A Dog's Purpose Is Strange Magic Chapter 3
Bailey lost count of how many days she and Harry were confined to the cupboard after the fiasco at the zoo. The only thing Bailey had to go on was the when they were finally let out the summer holidays had started without them.
It was both a blessing and a hindrance to their wellbeing.
Harry no longer had to go to school, but this spelled trouble at the house. Dudley's friends Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon came to the house each day all day and their favorite entertainment was tormenting the duo every single chance they got. So at every opportunity that arose whenever Harry's chores around the Dursley property were complete they snuck out of the house to wander the neighborhood.
Because of the food shortage at the house during their incarceration in the cupboard Harry had to improvise. He could make do with what he had at home, but needed to find a solution for Bailey. Luckily there were plenty of garbage cans. Bailey's favorites could be found at playgrounds. Parents and children took food they brought from home or from restaurants there all the time. The process of getting it was gross, but Bailey didn't mind. Time living on the streets foraging as a puppy made her used to consuming scraps from the trash.
Day in and day out this was the duos routine over the course in the bulk of the summer months.
Until one day where that routine was disrupted and the pairs lives were upended from that day forward.
It was a little over a month before the new school year would begin. This new term at school is a significant turning point in their lives. Dudley would be sent to a prestigious private school his father went to at his age while Harry would be enrolled into a secondary school.
The cousins would be separated and Harry would finally be granted some relief from the abuse he got from his relatives at home.
A few days ahead of his birthday in the morning that was when the letter arrived. A letter that would change everything.
The moment Bailey walked into the kitchen with Harry her nose wrinkled in disgust picking up a revolting odor coming from the stove.
Uncle Vernon and Dudley were sitting at the table enjoying their breakfast. Dudley was wearing his school uniform for Smeltings proudly wearing it around the house showing it off. Aunt Petunia was stirring something inside a metal tub in the sink. Harry quickly learned it was to be his new school uniform, some of Dudley's old clothes. The Dursley's refused to pay for anything nice where it came to him.
Instead of staying in the room with a scent that was hurting her nose Bailey went to retrieve the mail without being given a command. The post was right where it always was underneath an open mail slot in the front door along with the newspaper. Bailey would have to make two trips to carry all of that in so she wouldn't drop it. Taking the newspaper in her mouth Bailey trotted through the kitchen into the living room.
Uncle Vernon took the newspaper from her mouth without even giving her a passing glance. Dudley tried to hit her with a knobbly stick he had for his uniform, but she was too fast for him.
By the time Bailey got back into the hallway for the post Harry beat her there. He'd heard enough from Aunt Petunia and when he unwisely talked back to her she sent him out to get the mail too. As Bailey got closer Harry was lazily flipping through the envelopes in the pile when he suddenly stopped staring bug eyed at a letter in his hand. Bailey could tell something had surprised him, but couldn't surmise what. When Harry flipped it over to check what was on the other side she got a good view of the writing, but couldn't read.
For Harry the name of the intended receiver and the address as said person was as clear as night and day.
Mr. H. Potter
The Cupboard under the stairs
4 Private Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
That wasn't all. On the opposite side of the sealed envelope was a coat of arms Harry didn't recognize. The wax seal bore a lion, eagle, badger, and a snake surrounding a large capital letter H.
In a daze Harry robotically handed the bill and postcard for Bailey to carry while he held onto the letter with his name on it. He trailed after Bailey into the living room not taking his eyes off of it. Uncle Vernon took the post from Bailey scanning what was written on the postcard first. The man didn't even see Harry begin to break into the seal onto the back of his letter totally disinterested.
"Oh, Marge is ill. Ate a funny whelk," said Uncle Vernon.
"Dad! Dad, Harry's got something," shouted Dudley, jumping out of his chair pointing at it.
Distracted Harry hadn't caught on that Dudley had been eyeballing him ever since he walked in.
Tattletale!
Harry was in the middle of taking the folded letter out of the envelope when Uncle Vernon unceremoniously ripped it from his fingers.
Bailey barked loudly at Uncle Vernon telling him to give it back.
"Shut up," growled Uncle Vernon to Bailey.
"That's mine," exclaimed Harry, trying to snatch it back reaching across the table for the parchment.
"Who'd be writing to you," sneered Uncle Vernon. His tone of voice and facial expression soon changed after he read the top line alone. "P-P-Petunia!"
"What is it, Vernon," said Aunt Petunia, taking the letter and reading it for herself. Appearing as though she might collapse in a dead faint she clutched her throat making a choking noise in horror. "Vernon! Oh m goodness – Vernon!"
Bailey had never heard such a high-pitched screech from Aunt Petunia.
"I want to read that letter," demanded Dudley, arrogantly, whacking his fathers head with the Smelting stick.
"I want to read it as it's mine," said Harry, furiously.
"Get out, both of you," croaked Uncle Vernon, stuffing the letter back into the envelope where neither of the boys could steal it.
"I want my letter," shouted Harry.
Bailey continued barking.
"Out," boomed Uncle Vernon, showing no tolerance.
Uncle Vernon took Harry and Dudley by at the scruff of their necks and tossed them into the hall. Not thinking clearly Uncle Vernon kicked Bailey out into the hallway slamming the kitchen door to the hallway behind them. There would've been a fight between the cousins to eavesdrop at the keyhole if Bailey hadn't intervened on Harry's behalf. Dudley went to punch Harry, but Bailey growled quite uncharacteristically at him. That was plenty enough to get him to retreat but not leave. He still wanted to know what his parents were saying behind closed doors.
Voice trembling uncontrollably, Aunt Petunia stuttered "Vernon, look at the address. How could they possibly know where he sleeps? You don't think they're watching the house?"
"Watching, spying, might be following us," said Uncle Vernon, wildly pacing up and down the length of the kitchen floor.
"But what should we do, Vernon? Should we write back? Tell them we don't want-."
"No," spat Uncle Vernon, decisively. "No, we'll just ignore it. If they don't get an answer…Yes, that's best…we won't do anything…"
"But-," pressed Aunt Petunia, worriedly.
So loud Bailey pinned her ears flat against her head, maddeningly, Uncle Vernon roared "I'm not having one in the house, Petunia! Didn't we swear when we took him in we'd stamp out that dangerous nonsense?"
Bailey had no clue what was going on. This made no sense.
Things got really weird later on.
Authors Note:
And so the Hogwarts letter has come!
Make way for Hagrid everyone. How do you guys think Hagrid is going to react to the fact Harry has a dog?
Also, for the record, it is not legal or humane to kick a dog or any other animal.