The Voice:

Harry's magical repair of his voice was necessary for his future growth. The struggle between Harry and Lord Voldemort had been so magically taxing that magic proceeded to find the most vulnerable place in his body, and burn the weakness out. It was fitting that when the foreign magic began to repair his core, that his larynx was made stronger and more resonant. Harry had never spoken much as a child, ever since he resided at the Dursleys. He was expected to say "Yes Uncle, No uncle, Yes Aunt, No Aunt" as his primary set of responses and he suffered from enunciation issues. His voice was a weak small voice - the voice of a child who was always half scared and half confused. While his reading was far ahead of many, most of his teachers had assumed he was slow.

Harry Potter stood over the dilapidated Vernon Dursley and allowed the 'magic' to suffuse into his voice.

"Wake up Uncle" his voice commanded, deep and baritone as it resonated in his neck. Harry hoped that his magic could do something. Harry stayed out of reach in case the bird had to shock Vernon unconscious again. Yet, something was buzzing and he could feel it working its way into the environment. With a disorienting headache, Vernon awoke to find the freak staring at him. He could somewhat remember a freakish seagull attacking him and he was going to beat both of them within one inch of their lives. As soon as he opened his mouth to speak…

"Stay quiet and do not move" Harry commanded.

Vernon became frightened, as he realised that he could speak no matter how much he struggled. His muscles refused to move his body. The boy was a freak like his father, and Vernon realised that which he had dreaded, had arrived.

Now, he would be forced to participate in the boy's witchcraft. Vernon eventually resigned himself to comply, with the foolish and unrealistic idea that he would get his revenge later. Vernon however, would not be himself for a very long time from this day forward.

"Tell me why you hit me uncle" Harry questioned.

At this point, Vernon was forced to reluctantly explain the situation that had occurred at work. Harry was flabbergasted when the explanation that was offered was that 'his freakishness' was the cause of him losing his perks. More impossible was the claim that if 'it' was beaten out of him, he was sure that his situation at work would return to normal. Harry found the logic presented in full denial of Vernon's behaviour, and utterly convoluted in its scope, but decided to let it be – perhaps the explanation would become more entertaining.

Vernon explained that every time they had tried to remove 'the freakishness' out of him, the freakishness would heal him and keep him alive. He was tired of being defeated by some unknown satanic force and that beating the evil out of him would keep his house and his life safe.

Harry thought to himself…"You learn something new, every day."

Harry realised that Vernon had always known about his magic and had chosen to tell him lies.

"Tell me why you hate me?" Harry asked as he continued to press forward with the interrogation.

Vernon explained that he was forced into marrying Petunia out of wedlock. When the Dursleys had been invited to a restaurant dinner with James and Lilly, it became obvious that the Potter man had millions of pounds worth of fortune. Vernon explained he always wanted a beautiful woman and a wealthy lifestyle. He who had been born poor and struggled into the middle class would never see that kind of wealth. And now the spawn of that man was living in his house for free and enjoying his money? Why didn't his father plan for him? He supported Petunia blindly because he understood the other alternative was to be alone. After Harry went off to his freak school, he would live in their world and the Dursleys would be forgotten – just the same way Petunia complained that Lilly no longer had to struggle like her.

"Tell me everything you know about my parents' world," Harry asked, curious to know more and wanting to connect the dots.

Vernon explained what little Petunia had shared with him – that the magical world was separate, and had a magical school called 'Dogwarts'. There was some bank called 'Grugeguts'. A man called 'Fumbleduck' left Harry in a basket on the doorstep with a letter explaining that his parents had been killed by some 'magic man'. He was to stay at their home, because of some 'hocus-pocus' protection that Lilly had done. He would be safe until a stupid letter arrived via a ridiculous bird to go to a freak magical boarding school.

This information was not anything new, except for confirming that the thing inside him was called magic. Harry began to wonder how a person could be named 'Fumbleduck'. Harry considered that it was time to put some plans in motion. Harry looked at Vernon and commanded him, as the magic assisted him with the pronunciation and his recall:

"You will act normal. You will stop telling me mean things. I will eat what I want. I will do stuff if I want to!

You will tell Petunia that the police were asking questions. You will let the bird stay in my cupboard. You will give me the attic. You will not let anyone know I can make you do things. You will tell Aunty to go along. And you will give me ice cream money tomorrow morning!"

Harry considered his work done. He grabbed a couple of thick blankets and decided that he would be comfortable in his little cupboard. The phoenix reflexively followed him and sat on top of the boy to keep him warm. Harry's little arm grabbed the bird in a small tight hug, and he told the confused avian

"You are the best!"

The phoenix, although quite surprised, acquiesced and found herself quite contented. She began to trill softly and began to sing the phoenix song so that his courage, intellect and sensitivity to magic would be bolstered. By tomorrow morning, his brain would begin to draw upon that which was buried under the pain, so that he could recover quickly. Tomorrow was Sunday and Petunia and Dudley would arrive home at approximately ten in the morning. They were not the least bit aware that they would not be themselves for a long time. The universe would always balance itself and it demanded that Petunia and Dudley compensate Harry Potter for his mistreatment over the years.