Notes: Once again 'thank you's go out to Wolf's scream who – once again – managed to point out some grammatical errors to me. Thanks :)
03. Moloka'i
The small island that was about to be inhabited by the Dursleys for the coming month was located only a few miles away from Moloka'i, a beautiful island belonging to Hawaii. It was still rather wild and untouched by mankind with long beaches with white sand, palm trees and a turquoise ocean. Tropical animals had not yet been driven away by noise and pollution. It was tranquil. It was idyllic...and the only way to get there was by helicopter, the friendly man from Sunshine Holidays had told them.
Petunia Dursley was miserable. In fact, she was so miserable that she did not care that her hair was looking a mess and her clothes were getting sweaty. She was busy holding onto anything that would provide a bit of stability as the helicopter happily swung around in the air as if it were dancing to an unheard tune. Petunia raised her eyes (which she had closed shut throughout the whole flight) carefully, giving her son a concerned look. Dudley - sweaty, pink and terrified – took up one side of the helicopter all on his own. Petunia had, quite loudly, tried to protest and tell the pilot that her baby could not sit all alone on one side without anyone to hold his hand during the flight. The pilot, however, had promptly informed her that her son was simply too fat and that the three of them (herself, Vernon and Harry) had to provide balance from the other side of the helicopter. Hence the matter was settled and the Dursleys were loaded into the machine where they still sat twenty minutes later, each compulsively clutching a vomiting bag in their hands and waiting for the torture to end and for Harry to wipe that manic smile of his off his face.
o0o -
Harry Potter did not have a lot of pleasant things in his life. During the past years he had had to face more and more threats, responsibilities and nightmares than ever before in his short life. However, there was one thing that Harry had always loved – he loved flying in every way and form and was therefore barely able to contain his enthusiasm.
"Did you ever fly through a tropical storm?" he grinned at the pilot, who had taken an immediate liking to the flight-crazy teen. "I've heard that those storms can get really nasty," he added with a wink at Dudley, who promptly retreated deeper into his corner and whimpered miserably.
"Well boy, back in...I believe it was in the 1950-ies there was this really great storm," the pilot replied cheerfully, "and Annabelle – that's the 'copter by the way – and me had to fly some tourists over to the main island. It was quite a rough ride. 'Belle hasn't been the same ever since come to think of it."
"Really?" Harry raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with her? Does this mean she's defective somehow? That we could suddenly crash into the ocean?" He was enjoying this far too much Harry decided and gave his cousin another grin. He'd face enough torture on the island pretending to attend St. Brutus' School for Juvenile Delinquents, Harry reasoned with himself. He had earned a bit of fun before that happened, so with an innocent smile at Dudley he continued his former train of thought. "By the way, does that clattering sound in the back mean that we've just lost some vital parts of 'Belle?"
And as Harry saw all blood seemed leaving Dudley's face at those words he finally admitted that perhaps this whole vacation-thing might not be so bad after all.
o0o -
"Ah! Let me present your home for the coming month," Brendan Leigh, Director of Sunshine Holidays made a wide sweeping gesture that seemed to include the whole island. "If you would follow me please, my dear Weasleys, my associates have been so bold and have prepared a little welcome snack down at the beach. This is where you'll meet the other family, too, in a little while." ...and this is where I'm finally going to be able to escape from these madmen, Brendan thought desperately, his fake smile faltering ever so slightly as he hurried down the wooden steps that led to the beach.
o0o -
"I really can't wait to meet the other family," Arthur Weasley was, without a doubt, the most enthusiastic member of the Weasley clan. "We'll be living in a real Muggle house! Perhaps there'll even be one of those eklektik...eccentric...ectopical razor-things?"
"Electrical razor, Mr. Weasley," Hermione replied while taking off her sandals to feel the wonderfully white sand between her toes.
"Yes, yes! Ele...el...Anyway, I wonder if we're even going to have ekleticity."
"Electricity, Mr. Weasley."
"Right."
o0o -
The Dursleys arrived at the beach as the sun was setting into the ocean. The sky was a deep passionate red, the birds were singing their good-night to each other and the wind was softly whispering his welcome. However, all those tranquil sounds and impressions were overshadowed by Vernon Dursley's loud voice.
"And what will you do when we meet the other family, boy?"
Harry sighed. "I'll tell them not to pay attention to me. I like to be alone. You've taken me with you because you felt sorry for me and I'm a juvenile delinquent."
"And what will you not, under any circumstances do?"
"Magic."
"Harry!" Vernon bellowed, sending little bits of spit flying from his massive moustache. "How do we call it?"
"The M-word. I won't do it, talk about it or even think about it," Harry replied in a dead tone. His day had really taken a turn for the worse after the flight, he contemplated miserably. Dudley, on the other hand, had regained his usual malice as soon as he had felt solid ground under his feet again and had – for lack of any other source of entertainment – immediately begun to terrorize Harry. After all, Harry had been forced to leave his wand back at home giving Dudley an opportunity to torment him without fear of magical retaliation.
"I'm hungry," Dudley's whining voice interrupted Harry's depressed thoughts. "You said there would be food, Mum."
Alerted by her baby's wail Petunia immediately hurried over. "The food will be served when the other family has arrived as well, dear", she cooed, "but perhaps we can get them to serve us a bit of an aperitif?"
"I don't want an aperitif! I want food!" Dudley's cries increased in volume. Harry winced. His cousin was clearly overdoing the melodrama.
"But Duddikins, an aperitif is..."
"Well, well, well", an all too familiar voice suddenly interrupted Petunia, "it looks like our prayers have been granted, dear brother. We're finally reunited with one of our most famous customers."
Dudley stopped wailing immediately and peered into the growing darkness. "Who is it?" he squeaked rather feebly.
"You don't remember us?" Fred Wesley stepped closer, wearing an all too innocent expression. "I'm hurt."
"Obviously we didn't leave enough of an impression the last time," George grinned as he joined his brother. "Anyway, fate has granted us an opportunity to make up for it."
Dudley paled and waddled away as fast as possible to hide behind his father making unhappy little noises. Harry, on the other hand, could barely contain his happiness. This was too good to be true! "Fred! George! Don't tell me you'll be spending the next month here, as well..." Harry trailed off hopefully.
"Of course we will," the twins grinned. "Our father decided that it was about time we all learned a bit more about Muggles and promptly won a cross-thingy-puzzle. And voilá! Here we are! This is going to be the best holiday ever!"
- o0o -
Review please? It's extremely inspiring, you know? (and it would make me very happy) :)
