Chapter 3 – Letters and Visitors
Petunia was not a happy camper, she practically threw me into the car and once home I was locked in my room. Two weeks rolled by and except for school or housework I was not permitted to leave my room, eventually the school holidays started and I was still being punished. I was only allowed out of my room to do chores and not to go outside.
I heard Hakaan call on me a few times but the Dursley's always made an excuse and he was forced to leave again. The only upside to being punished was the books that I had gathered so I could read while being punished, I had developed a great love of books The Hobbit, the Chronicles of Narnia, the House of night, the old kingdom books, the witch child, were just some of my favourite fiction books, but during these times I would study the Norwegian and Swedish language books that Ama had given to me, or the Spanish books that I had bought with a £10 note I had once found on the curb near school, books were my saviour, after all what else could I do for weeks on end?
It wasn't until near the end of July that I was finally allowed out of my room, number 4's routine carried on like usual and I visited Hakaan, he taught me some new moves from his kung Fu and Kick boxing lessons. I liked that Hakaan didn't go light on me just because I was a girl, Hakaan knew what I was made of, he didn't sugar coat it and I loved him just for that fact alone. Astrid gave me more clothes and Ama made sure to give me plenty of food, knowing that Petunias favourite punishment was withholding food, she told me it was a woman's kind of punishment, though it wasn't as bad as it once was, but I still remembered what starving felt like, it wasn't a feeling I wished to endure anymore.
Everything had been normal for the next few days, that is until the day after Dudley had been modelling his new Smeltings uniform for his parents, the Dursley's became strange over something very small. I had collected the post that morning, as I usually did, when I had found a heavy envelope addressed to me. I'd never had a letter before, after all I didn't know anyone that didn't live in my road.
Hari Potter
Smallest Room
Four Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
It was definitely for me but before I could open it my thug of a cousin noticed it and snatched it out of my grasp. The elder Dursley's took one look at it before they made Dudley and I leave the kitchen, I couldn't hear anything from them but I could tell that they were upset.
Over the next few days more letters arrived, they were pushed through windows, doors and fell out of the attic. Petunia found them coming out of eggs and one day when I went to the loo I found loads poking through the window, so I grabbed one and placed it down the back of my top. I had to be careful, I didn't want the Dursley's to know, it was a nerve wracking few hours until that evening, after Vernon had checked my room for any letters and I was locked in again, only then did I pull the letter out of my top. I opened the letter carefully, it had a green wax seal, like a proper old styled letter.
Inside was thick paper, I opened the pages and found a letter addressed to me.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore (Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
Dear Miss Potter,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on 1 September. We await your owl by no later than 31 July.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall
Deputy Headmistress
What…? A school of what…? Was this some kind of joke…? An owl…? What…? I found the other page and read that.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
UNIFORM:-
First-year students will require:
1. Three sets of plain work robes (black)
2. One plain pointed hat (black) for day wear
3. One pair of protective gloves (dragon hide or similar)
4. One winter cloak (black, with silver fastenings)
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry name tags.
COURSE BOOKS:-
All students should have a copy of each of the following:
The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch
One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi by Phyllida Spore
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection by Quentin Trimble
OTHER EQUIPMENT 1 wand, 1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2), 1 set glass or crystal phials, 1 telescope, 1 set brass scales.
Students may also bring, if they desire, an owl OR a cat OR a toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK.
Yours sincerely,
Lucinda Thomsonicle-Pocus
Chief Attendant of Witchcraft Provisions
A wand? What? A million questions buzzed through my head. What was all the fuss about? This had to be a joke. If it wasn't for the fact the Dursley's wouldn't know a joke if it blew up in front of them, I'd think it was from them. No, it couldn't be from them, they were acting over board about this. Why were the Dursley's so worried about a joke letter?
By now the streets were quiet outside. I folded the letter up, placing it under the loose floorboard before I fell into a fitful sleep. Dreams of amber eyes, a large black dog, a stag and an emerald green light flooded my night of fitful slumber.
In the morning light the Dursley's began to relax when no letters arrived, the tension slowly left their bodies as no letters arrived. Once we were sat at the kitchen table for lunch, when there still hadn't been another Hogwarts letter, I heard Petunia and Vernon exclaimed loudly and proudly to each other that, 'the freaks had given up.'
Not for the first time today I wondered why anyone would send that letter? What would they have to gain from it? It's not like I would go out and find a random owl just so I could attach a letter to it.
'Can I go over to Hakaans?' I asked Petunia quietly, Vernon was upstairs and I needed to get out of the house for a while, since the letters had started to arrive I hadn't been allowed out of the house in case I found the letters, but now they had stopped and I wanted out.
'Go to your room,' her blue eyes looked around towards the windows, she still looked slightly pale and anxious as she glanced around the outside room, 'No one is going out today.'
As darkness fell once more that evening, I threw my book to the bottom of my bed, music was playing through my earphones, Astrid's old iPod had been given to me, I loved it, was it old? Yes, but I didn't care, it worked and with H filling it with music that I liked, it was great for these moments, music played while I focused on my breathing, I was fed up of this, at least Dudley would be going away to Smeltings during the term, I would attend Stonewall comprehensive the local secondary school and I couldn't wait.
