The Intruder:

..."Oh, but I think you are." an unmistakable voice by the door said.

Suddenly Vernon let go of Julia and pushed her away from him causing Julia to fall backwards onto the floor " what are you doing down here, boy? ", Vernon asked Harry.

Harry did not respond. Instead he strode over to Julia and helped her up. Julia looked at Harry's face. There was unmistakable anger there along with something she could not identify. Was that guilt? Julia could not tell.

"Harry." Julia began. "Harry I'm sorr..."

"Not right now Julia, well discuss this later." he cut her off.

When Harry finally looked up at Vernon his face changed from one of guilt and anger to one of incredible fury. " You want to know what I'm doing down here do you?" He pulled out his wand.

"What do you think your doing boy? Just what the hell do you think your doing?" an alarmed Vernon Dursley asked.

Julia wanted to ask the same question. Just what did Harry think he was doing? If he continued on this track, he was going to find himself thrown out of the house. Harry did not realize how close he was to being thrown out last year. He could not risk loosing the protection that this house and its occupants offered. Julia would not allow that. Harry had not done irreparable harm. Yet.

"Harry put it away," She whispered.

Harry looked shocked. "Julia after what this worthless piece of filth has done. You want me to put my wand away. Why?

Vernon smiled nastily, "Yes, Julia why don't you want your brother to do his worst."

Julia looked at Vernon in confusion for a moment, what was he talking about? Julia could not think of any reason why Vernon would look so triumphant. Then she realized oh "Vernon don't please. You don't understand what this will do, please",

"What, what will do, Julia?" Harry asked. "What is it that you don't want me to know"?

Vernon smiled "why don't you tell your brother the reason why you haven't told him about our little late night meetings."

"Vernon don't please ill do anything you want, just don't tell him" She pleaded desperately knowing that it was too late. it was time for Harry to find out. She just wished that she could have been given a few more days.

"Its too late Julia you knew that if he found out that there would be consequences. Its time to face them, now".

"What consequences? What the hell is he talking about"?

"Please don't. Please don't." Julia sobbed sinking to the ground in anguish.

Vernon ignored her, " boy do you want to know why your sister their didn't wake you up for the past two years to join in these little late night meetings of ours?"

Julia felt things sliding out of her control. How did things get this far out of hand? Julia didn't know and she didn't care. She felt an odd sense of separation from the situation, more like she was floating above the whole scene. Completely detached, powerless to stop what she knew was to come.

"I don't under..."

"Oh, I'm sorry is the thought of your precocious sister keeping something from you to difficult to perceive of?"

"Dad stop.!" Dudley interjected suddenly. He looked surprised at his own audacity.

"Dudley keep out of this. You're in enough trouble as it is. Don't make things worse."

Dudley didn't respond. Instead he looked at the ground in dejection and shame.

"Now boy I believe I was going to tell you about your sister. Well you see the thing is. Your dear sister has..."

"NO STOP! PLEASE" Julia screamed.

" SHUT UP YOU LITTLE BRAT." Vernon bellowed as he reached down and grabbed Julia by the arm to shut her up. Of course that was a mistake. Harry let out an inarticulate growl that sounded something like " Leave her alone" but Julia couldn't be sure. As suddenly as Vernon had grabbed her Julia found herself back on the ground. Vernon seemed unable for a moment to make a sound. Indeed Julia thought that maybe Harry had performed magic. But looking up at Harry's shocked face she could tell that it wasn't so. She turned around to see what had happened. Vernon wasn't harmed or any thing he just seemed to be in shock. And Dudley was trying to say something but he seemed unable to.

"Harry, what happened?" Julia whispered.

"Harry didn't do any thing Julia it was me" Dudley said in an astonished whisper. It seemed that he was surprised at his own daring, well Julia was surprised as well. She didn't think that Dudley thought of any one but himself. She had been wrong, and boy was she happy. Though she still didn't forgive him for setting her up this would at least make it easier for her not to hex him.

"What did you do Dudley?" Julia asked. Curious despite the gravity of the situation. What had Dudley done to make Vernon drop Julia like that, to stun him into silence?

Dudley seemed to shake himself as if assuring himself that he wasn't having a nightmare. " I don't know why, but I punched him in the back. I just couldn't let him hurt you any more. I'm sorry that I didn't do it sooner. I'm sorry Julia."

" oh yes you are, Dudley just not as you had imagined." it seemed that Vernon had finally found his voice. Julia had never seen him this way, she was sure no one had. Instead of his former blustering attitude Vernon had become deadly calm. His whole demeanor had become more self-assured and he seemed to radiate rage. Silent rage.

"Dudley isn't the only one who is sorry, but ill deal with him later. Now as I was saying before boy, your sweet little sister has kept a lie from you the past year would you like to know what it is?" Vernon didn't even stop he just kept on going. " It seems Julia has Diabetes. Isn't that a shame? I'm sorry that I had to be the one to tell you." though Vernon didn't seem sorry at all. He seemed to be enjoying this. Enjoying the havoc he had just caused.

Julia looked up at Harry. His face, which had before been in a state of shock from Dudley's unexpected assistance, was now extremely pale. His eyes had a glazed look to them, and his face reflected extreme worry and grief. "No this can't be possible. Julia is it true? Please tell me that this isn't true please tell me that this isn't true, please", he whispered

Julia didn't have the heart to confirm it but she had to she must. She looked up at his face, she couldn't stand it.

She couldn't take the accusing stare anymore. Julia started to say something "Harry, I'm..", her voice drifted off as her world started to spin, and slowly dissolved into darkness.