped, "Vernon- could it be-" They paused for a few moments, holding their breath. Hearing nothing, the Dursleys sighed with relief.
"'Twas nothing, dear," Vernon whimpered.
"But then- what was the crash about?" Petunia whispered slowly. Snapping back into reality, they ran out of the kitchen to find the statue in shards.
"No!" Uncle Vernon cried. "It's ruined! I am a direct descendant of the Bourbons! I've been waiting for that statue to be passed down to me for- my whole life! It's a valuable family heirloom from centuries ago!" he said through gritted teeth.
"Vernon! We- we could fix it!" Petunia said consolingly.
"How do you propose we do that?" her husband shouted. Aunt Petunia paused for a minute. The three under the cloak quietly crept into- the cupboard under the stairs.
"The boy, Vernon. He could fix it! You know, that's one good thing I remember about Lily- she could fix anything." Inside the closet, Harry's jaw dropped. That was the first time he could remember Aunt Petunia saying his mother's name.
"The boy- the boy!" Uncle Vernon growled, looking around carefully. "He probably did this in the first place. I'm going to check if he's still in his room."
"Harry!" Ginny hissed. "How're you going to get up there? It sounds like he's halfway up the stairs already!" Sure enough, dust was falling from the ceiling as the large muggle pounded up the stairs. Harry could hear Ron begin to panic. Harry shut his eyes tight and began to think very hard. Why am I not upstairs in my room!? What am I doing down here with a broken statue with my name written all over it?! I wish I was upstairs... Why did I decide to play this stupid prank anyway? How can I possibly get up there? Harry gave up and opened his eyes. He blinked two or three times before sinking onto the floor of his bedroom. He had somehow apparated there. No, he thought. Even if it was possible for me to apparate without splinching myself, I'd already have Ministry officials banging on the door.
And there was a banging on the door.
"Boy!" Uncle Vernon thundered. "Get out here- NOW!" Harry, lightheaded, walked outside to face a purple-faced Uncle Vernon.
"Waddid-i-doo?" Harry mumbled.
"You broke the statue!"
"Uncle Vernon, I couldn't have done it. I've been here all along- I- I was taking a nap!"
Uncle Vernon opened his mouth to retort with something no doubt rude, but then closed it again as his nose was tweaked by an invisible someone. "Ouch!"
Harry was finding it difficult to keep himself from laughing. "What?"
"Don't you try to act innocent, boy! You're using some kind of magic- I know it! Don't try to fool around with me!"
"I'd be arrested if I used mag- I mean, did anything abnormal during the holiday! Remember last year? I'd be expelled."
Uncle Vernon once again opened his mouth but thought better of it.
"Well- can you fix it?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Fix the statue, you idiot boy!"
"Watch who you're calling an idiot! I just told you that I can't use magic outside of school!"
Aunt Petunia came up the stairs then. Harry felt Ron and Ginny invisibly slip past him and into his room. By the soft clunks he heard, they were carrying all of his stuff through the portal for a quick getaway.
Hermione would have found the loose floorboard by now, as she had stayed back and probably seen the trail of yesterday's cake crumbs leading to the hiding space. Harry dearly hoped she had unloaded everything important so that he wouldn't have to risk going back through the portals again later. He'd prefer to go to the Burrow and not have to return to Headquarters for a long time.
"Vernon!" Petunia said quietly. "Maybe it would be best to just save the pieces and wait until he's seventeen or whatever- he can fix it then." "NO!" Uncle Vernon roared, now froth gathering on his lips and perfectly shaped mustache. With his bloodshot eyes, he looked positively mad. Suddenly he dropped to the ground. Harry turned around to see Professor Remus Lupin standing with his wand out. He had obviously stunned the great muggle. Petunia seemed to give a sigh of relief, then hastened to cover it up.
"Sorry about that- I had to. It looked as though he was going to wallop you all with those flabby fists of his. No worries- he'll come round in the next few hours or so." The professor looked even more worn out than usual- if that was at all possible. His hair had grown grayer and the bags under his eyes seemed deeper.