Through the locked door I heard Dudley's muffled voice. "I know what day it is." I took the one earphone out of my ear to respond.
"Good for you, you finally remembered the days of the week, only took you 11 years." I sat up on the bed, leaning back on my hands. "We'll work on the months next. If you're lucky you can learn them before you hit puberty." I said with a smirk on my face, glad he couldn't see me.
Dudley didn't answer right away but he was still stood on the other side of the door, I could hear his heavy breathing, it was creepy when he did that. I couldn't open the door to him because Vernon had locked it from the outside, it made me feel vulnerable. Dudley laughed loudly before he walked away, the floorboards creaking as he went.
I had just sat down on my piss pore excuse of a bed; the mattress was from someone who had been doing their child's room out, this is where the double standards come in, and it had stunk of urine. I had spent most of last summer scrubbing at it until it didn't smell so bad, it had been horrible, on the hottest days I would scrub and air it repeatedly, in the hopes I could wash the stank away. Even now, a year later, I had the window open trying to keep the room as aired out as I could.
The house was quiet; Dudley was either in his room, or watching TV, like he often did until late at night, I couldn't hear much from the rest of the house when the knocking began sounding from the front door, it echoed through the quiet house. I say knocking but it sounded more like a hammering, it sounded heavy and big. The hammering stopped only for me to hear Vernon scream and then a different banging noise rang through the house before something crashed. I stood up from the bed looking towards my door and the commotion beyond, whatever was happening I was trapped. I stepped closer to the door, my ear up to the crack.
"Sorry about that..." A rough but loud voice spoke before Vernon's voice interrupted it.
"You are not welcome here." Vernon bellowed just as I heard Petunia speak to him, 'be quiet, the neighbours will hear.'
"Where's Hari?" The voice asked, it was loud enough that I heard that just fine. Hari? That's me? Why would anyone want me? I backed up away from the bedroom door until I was stood against the window. I listened to the thundering of big footsteps make their way up the stairs and started opening doors down the hall. Dudley screamed and the slam of his door made me think that he was now searching for me. Vernon started shouting something from down the stairs, with the new voice calling for me and Dudley's screaming made my breathing hitch up adding to that the new shouting that Vernon started and to make things even worse was hearing Petunia screaming, I felt like I was in some kind of horror film.
I kept my eyes on the crack under the door from my place in front of my window, I could hear the boards creaking loudly, they barely squeaked with Vernon, this person had to be larger than even Vernon and Dudley, these creaks were so much more louder. There was a flash of red light that I could just make out from under the door, Vernon stopped shouting just as there was a loud thud before Petunia started screaming with new vigour, something had happened to Vernon that much I knew.
And then the bedroom doorknob began to rattle.
I had no idea what was going on. Was someone trying to hurt me? All I knew was that I was scared and that I didn't want that door to open. The door rattled again while I heard Petunia from downstairs start screaming for Dudley. More voices joined in downstairs, another flash of red and Petunias voice suddenly broke off, only Dudley's screams were left, he sounded like he was in his room.
Nope. No way, I've seen Taken and Commando, no way was I becoming one of those girls. Unlike the girls in those films I didn't have a kick ass dad to save me, no one would come after me if I was kidnapped, like always I only had myself.
I looked out of the window behind me; there wasn't any movement out there that I could see. I looked straight down, it was dark but I couldn't make out much, I knew what was down there, if I held onto the window ledge I should be able to fall into the hedge that Vernon had planted a few years ago. I carefully but quickly climbed up onto the window ledge, every part of my brain was telling me to get out of the window, the other was telling me to run as far as I could and an even smaller part was telling me that jumping out the window was stupid. I climbed out of the window, allowing my sock clad feet to grip onto the bricks of the house, I held on by my fingertips until I was dangling straight down, I hoped that there was no one in the kitchen.
I kept telling myself to let go, but I couldn't bring myself to do it and that's when the bedroom door crashed open above me, I didn't think, I reacted, I let go falling from the window making sure to not voice my surprise. I hit my head on the wall of the house while falling and landing in the hedge, like I had been aiming for, it was a strange sound hearing my head knock into the house and I started to see stars in my vision but I didn't let that stop me. Without looking up I scrambled to my feet and away from the house. Running flat out around the side of the house and over the garden fence, without thinking I ran towards Hakaans house. I didn't knock but ran straight in. Ama looked up shocked from the kitchen down the hall as I shut and bolted the door behind me.
"Someone broke in the house," I panted, "they tried to break door down. Call police." I gasped in between breaths. In an instant Ama had her phone in hand and was calling the police. Banging started at the door behind me, Ama's face paled, 'I'm sorry," I managed to say.
"Get upstairs!" Ama told me firmly, pushing me up the stairs towards Hakaan who was stood on the top landing, Astrid stood next to him. The lights went out, plunging us into darkness making Astrid scream.
