THE MAGICAL MAFIA
AUTHORS NOTE: this is an alternative universe type story with the dates all set 10 years later
CHAPTER ONE:
July 18th 2001
It was looking to be a nice day in in Little whinging as the sun rose gently into the sky, the streets weren't fully empty however especially in privet drive as one or two men were already on the way to work and the postman had walked up bringing with him a large bag of post. He pulled a mall bundle of letters and posted it through the letter box of Number Four. The clink of the letterbox reached the residents who were currently in the kitchen enjoying breakfast. Mr Vernon Dursley the man of the house sat at the table reading the newspaper as he waited his breakfast and his morning cup of coffee, he was a fat man with an impressive moustache and greying brown hair. Mrs Petunia Dursley Nee Evens stood by the kettle making coffee for both herself and Vernon, she was a thin blonde woman with too much neck. Their son Dudley sat opposite Vernon munching his second plate of breakfast, He was a clone of Vernon weight and all but he had his mothers colouring. There was a fourth member of the family as it were although he was merely tolerated at best. His name was Harry Potter, he was small dark haired and wearing glasses which hid his green eyes.
"Get the mail Dudley" Uncle Vernon grunted from behind his paper earning a glare from his beloved son and heir.
"Make Harry get it" Dudley moaned around his food as Harry settled a plate of food for Vernon to eat
"Boy get the mail" Vernon barked slapping Harry on the back with the newspaper before returning to read it. Dudley chuckled at the hit.
"Yes uncle Vernon" Harry replied containing his wince as best as he could as he left the kitchen and walked to the front door where a pile of letters sat on the matt.
Harry sorted through them quickly sliding the junk mail to the bottom of the pile. So the Dursleys had two bank statements, a post card from Aunt Petunias friend Yvonne, a postcard from Aunt Marge and a few other official looking letter Harry was unsure about. The last letter was for Harry and it's specificness of the address scared him.
Mr Harrison Potter
The cupboard under the stairs
No 4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Harrison was part of Harry's full name of Harrison James Potter...No-one in little whinging bar Aunt Petunia knew that. He knew instantly his aunt wouldn't write this letter. Not without some risk from Vernon.
"What's wrong boy looking for letter bombs?" Vernon called out form the kitchen before chuckling at his non existent joke.
Harry slid the letter into his trousers and walked into the kitchen as if noting had happened
"I'm sorry Uncle Vernon" Harry replied giving the man the letters "Merely making sure the junk mail was thoroughly sorted to the bottom for you"
Vernon nodded his approval and rifled through the letters. Harry earned a nod from his Aunt and not half an hour later was running out the back gate having cleared the table and done the washing up beside his Aunt. The strange letter shaped bulge in Harry's trousers was never questioned and Harry thanked his magical luck for that.
Ever since he was six years old Harry was able to do things not many other kids could do, he called it his magical luck. He could heal most of his injuries, was able to swipe pocket-able items such as fruit, soda cans and money, Every white and vague lie he told was believed at face value, he was even able to forge signatures and blur his report cards so the Dursleys weren't suspect of his intelligence, the teachers didn't care at the last one really. St Agnes primary school was overcrowded and surprisingly underfunded despite being in a profitable town such as Little Whinging. The only other kid who could match him in skills was his best friend Maggie Blacksmith who lived at Number Twelve, Privet Drive for as long as he lived at Number Four.
Apart Maggie and Harry were merely intelligent children with unusual skills together they were a force to be reckoned with. Whilst other students struggled to look past Dudley's bullying ways the pair used it to their advantage, by creating an unusual presence of those who would give you what you want for a price. More often or not they were approached to give out copies of homework, retrieve copies of test keys or to run interference with Dudley and his gang. Often pocket money and back up for lies were the price students paid. However a few owed a favour or two. These usually cultivated these favours in the buying of equipment such as pens notebooks and book bags as well as items of clothing mainly for Harry.
