A/N: I dedicate this chapter to my best friend, Courtney, who helped me come up with an idea or two for this chapter and the next!
Disclaimer: For goodness sakes, people, I don't own the frigg'n books or characters!
THE BELGUM POTION
Chapter Three: Drained
"Wake up, boy!" screeched the high-pitched voice of Aunt Petunia as she pounded at his door. "There are chores to be done! Wake up now!"
Harry looked toward his door, scowling at the sound of his Aunt's screeches. That was the last thing he wanted to hear in the morning, especially after another sleepless night. Closing the text book he was reading, Harry stood up and stretched his limbs.
He glanced over at the time. It was 6.30 in the morning, and already she was making him do chores. He didn't know if he could handle another day… especially in his current state.
His stomach grumbled horribly as he dressed in Dudley's old clothes, which hung very long and loose on his frame. He couldn't stand eating dietary foods anymore. Usually, he would send word to his two best friends, Ron and Hermione, for cries of help by owl, where they would respond with pumpkin cakes and raspberry pies. Oh, how good they sounded right now. His mouth watered.
But, of course, that was out of the question. No owl post was allowed, Harry remembered angrily. So Dumbledore wanted him to starve, did he? Well, he might just get his wish.
Taking all the time he could to get ready for the day, he walked over to his window and opened it, breathing in the fresh air. He scanned the sky for any sign of an owl, even know he knew quite well there would be none. He was just desperate, that was all.
It was getting to that point in time when his Hogwarts letter should be arriving, but he found no use in getting excited. How he was supposed to acquire his things for the new school year, he did not know. What was Dumbledore planning to do with him? Had he forgotten that Harry had no way of getting to school?
Of course not, Harry thought to himself, pushing aside the panic. He couldn't just have forgotten him… could he have?
Harry found it highly possible. School was only 10 days away. He was sure by now, most of the students were already at Diagon Alley, acquiring their school things for the new year. He thought of Ron and Hermione, and his heart sank. He wouldn't be surprised if they were right inside Honeydukes right now, talking and laughing…
Harry shook his head. No… he couldn't torture himself like this.
Harry made his way down the stairs of the house he despised so much. It felt as if he was going to faint at any moment from his lack of food and sleep combined. The dream of the previous night must have taken more out of him than he had realized.
"Well, it's about time, boy," Aunt Petunia greeted him with the usual sneer as he made his entrance into the kitchen. Uncle Vernon and Dudley sat at the table, watching the news on the television. Aunt Petunia thrusted him an apple, along with a piece of paper.
An apple, Harry groaned, and a small one at that. He was so hungry, he could eat a whale. Glancing at the size of Dudley, he quickly changed his mind.
"What's this?" Harry asked, holding up the paper without examining it. He was too dizzy to interpret it.
"A list of chores, can't you read?" she said without glancing at him, taking her seat beside Vernon. He almost drooled at the sight of the oatmeal they were eating. Quickly, he turned his attention to the paper, not being able to bare his hunger any longer.
The list wasn't pleasant at all. In fact, it was three times more than Harry usually had to do. Harry groaned. This could only mean one thing, and one thing only…
Uncle Vernon was getting a visitor… someone from his uncle's work, he presumed. This wasn't exactly good news. He would have to spend the evening stuck up in his room again. He would rather work the whole day than to stay up there, where every thought and memory he knew crept up on him…
The graveyard… Cedric…
He bit into his sour apple immediately following this thought, willing to do anything to not think on it for another moment. He screwed up his face from the effect the sourness had on his tongue. Aunt Petunia caught this, and smiled her horse-like smile. It was better than nothing, he decided, taking another bite and ignoring his aunt.
"This is going to be it," his Uncle was saying. Harry could tell that he was continuing the conversation they were having before he arrived. "This time, we're hitting the big one. Mr. McKinley is even higher on the chart than Mr. Mason was or ever could be. If I make this deal, we'll be swimming in income, you mark my words."
Harry was just way too used to this routine by now.
Vernon stood up, his fat face showing a tinge of purple. "Don't you think I'm letting you off the hook after what happened last time..." His pork hands made a fist. "I swear, boy, if there's one more--incident--inside this household, you will wish you have never been born!"
Harry returned the glare, gripping his apple so hard that the juices flew freely down his fingers.
"I mean it this time," Vernon said. Dudley smirked from behind him. This was getting so old. "Your Aunt Petunia and I have been far too generous to the likes of you for far too long. One more toe out of line, and you're out of here. We'll put you where we should've put you all those years ago--an orphanage. Do I make myself clear?!"
Harry wanted to say that he would be much happier there than he would here, but he knew that if he was shipped off to an orphanage, he could say goodbye to Hogwarts forever. The very thought of never going back to school almost made him black out.
"I said, DO--I--MAKE--MYSELF--CLEAR?!" he yelled, his face turning a darker purple. "NO owls, NO blowing up people, NO flying cars, NO throwing deserts, NO NOTHING! DO YOU HEAR ME BOY?"
Harry decided he had to step down and put a tap on his emotions. Any more magic could expel him from Hogwarts, he was sure of it. And that was the last thing he wanted to do. Taking a breath of air and counting slowly to ten, he nodded reluctantly. "Yes, sir."
"After you are done with your chores, it's up to your room with you. You will cease to exist for the time that Mr. McKinley is here."
"Yes, sir."
"You will make NO sounds," growled Vernon.
"Yes sir."
"You will cause NO catastrophes."
"Yes sir."
"Or you will be GONE!"
"I wish." Vernon turned a darker shade of purple. "Er--I mean... yes, sir."
Vernon grunted and sat down again in front of his half empty oatmeal (Dudley stole the other half while he was busy with Harry), while Aunt Petunia eyed Harry with utmost disgust. Again, Harry thought, some things would never change. And with that, he turned away from them and left the kitchen, relieved to be out of Vernon's spit range. His eyes turned to his list:
1) Dust and clean entire living room.
Only a week left before school starts, Harry thought to himself. You can last a week... it's only a week.
And so, Harry went to it. It was going to be a long day.
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Ta da. On to the next chapter. It's almost done, guys. 80 percent done.
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