Chapter 2: Plans & the Horror of Chores
Hours that seemed the equivalent to mere minutes passed, and Harry found himself caught between frenzied thoughts, and the pain of mourning over Sirius's death. Coming to the conclusion that Sirius would rather want Harry to stop torturing himself and move on with his life, his currently adopted dull and lifeless emerald eyes burned with a fiery determination, and in a quick flash he bolted off of his bed. After a few seconds of searching through his trunk, Harry found what he was searching for, and clutching a standard muggle notebook and a pen made for his ratty old desk to jot down his thoughts and plans on paper.
Things I Absolutely Need to Do:
1. Plan stealthy escape to Diagon Alley (maybe also Knockturn Alley)
2. Determine how and who is guarding me (which Order members and times)
3. Gringotts (withdraw money for purchases)
4. Buy as much learning material as possible (Flourish & Botts)
5. See about a second wand/or possibly build one (Ollivander's/Knockturn Alley)
6. Need new clothes (magical and muggle)
7. Find a more suitable trunk (something like Moody's)
8. Learn how to travel and move around (Apparation, Portkeys, etc)
9. Try to purchase weapons, and learn how to properly use them
Admiring his plan, Harry knew he would have his work cut out for him. If even he could successfully manage to pull off a few of his objectives, then he would almost certainly be better off than just sitting around for the rest of the summer thinking of Sirius and how unfair his life has been. He thought about which types of books he really needed; 'Books on Occlumency and Legilimency are essential for any of this to happen since I might have to mask my intentions from Dumbledore and any other Order members that might know Legilimency…Snape no doubt would love to be the one to turn me in to the old codger! Defense books, Apparation, Portkeys, Transfiguration, Charms, definitely Dark Arts to know what I'm going up against, Healing, Combat Techniques, Wards…and…Potions! Even if I don't make it into NEWT level Potions, I'm still going to need to know how to make them for myself.
Once his stomach started growling, he knew he would have to venture downstairs and subject himself to the 'oh so pleasant company' of his relatives unless he was planning on going to sleep hungry. Hedwig gave him an expressive hoot, which he recognized meant, "good luck and don't let them get to you."
"Yeah I know Hedwig," and Harry threw her a couple of Owl treats and made his way downstairs.
The Dursleys were sitting at their square kitchen table and were just about to begin eating, when Harry made his presence known. In a uniform motion their heads snapped towards him and as usual they fixed him with their customary stares, with their gawks silently expressing that his being there was completely unwelcome. Harry waltzed by them looking unaffected and took his seat, acting like he could hardly care less what they thought of him, and scooped up a less than average portion of his Aunt's beef stew onto his plate. He could feel his Uncle's beady eyes on him, while his Aunt Petunia did her best to look anywhere except in his direction, and Dudley after noticing Harry's unexpected arrival, sneered at him, and went back to stuffing his face and watching television. After a good half-hour of awkward eating and stillness, the silence was broken when Vernon Dursley decided to speak what was on his mind.
"So, you do have to eat sometime don't you boy?" he said with an evil smirk on his face. A hesitant grunt was the only response Harry made in light of his Uncle's question.
"Think you're so clever don't you? Getting those 'freaky' friends of yours to threaten my family and me! Well…I'll tell you what…you just better watch yourself boy, because I won't tolerate another summer of your abnormality! You hear me!" the beefy man said with an air of authority. His Uncle's thick moustache began to twitch forewarning of a burst of anger, and when Harry continued to pay no attention and act like he had heard nothing of what his Uncle had just said, Vernon shot up out of his seat.
"When I SPEAK to you boy I want an ANSWER out of you!" he bellowed violently. Once the last word left his lips, the air started crackling around the kitchen and whipping about only Harry's black unruly hair, while the lights seemed to possess a mind of their own, flicking on and off like an alarm. The fearful eyes of the Dursley family scanned around wildly trying to process this dazzling display of accidental magic, and when they finally rested on the teenager's angered glare, shivers ran down their spines and in the background Dudley's whimpering could be heard.
"Sit down Vernon and shut up, and you'll hear my answer" as Harry's voice came out in a deadly flat tone. His Uncle's face was now a ghostly shade of white, and he quickly reclaimed his seat and turned his head away to break eye contact with his nephew.
"All of you better listen, and listen up good, because I'm only going to explain this once. I'm going to stay out of your way, and you lot are sure as hell going to stay out of my way, and we'll all get along brilliantly." He paused only for a few seconds to show a self-satisfied smirk and added, "Just like one big happy family."
After hearing this, Vernon regained some of his lost courage and looked into his nephew's hypnotizing green eyes.
"Boy you're in no position to tell me how things are going to be in my own damn house!" he said in a raised hard voice. His wife, whose shaky hand had found its way into covering her mouth during the previous display of magic, quickly made her way into the escalating conversation.
"Vernon not so loud!" hissed Petunia, fearful that the neighbors might overhear them and also if Harry was pushed enough to become more emotional, that her kitchen might not make it through the night.
"Petunia please, you actually think we should let this good for nothing freeloader lay down rules for us in our own home!" he said in a lowered tone. While the two adults silently looked at each other, Dudley seeing that there was no more magic threw in his opinion.
"Mummy, I'm not going to take orders from the puny little freak!"
"Quiet Dudley! Or so help me I'll ground you for the rest of the summer hols!" his mother shrieked, which resulted in Dudley's jaw dropping and looking on at her in a stunned manner. Harry on the outside looked unfazed, but on in the inside he was silently amazed given that Petunia Dursely never once threatened to punish her little Diddykins in his lifetime. Vernon realizing things were not going as he originally planned, try to salvage the situation and bring the focus back onto the "freak."
"Petunia dear, don't you think that's a little harsh? And why pray tell are you defending that burden of trouble over there?" he said pointing to Harry.
"I'm not defending him! But think about it Vernon. We go on with our lives and ignore that he's even living here, and he won't bother us at all. And if we do that, he won't write to those freaks and they won't come over here and disrupt our normal lives," she said in a knowing fashion.
"Exactly. The only time you're going to see me is when I use the bathroom and come down to eat, and the rest of the time I'll be out of your sight in my room, which nobody will come into if they don't want to be…bothered, and we'll get along just fine," Harry said trying to reinforce his arrangement. Vernon looked between his wife and the infernal source of his aggravation, and thought for a minute.
"And what if I say no boy?" he asked in a patronizing style.
"Well if you do say no, then I'll have no choice but to write a letter to some of those friends of mine you met at the train station, and let them know of your decision. I might not be allowed to use 'you-know-what,' but you better believe that they're allowed," he said and allowing a little smile to slip through his mask at the very thought.
"B-but what about the chores…who's going to do them?" he looked at his wife for answers.
"Not me that's for sure, I've done them for years. If you think about it Dudders here could stand to lose a little weight," he sweetly added.
"NOW SEE HERE BOY! You will not take about my son that way!" his red-faced Uncle roared.
"M-me?…Do c-chores…?" whispered Dudley, who had been silent ever since his Mum had warned him to keep quiet.
"Anyway, I just made a suggestion, but don't expect me for a second to tend to the chores anymore. I'll handle my stuff, and you three can deal with your stuff. Well, I think I'm done here…Excellent dinner Aunt Petunia! Good Night!" he amusingly said and stood up. Vernon's right eye was twitching, his Aunt was silent with her lips pursed together tightly in a thin line, while Dudley's mouth still hung open at the thought of having to do chores. Walking out of the kitchen he heard this first thing anyone said before the kitchen door closed.
M-m-mummy…I won't have to do chores will I?" his pig-like cousin whimpered.
