Chapter Six

The Broken Woman

"Where is that Harry Potter?" Vernon Dursley bellowed as he stormed into the kitchen.

"Vernon, don't yell in front of Dudley." Petunia turned her head away from the man, her voice quiet and angry. Dudley looked at his parents, then whistled as he took his plate of breakfast with him to eat outside.

"Where is he... Petunia?" The large man tried to lower his voice, but it still shook from rage. His face was dark red.

"I don't know. I haven't seen him this morning."

"Petunia! How am I supposed to run for the inspecting officer, if I had him running around--"

"I'm sure he's out with the Weasley boys or something."

"Harry Potter is a disgrace! His family was foolish! James Potter writing those shameful, abnormal novels... and Lily, now that woman needs to know her place! Going to universities... who does she think she is?" The large man pointed a finger at Petunia, spitting as he spoke.

"Vernon... please..."

"You should be glad I married you so soon! Otherwise you would've ran off to London--"

"Stop it..."

"To send your petty art works and stories to publishing companies!"

"Don't, Vernon, don't..."

"And what? Ended poor on the streets or dead in a car--"

"Stop!" Petunia screamed

"Like your ignorant sister!"

Petunia stood up and slapped Vernon, then she stepped back shakily.

Severus made him and the boy some breakfast. Over the bread, sweet butter, and milk, the boy said Vernon Dursley has been very violent since he moved in. Then the boy showed the man his bruises. Though Severus didn't want him in the back in Vernon Dursley's house, he knew someone would be suspicious if he hadn't gone home.

"You didn't tell anybody about him hitting you?"

"He wants to run for one of the village officer positions... can't let anyone know or he would start beating me every chance he gets. He already hit my aunt." The boy's face was tired as he bit his lips softly.

"I heard."

The man smiled as he watched Harry spread the sweet butter over his bread thoroughly. Then Harry looked up and smiled back.

"The butter is very nice."

"Yes, Mrs. Finnigan made it herself. She left it at my doorsteps just a few days ago."

The two talked about people in the village, and how Harry's life was when he lived in the city.

Severus stood by the door as he watched the boy walk back to the village.

Harry saw Dudley sitting on the front steps, eating breakfast. Dudley made a motion of slitting his throat with his hand and then stuck his tongue out.

"Potter, they're fighting. Best if you don't go in there." Harry shrugged.

Suddenly, there was a bark of anger followed by a woman's cry.

"How dare you hit me!"

"No Vernon!"

There was a crash. Dudley's joking expression faded as dropped his breakfast and ran inside. Petunia was lying against the wall beside the fallen vase stand, chest heaving. Pieces of the broken vase had cut her arm. Vernon stood there, breathless, the blood drained away from his face. Dudley looked at his father with an angry hate in his eyes.

"What did you do with mum?"

"Dudley, I 'm sorry... I didn't mean to." Vernon's face twisted into something severely sorry, then raging humiliation as he saw Harry standing by the door, looking in.

"Harry! Come here and help me carry mum." Dudley yelled. The other boy walked in the door, avoiding eye contact with his uncle by keeping his head down. The two boys carried Petunia easily next door to the Weasley's house.

Harry knocked on the door while the larger boy supported his mother. Petunia winced when Dudley moved her arm. Ginny Weasley opened the door, then she covered her mouth in shock.

"Mum! Help!"

Mrs. Weasley walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands on her apron. She saw Petunia with an arm around her son's shoulder and Ginny holding her hand as the redhead guided them to the sofa.

"That Vernon... How... how could he do this to you?" Molly's voice was soft. The broken woman did not respond.

"Oh Petunia... Ginny, go get your father at the council chamber and ask him to get a doctor." Ginny nodded and ran outside. Petunia looked down with tears rolling down her cheeks. Molly held her hand tightly and comforted her. The rims of her eyes grew red as she watched Petunia crying in silence.

"Does it hurt anywhere especially? Do you think you might've broken something?" Petunia nodded and pointed at her left arm. Molly sniffed as she wiped her eyes.

"Wait here." She walked away and came back with a small water filled basin, and a medicine case. There was a linen cloth in the warm water. Mrs. Weasley gently wiped the blood off of Petunia's face. Then she applied bandages over the cuts on her right arm after cleaning them.

The twins came running down stairs for breakfast.

"Morning mum! Moring Gin-- oh..." Then they creeped back upstairs to tell Ron not to make a grand entrance like they did.

Dudley sat by his mother, his head in his hands as he tried to blink away the moisture in his eyes.

"I'm sorry mum, if only I was in the house..."

Then Petunia started sobbing. Molly lightly patted her back like she would to a child, then the sobbing woman leaned on Mrs. Weasley and cried harder.

"Dudley... it's, not, your fault." Hiccups prevented her from talking coherently.

"Now, now, stay for the week and rest here, Petunia, we'll get you a doctor." By now, Petunia couldn't make a single word from crying. Dudley walked out the door. Harry walked next to him.

"I'm sorry, Dudley."

"I don't know if I should leave my father. But... no one could take care of him." The large boy looked blank. Harry left him sitting there.