"Petunia, -isn't it?" Lupin asked kindly. She nodded, looking thoroughly shaken. "I think it would be best for you to come with us. Is your son around?"
"No," she said, sounding extremely defensive. "Dudley is out training for- you know- his boxing," she said with an arrogant air.
"That's- er- nice. Anyway, please follow me this way." He turned to Harry. "Gather your things, Harry. You're going to the Burrow. You'll hopefully only be back next summer." He gave a feeble smile to Harry as he followed Aunt Petunia through the door in the closet.
Harry checked for anything that remained as was pleased to see that he was right; Hermione had found the loose floorboard. He hurried and proceeded through the door.
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Uncle Vernon's Lunacy
Harry could see Ron crinkling his nose as he appraised his surroundings.
"It really looks the same as you keep your part of the dorm, really."
"I told you it wouldn't be anything different," Harry laughed, heading back to the door.
"Wait! We can't just leave!" Ron said.
"We have to see the rest of your house!" Ginny said. "That includes your cousin, Harry!"
"How would we do that, anyway?" Harry asked exasperatedly.
"Duh, Harry," Hermione said. When they all raised their eyebrows, she sighed and said, "It's an American expression. Well anyway, I would have thought it obvious. The invisibility cloak, of course!"
Harry saw the mischievous looks on Ron and Ginny's faces. "No way. Uncle Vernon would blow his top if you all went to play some trick on Dudley. He'd blame me!"
"Well, Harry," Ginny said. "You could just bring all your stuff over to Headquarters and just stay there until school starts."
"Better yet, Harry," Ron exclaimed after Harry began to shake his head. "Come to the Burrow!"
Harry's face immediately brightened. "Cool! I don't think the Dursley's would really mind, anyway. You guys can get the cloak, it's at the top of my trunk, and I'll go tell Uncle Vernon. I'll be right by him, too, so he won't have any reason to think that I – did - whatever you all are going to do."
"Good plan, mate." Ron laughed, already opening the trunk. Harry opened the door of his bedroom onto the landing. He walked down the stairs, listening to Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon converse down in the kitchen as he went.
"I wonder," Aunt Petunia said through the pursed lips of her bony, horse-like face, "what all those reports on the news this morning were about." Uncle Vernon spluttered slightly on his usual coffee.
"What reports, dear?"
Harry listened as Aunt Petunia sat down upon a chair and began to whisper hurriedly as she leaned forward. "More of those 'unexplainable attacks,' Vernon. The victims were found the same way that they were. You know- all the tests said that they were perfectly fine except for the fact that they were dead. The only- well- sign was that they had looks of terror upon their faces." Harry came to a halt at these words. There was a pause in which Uncle Vernon choked, "It cannot be, Petunia." Harry crept silently to a niche between the kitchen door and a new marble bust of Beatrice of Bourbon, which was beneath a tapestry of King Ederscel.
"Vernon- I don't know what else it could possibly be! I don't want to think that it could be happening again. The people killed seemed- normal enough..." Both remained silent for a while, deep in thought. Suddenly someone tapped Harry on the shoulder. This resulted in Harry whipping around due to his quidditch reflexes. Obviously, Harry did not see anybody as it was Ron and Ginny under the cloak, but Harry accidentally knocked over the bust of King Ederscel.
Luckily Ron and Ginny both had good reflexes too. They threw the cloak over Harry as Aunt Petunia snapped, "Vernon- could it be-" They paused for a few moments, holding their breath. Hearing nothing, the Dursleys sighed with relief.
"'Twas nothing, dear," Vernon whimpered.
"But then- what was the crash about?" Petunia whispered slowly. Snapping back into reality, they ran out of the kitchen to find the statue in shards.
"No!" Uncle Vernon cried. "It's ruined! I am a direct descendant of the Bourbons! I've been waiting for that statue to be passed down to me for- my whole life! It's a valuable family heirloom from centuries ago!" he said through gritted teeth.
"Vernon! We- we could fix it!" Petunia said consolingly.
"How do you propose we do that?" her husband shouted. Aunt Petunia paused for a minute. The three under the cloak quietly crept into- the cupboard under the stairs.