"Get into Hakaan's room and don't come out until I say so." Ama called up to us, Hakaan pull me and Astrid into his room before shutting and locking the door. I noticed his cricket bat leaning against the wall and grabbed it, Hakaan followed my lead by grabbing his pull up bar.
I was stood behind the door and in front of his cupboard with Hakaan stood in front of the door, Astrid was stood behind him she was trying to make herself small, but with the exception of the bed there wasn't anything to hide behind. I heard nothing but muffled movements from outside the door, a few muffled voices could be heard and then another red flash and a thud that sounded very much like Vernon hitting the ground. Oh god I brought these people here, did they hurt Ama? This was my fault.
"Who are they?" Hakaan whispered at me, the room was dark, the only light coming from the half-moon outside.
"I don't know." I whispered back just as we heard footsteps outside the door. We all drew back, all of us scared. Stuff like this doesn't happen here, not in little Whinging.
The lock on the door started to undo by itself, my eyes widened, how were they doing that? Astrid gasped in shock; I noticed when Hakaan braced himself, I had seen him do it multiple times when we were sparing, he gripped the pole just as the door opened with a thud, bouncing against the cupboard behind, narrowly missing me as I had cowered back into the corner.
I heard a male voice mutter a word, "stupefy," followed by a red flash, brighter now that I was in the same room, I could do nothing but watch when I came out from behind the door and Hakaan fell silently to the floor, unconscious; at least I hoped he was unconscious. Astrid screamed at the dark figure that was stood between us. He spoke in a careful sounding voice. "Miss Potter, we're not here to hurt you."
He didn't know that I was here; he thought Astrid was me, I could use that. The man slowly edged in keeping his eyes on Astrid. He had a weapon of some kind in his hand so without hesitating brought the bat down over his hands taking out his weapon. Then bringing the bat up into his face trying to knock him out. He went down with an oof and didn't move.
I grabbed Astrids's hand and pulled her with me out of the bedroom door, stepping over the man; who was starting to stir already. We ran down the stairs where Ama was knocked out on the floor and where a startled woman stood over her. Astrid screamed while I placed her behind me, away from the intruders and edged out the open front door protecting her from them. What had I done? I should have run in the opposite direction.
"Mama! Mama!" Astrid began screaming for Ama, I couldn't blame her in the slightest, though Ama was out cold she didn't look hurt I could see her chest moving. I pulled Astrid away from the house, she was reluctant but I made her move.
"Go Astrid. Move!" I growled at her, hoping she would listen and do as I told her.
I pushed the brunette out the door with one more push much to the surprised woman's distain. I pulled my friend towards the back garden knowing that we could get into the next street if we jumped over the fence. I heard something hitting the space around us and a flash of red and Astrid's hand left mine as she fell to the floor. I could see three figures in the shadows. One was very large, larger than anyone I'd ever seen before. I held in my scream and hated myself knowing I'd have to leave Astrid on the ground.
I swore as I jumped the wall and landed in the lane that was on the other side I twisted my ankle landing but I didn't utter a sound and carried on moving away. I ran quickly to the next row of houses. Mrs Figg! If I could get to the next road without being caught I could phone the police from there. I heard a noise behind me somewhere just as I jumped into another garden. I quietly moved towards a gate heading to the street. Figg was at the end of this row, if I stayed to the gardens I could get there unnoticed. I jumped another 3 fences and walls, trying to get as much space between me and my pursuers. This was some nightmare, things like this didn't happen in places like this.
I ducked down next to a bike shed in the shadows, around me all I could hear was the wind, no footsteps and no breathing. What was the red light? Did they have flame throwers or something? Lasers? Goodness knows what's been invented these days. Why did they want me? Was the Hansen's ok? What had I done? I felt a tear fall from my eye. I needed to call help, tell the police what had happened. But the problem that immediately crossed my mind was that now I'd found a hiding place I was struggling in getting the nerve to move, the feeling was immense, knowing I could draw attention to myself in the darkness.
Stuff it! I got up and started for the fence that was about 6ft in front of me I had my arms out to grab the top when I felt arms wrap around me from behind. I screamed in shock but kicked out in front of me kicking off from the fence sending my attacker and me down to the ground. I sent my foot ramming down to their leg under me and followed through with a jab from my elbow down into their stomach like Hakaan had told me to. They grunted but didn't let go.
"We are not here to harm you. Please calm down." The voice said behind my ear.
"Severus, just stun her until we can sort all this out. The whole road is out and the muggle police are arriving. The ministry have gotten involved. Take her to the school and we'll sort it out there." A female voice said from further behind us. They were going to stun me? That light must be from a stun gun, which meant Astrid and Hakaan should be fine but I wasn't going without a fight.
I brought my head back, smashing it into the persons face behind me, they grunted but finally they let me go. It aggravated my bump from the wall but I still managed to spin around to face the person who had me. It was a man with long dark hair he looked at me in surprise, his beetle like eyes glowed at me in the darkness. I made a kick out to his groin and after hearing a groan and the man roll away I scrambled to my feet again making my way to the fence and to the road on the other side. Just as I reached the gate something hit me in the back and all was black.