Harry was running so quickly he couldn't stop himself as he collided with is best friend Maggie outside the back gate of Number Twelve. Margery Blacksmith known commonly as Maggie or Mags depending on person and mood was an almost eleven year old girl from Harry's school. The pair had been best friends since first year and the pair refused to be separated for long periods of time, Uncle Vernon and Mr Blacksmith had tried to keep them apart and not even Dudley could scare her off. Maggie had piercing blue eyes and long almost white-blonde hair If harry hadn't met her mother Marion and aunts Julie Hubble and Alison Lewis that one time then Harry would have assumed she was related to Aunt Petunia in some way. Harry helped Maggie to her feet and the two ran down the ally way and ducking into the shed of the abandoned house on Violet drive.
"Did you get your letter?" Maggie asked after a few moments of breathing hard she sounded a little panicked Harry held it up and let her read it
Mr Harrison Potter
The cupboard under the stairs
No 4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Harry saw Maggie's face turn pale as she handed up the letter addressed to her over. His stomach flipped as he saw how her address was labelled.
Margery Blacksmith
The dungeon
No 12 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Maggie's bedroom had once been part of Number Twelve's basement and had ended up being labelled as the dungeon by her stepfather John Blacksmith during one of his rage periods.
"It was lucky I'd gotten the post today I'm not sure my parents could have..." Maggie said Harry nodded Maggie's parents weren't the best people to deal with both of them were prone to arguments and fighting, Maggie had been verbally abused by both parents throughout their childhood and it seamed today was one of those days she was best out the way.
"OK best open them and read them" Harry said his worried voice filling the quiet room "Then we discuss if we really want to go alright, on three one, two, three"
They opened the parchment envelopes at the same time and pulled out the sheets of parchment. Harry took a deep breath, unfolded them and began to read.
HOGWARTS SCHOOL of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY
Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore
(Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock,
Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards)
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, A Cat or A Toad.
PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST YEARS
ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICK
Harry looked up from reading the pieces of parchment to see Maggie frowning at hers as she re-read it.
"Well, do you reckon we should go?" He asked sheepishly "Or shall we do what Jordan suggests and head for Ilvermourney?"
Maggie raised her head to stare at him a range of looks glazed over her face as she did so before determination settled in her eyes. Mention of Maggie's cousin Jordan often listed this response.
"Even if we decide which school we still need to leave Privet Drive for good" Maggie replied "I for one am not living here past the first of August"
***Mini Break***Mini Break***
July 25th 2001 11:55pm
Harry sat on the tiny mattress waiting patiently as the tiny alarm clock slowly ticked towards midnight. His relatives Vernon, Petunia and Dudley had gone to bed upstairs not two hours ago the confirmation that they were asleep was three distinct sets of snoring. Harry shifted his weight as he sat but remained perfectly silent and patient...there was an executed plan in the works and Harry would have it go off without a hitch. To the outside world Harry was a rather small, thin looking boy with emerald green eyes and a mop of unruly black hair who would never consider running away. The Dursleys who were loud brash and bemoaned the values of being a perfectly normal family. No-one saw the emotional and occasional abuse Vernon dished out to the whole family. Harry took a deep breath and looked to the clock...five to twelve...he had five minutes before he could leave the cupboard.
Harry used the time to slide on a black hooded jumper, and black socks before securing two rather large black bags, one was a suitcase and was already full and the other a camping bag for lack of a better word only a third to a half full. How he'd gotten away with storing them in the cupboard and managing to collect everything in the house that was his Harry wasn't sure, but he thanked his magical luck anyway. The half plan that Harry and Maggie had for years only needed a week since they called in as many of the remaining favours as they could, with all the other children providing them with an item that would help in the long run.
Harry looked towards the clock and grinned as the hands hit twelve. He shifted to his knees as he magically reached out and unlatched the cupboard latch. Harry's magic despite what he could do was still growing and as such Harry couldn't do big things like levitate chairs or explode things, but he had finessed control over doing several small things that made his life better as well as the ability to unlock doors without keys and make things look like they'd been untouched for months. Harry climbed out of the cupboard under the stairs and stretched. Sitting in a small cramped cupboard definitely strained the joints. Placing the full bag by the back door to the garden Harry took the partially full bag to the kitchen and filled most of it with the recently bought junk food Dudley loved eating, just enough where it wasn't noticed straight away.
