Thank you to my reviewer! You guys rock my socks off!
Me262: Ha ha! Yeah, it looks like you've figured Daffy out. Harry will have a chance to talk to his aunt about magic later in the story, so I just may have him do that.
Harry/Ginnyfan4ever: Hey, thanks for the review! I hope you like this chapter! :)
Chapter 3: The Codfish
Heaving a sigh, Harry stood up as well, and headed for the front door. A walk sounded pretty good right about now. He had his wand in his pocket, just in case, although he knew he wasn't allowed to use it. As Harry strolled Privet Drive, he saw old Mrs. Figg watering plants, and waved at her. She dropped her watering can and hurried over to him.
"Hello, Harry! How are you?" she asked kindly. Harry nodded politely.
"Pretty good, thank you," he replied.
"Have you heard from the Order yet?" she inquired.
"No. Why?" Harry wondered what planning was going on behind his back now.
"Dumbledore said you'd be off to the Weasley's pretty soon here," she said.
Harry wondered why he wasn't more excited to get away from the Dursleys. It was, after all, only the second day of summer. This had to be a record. "Harry?" Mrs. Figg was now speaking softly, and Harry knew what was coming, and he loathed it. "I knew Sirius pretty well. And I'm so sorry." Her eyes were wet with tears, and she sounded truly sorry, but Harry couldn't help but feel irritated.
"I've got to go," he muttered. "Bye, Ms. Figg," and Harry walked away quickly. He felt his mood drop tremendously as he walked on and on. And then, as if he wasn't upset enough already, he turned the corner and his eyes met a quite horrible sight. Dudley and Daffy were standing on the sidewalk, their arms wrapped around each other, mouths locked together.
'I thought today could get no worse,' Harry thought darkly. And suddenly, an overpowering, mischievous feeling swept over the young man. Dudley and Daffy had still not seen him, as they were quite preoccupied, and so he dodged into a large nearby plant. Then he scooped up a few small rocks. Aiming carefully, he chucked a rock at Dudley, and hit him square in the head. Unfortunately, Dudley didn't seem to notice, and so Harry aimed next at Daffy.
"Ouch! What the--" Daffy gasped, pulling away from Dudley as a rock hit her in the left eye. Dudley looked pathetically disappointed that the make-out session had just been cut short.
"What's wrong, Daffy Duck?" he asked, his voice sounding odd to Harry.
"I just--oh, forget it. Nothing's wrong. But let's get out of here." Her brown eyes darted about suspiciously, and she took Dudley's hand and the couple departed, leaving Harry to chuckle a bit.
As he headed back to Number 4, he stuffed his hands in his pockets and watched the pavement linger by, as he felt himself sink back into the depths of despair. And, as he entered the Dursley's ordinary home, and headed up the staircase, and ascended into his bedroom, Harry felt himself sink into even deeper despair.
He was about to throw himself onto his bed when he realized that there was a package on his pillow, with a scroll attached. Immediately, Harry knew that it was from Dumbledore. He read the scroll first. Indeed, it was Dumbledore's curly script that glazed the parchment.
Harry: When the clock strikes twelve, be holding the portkey, and also have your luggage in grasp. Take care.
--Prof. Dumbledore
Harry crumpled the letter and opened the package. Inside was a large toy codfish, with red eyes and a fuzzy, blue body. Sighing, Harry gathered his belongings together. When he was all packed, he checked his watch. 11:15. He would leave Number 4 for another year in just 45 minutes. And then an idea struck him. He rushed up to the attic as furtively as he could, and managed to find the box of scrapbooks and family history in the dark. He then carried it down to his room and stuffed it into his trunk. He had some investigating to do, and he wanted to have something to occupy his time other than thinking about Sirius while at the Burrow.
With half an hour to go, Harry headed downstairs to the kitchen for something to drink. He was surprised to find Aunt Petunia sitting at the dining room table with a cup of tea, staring placidly at the tabletop.
Harry stood in the doorframe for a moment, unsure of what to do. And then she looked up at him, her mellow blue eyes shining with tears. Harry inwardly groaned. Why was she crying? He honestly didn't want to know. But he couldn't just leave. So he stood still, waiting. And then she gestured to the chair across from her. Harry sat, wishing he had stayed upstairs. An awkward silence hung over the two for a few minutes. Harry glanced at the clock on the wall. 25 more minutes. And suddenly, she began to speak, her voice a husky undertone.
"Her eyes," Aunt Petunia whispered. "That's what I've wanted to know forever. Why did they change? Lily came home from that bloody school for our Christmas holiday, and everything was different between us. She talked about school nonstop, and told me all about her freakish little friends, the professors, all of the little things about her school, and I didn't care. And then I looked into her eyes, and I realized this wasn't the Lily I always knew. Her eyes weren't like mine anymore, and when I saw that, it was like we weren't sisters any longer, because she was seeing things through new eyes. Eyes as green as...emeralds."
Harry watched his aunt carefully. This was the reason she and Lily drew apart. Because his mother had been talking about school, and Petunia didn't understand or care about Hogwarts. He wanted to mull over these new developments. He stood up slowly.
"I, er, I have to go. I'm going to my friend Ron's in a few minutes." Aunt Petunia looked sharply at him.
"Promise me," she said, "Promise me that if you find out what happened to Lily's eyes, you'll mail me...the normal way, that is." Harry was amused to note that his aunt did not look happy to be asking him for a favor, but she was so earnest about it, he agreed.
"I will," he said, although he honestly doubted anyone would or could tell him what had happened to his mother's eyes.
Back in his bedroom, Harry watched the clock anxiously.
As it struck midnight, Harry grasped the portkey firmly with one hand, and grabbed the handle of his trunk, which he'd tied Hedwig's cage to, with the other. And then, he felt that familiar jolt in his navel, and held on tightly as he was whisked away from Privet Drive.
A/N: I know, short chapter! But please review anyway, and I'll try and update ASAP! I love 'ya reviewers and readers!