"The boy, Vernon. He could fix it! You know, that's one good thing I remember about Lily- she could fix anything." Inside the closet, Harry's jaw dropped. That was the first time he could remember Aunt Petunia saying his mother's name.
"The boy- the boy!" Uncle Vernon growled, looking around carefully. "He probably did this in the first place. I'm going to check if he's still in his room."
"Harry!" Ginny hissed. "How're you going to get up there? It sounds like he's halfway up the stairs already!" Sure enough, dust was falling from the ceiling as the large muggle pounded up the stairs. Harry could hear Ron begin to panic. Harry shut his eyes tight and began to think very hard. Why am I not upstairs in my room!? What am I doing down here with a broken statue with my name written all over it?! I wish I was upstairs... Why did I decide to play this stupid prank anyway? How can I possibly get up there? Harry gave up and opened his eyes. He blinked two or three times before sinking onto the floor of his bedroom. He had somehow apparated there. No, he thought. Even if it was possible for me to apparate without splinching myself, I'd already have Ministry officials banging on the door.
And there was a banging on the door.
"Boy!" Uncle Vernon thundered. "Get out here- NOW!" Harry, lightheaded, walked outside to face a purple-faced Uncle Vernon.
"Waddid-i-doo?" Harry mumbled.
"You broke the statue!"
"Uncle Vernon, I couldn't have done it. I've been here all along- I- I was taking a nap!"
Uncle Vernon opened his mouth to retort with something no doubt rude, but then closed it again as his nose was tweaked by an invisible someone. "Ouch!"
Harry was finding it difficult to keep himself from laughing. "What?"
"Don't you try to act innocent, boy! You're using some kind of magic- I know it! Don't try to fool around with me!"
"I'd be arrested if I used mag- I mean, did anything abnormal during the holiday! Remember last year? I'd be expelled."
Uncle Vernon once again opened his mouth but thought better of it.
"Well- can you fix it?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Fix the statue, you idiot boy!"
"Watch who you're calling an idiot! I just told you that I can't use magic outside of school!"
Aunt Petunia came up the stairs then. Harry felt Ron and Ginny invisibly slip past him and into his room. By the soft clunks he heard, they were carrying all of his stuff through the portal for a quick getaway.
Hermione would have found the loose floorboard by now, as she had stayed back and probably seen the trail of yesterday's cake crumbs leading to the hiding space. Harry dearly hoped she had unloaded everything important so that he wouldn't have to risk going back through the portals again later. He'd prefer to go to the Burrow and not have to return to Headquarters for a long time.
"Vernon!" Petunia said quietly. "Maybe it would be best to just save the pieces and wait until he's seventeen or whatever- he can fix it then." "NO!" Uncle Vernon roared, now froth gathering on his lips and perfectly shaped mustache. With his bloodshot eyes, he looked positively mad. Suddenly he dropped to the ground. Harry turned around to see Professor Remus Lupin standing with his wand out. He had obviously stunned the great muggle. Petunia seemed to give a sigh of relief, then hastened to cover it up.
"Sorry about that- I had to. It looked as though he was going to wallop you all with those flabby fists of his. No worries- he'll come round in the next few hours or so." The professor looked even more worn out than usual- if that was at all possible. His hair had grown grayer and the bags under his eyes seemed deeper.
"Petunia, -isn't it?" Lupin asked kindly. She nodded, looking thoroughly shaken. "I think it would be best for you to come with us. Is your son around?"
"No," she said, sounding extremely defensive. "Dudley is out training for- you know- his boxing," she said with an arrogant air.
"That's- er- nice. Anyway, please follow me this way." He turned to Harry. "Gather your things, Harry. You're going to the Burrow. You'll hopefully only be back next summer." He gave a feeble smile to Harry as he followed Aunt Petunia through the door in the closet.
Harry checked for anything that remained as was pleased to see that he was right; Hermione had found the loose floorboard. He hurried and proceeded through the door.
Hi, guys! Hope you all liked it- if you did, please review!