After listening to his relatives snoring for a moment Harry walked on silent feet over to the alcohol cabinet that Vernon was so proud of and opened the bottom compartment where he kept a safe. The safe was a small one and rather plain, Vernon kept several important work documents in there as well as a decent stack of bills for "Emergencies", harry knew better however. The important work documents were blackmail on several of Vernon's collogues and the money was part of an elaborate embezzling and blackmailing scheme Vernon had going. Harry wasn't there for the documents but he already had photographic copies of what they were. What harry wanted was the money, taking several food zip lock bags harry stuffed every last note into them and hid them in the second bag. Closing it when he was done.
Harry closed the safe and compartment door making sure it looked untouched at first and second glances. Harry placed the second bag by the back door and tiptoed back to the cupboard under the stairs where he pulled out a pair of black trainers. Harry slid them on before making the bed perfectly tidy with a had written letter placed squarely in the middle of it. Harry gently closed the cupboard door and locked it again. Had to make it look like he hadn't left after all. Harry went to the back door and opened it as quietly as he could. Harry took one of the bags straight to the back gate and hid it behind the bush didn't want to get caught this early in his escape after all. Harry returned to the other bag and shouldered it, he took one last look around the house that had been his hell for almost nine years then stepped out closing the door behind him. The lock clicking shut as he did so.
Harry had reached the back gate and opened it when he heard the phone go off from inside the house. Harry glanced over the backs of Number two and number six before throwing his suitcase and the bag through the gate and locking it behind him. Whist he hadn't seen anyone at the windows he wasn't taking any chances that someone had seen him and was snitching. Harry ran down the ally way and towards freedom unaware that the phone call was from a hospital across the country where Margery Dursley had been housed due to breaking her legs tripping over several dogs. Vernon in the haste of upping his family go go help, had forgotten all about his nephew supposedly being in the cupboard under the stairs. The family wouldn't return to privet drive until a week later...and by then they would have a nasty shock and Harry was long gone.
Harry collided with Maggie outside the back gate of Number Twelve. Maggie remained on her feet this time as Harry grabbed a hold of her shoulder then clasped a hand over her mouth when she went to speak. She relaxed when she saw it was Harry.
"The Dursleys phone went off" Harry whispered in her ear "we need to move now and quickly"
Maggie sensing Harry's' panic nodded and grabbed her own bags, leaving the back gate to number twelve unlocked and partially open in their haste. The pair of them took to the alleyways of Little Whinging towards the train station, the last train of the night was at twelve forty-five and they had ten minutes to reach it before the train left and the station closed until tomorrow. The pair made it in record time and jumped on the train just before it closed its doors
"That was close" Maggie huffed breathlessly "Thank god for the stations side gate"
Harry nodded in agreement the station staff often locked the main station for the last two trains of the night and used the side gate to let people in and out, the station at this time was poorly manned and as such ticket jumpers took advantage. Maggie however had swiped her parents travel cards which were due to run out two days after the pair would use them.
"All we can hope for now is no-one recognised us, the cameras are glitchy and Jordan should be there waiting for us at London Victoria" Harry said his own breathing a little ragged as he pulled out two soda cans and offered one "I'm glad I no longer have to call that hellhole home, Drink?"
***Mini Break***Mini Break***
July 25th 2001 01:00am
In the wilds of Scotland in an office behind the walls of a impressive castle hiding behind numerous wards and spells sat several silvery trinkets and doodads. The castle was Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the office was that of the headmaster belonging to one Albus Dumbledore. Said Albus Dumbledore was not there for he was abroad serving his position as British ambassador for the ICW. If he was he would have seen said silvery trinkets and doodads spark and smoke as if on cue before the smoke cleared and stopping use all together. If he did...He would realise that all of his plans for one Harrison James Potter, Duke Fitzroy were heading quickly down the drain. It would take several days after he returned to realise something in his small viewpoint was very very wrong.
# # # # END OF CHAPTER ONE# # # # END OF CHAPTER ONE# # # #
Thank you for reading chapter one of The Hufflepuff Mafia
Please leave a review.