Well guys, this is the last chapter of The Life And Times – there isn't much else to write, and I want to concentrate on other stories at the moment. In a couple of weeks, I might start posting a story that will be sort of a sequel, but I want to write a few chapters first. You never know, if I get writers block, I may well post another chapter of this one… keep an eye out. I will change the status to 'complete', though. Thank you for reading, and I hope to see you reviewing some of my other stories!
…A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerised robot for Dudley and a box of dog biscuits for Harry…
…On her last visit, the year before Harry had started Hogwarts, Harry had accidentally trodden on the paw of her favourite dog. Ripper had chased Harry out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Marge had refused to call him off until past midnight…
It was December 1987. School was over, and children were anticipating Christmas day. So far, in surrey at least, there hadn't been any snow (I have no idea if it snowed that year…), but children and adults alike were praying for some; dreaming of a white Christmas. For one little boy, and many others like him that are not integral to this plot, Christmas was nothing special. For him, there would be just one or two presents to open on Christmas morn, and then he would be locked in his room for the rest of the day, with two sandwiches and a glass of water. This boy's family were not poor, in fact, the Dursley's were quite well off, and though they didn't know it, the boy they saw as a burden was one of the richest people in the country. The boy was Harry James Potter, their nephew.
It was the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring … just Marjorie Dursley grunting in her sleep. She had arrived the night before, bringing gifts for the family and their nephew, and was now situated in the spare room of Number Four Privet Drive.
That morning, Harry made breakfast, and watched as Dudley opened most of his presents, then Harry got his. It was from his aunt and uncle, wrapped in a Tesco's plastic bag, but Harry didn't care. He knew it wouldn't be a good present, and he was not disappointed when he found a safety pin and a used hairbrush – Dudley broke it last week, he knew – in the package. Aunt Marge thought petunia and Vernon were being far too generous to him, and said so in her very loud voice.
"You took him in, out of the kindness of your heart, and feed him, clothe him and shelter him. Petunia, just look at what has happened! Look at the boy's face – he isn't even grateful for that gift. Why, if he had been put on my doorstep…" The boy in question tried to tune her out, and for a while, he succeeded. Then, he was caught off guard when she handed him another gift. He nearly gasped in shock, 'for me?'
Knowing that Dudley had received a robot as his present, the seven year old eagerly ripped open the paper. It was just the right size to be a packet of Lego, or something, and he was very excited. It was a bag of dog biscuits.
The family around him laughed, and chucked him into his cupboard with two sandwiches and a glass of water.