*Boom* went the door, and Vernon and Petunia scrambled to their feet. Dudley seemed more like to roll over and ignore the thunder. Nearly silent, Harry Potter had sat up, in the corner of the room, and was peering at the source of the noise.

*BOOOM!* went the door, and Vernon scrambled to grab his gun. Harry was fairly certain doors weren't meant to do that, and that if they were, that there had to be a battering ram on the other side. The island wasn't big enough for a battering ram, let alone space to run, anyway.

*BOOOOOMMMMM!* went the door, making a loud echoey wooden sound as it fell to the ground. Uncle Vernon had his shotgun up, trained on the door. Harry was mildly comforted by that fact, although he knew that the awful strangeness was - with his luck - heavily armored.

Lightning cracked outside - for real this time - and a massive figure was outlined in the door. They said some men were built like walls - this one spanned the door, leaving just enough room for his head and legs to be outlined. Turning sideways, he stepped in (or rather onto) the door.

"Happy Birthday, Harry!" Hagrid grinned.

"Who are you, and why are you here?" Uncle Vernon spat, his face starting to pink. Harry wasn't worried about that 0- it was only bad if his face turned beet red. This was just small anger. He could, and did regularly, deal with that.

"Rubeus Hagrid, that's ma name. Ya seem ta have ha' a problem with the post - we haven't got your letter back."

Uncle Vernon, looking like he didn't want to do it, stopped pointing the gun at Hagrid. It was one thing to shoot an intruder outside your door - it was another to shoot someone actively intruding. He consoled himself with the thought of forcibly pushing the man out the door, if necessary. At least he didn't look to be a thief, no matter how unruly a vagabond he was. (And really, what had he been expecting, in the middle of the night, on an island at sea?)

Aunt Petunia came forward, her face pale and tight, and asked quietly, "What letter were you expecting?"

"Harry's acceptance letter, of course!" Hagrid said with a grin, turning to the boy, "Harry, we need ta get ya your books, and your own, and a wand."

Aunt Petunia nearly shrieked, "He'll be doing none of that! You gave him to us, and we won't have him turn crazy."

Harry Potter slowly stood, looking quietly and carefully between the two.

" 'is parents woulda wanted him ta come." Hagrid said, somewhat dumbfounded.

"Well, we don't. He's doing well enough here."

"Is it money that's botherin ya?" Hagrid asked, seemin' ashamed to have to bring it up. "That's been taken care of."

"We won't have to pay a thing?" Uncle Vernon asked skeptically.

"No! I don't want him around you people! Crazy, round the bend, the lot of you!"

Harry Potter walked over to his Aunt, softly, "I don't like to be a burden, Aunt Petunia."

"Can I just have the money? Is that allowed? Do I get a stipend?" Harry asked, briefly doubting whether the large oaf would actually know what he was asking.

"Why'd ya wanna do that, Harry? Yer ta go to school, and learn magic and all sorts of great things!" Hagrid said.

"But what if I don't like it there?" Harry asked, knowing that he had hated being in class with Duds.

"Ya will, ya will." Hagrid said with excessive amounts of cheer. "But, I suppose, if ya don't like it - ya could take the money, it's yours after all."

"Get out of here, I won't have you poisoning his mind with this tomfoolery!" Aunt Petunia shrieked.

Harry Potter looked at her like an eight year old might. "I won't listen, you know. It sounds like I do have some business to take care of, and no matter how strange they are, I think money's still money."

"Right ya are, young lad!"

"How long will it take? To obtain my money, and consider the matter of schooling?" Harry Potter asked.

"We can have your books and money and everything in one day at Diagon Alley." Hagrid said with a grin.

"Where's that?"

"London."

"You'll take me back to my relatives afterwards?"

"Of course."

"very well then." Harry said, walking out the door with Hagrid. "Can you do something about the door?"

"Sorry!" Hagrid said, and he nearly blushed, standing the door up by his own hands, and then pointing a pink umbrella at it and saying something that in the rain Harry didn't clearly catch - didn't sound like English either.

Inside, well disguised by the rain, Uncle Vernon held his wife in his arms as she wept. His eyes were cold as murder, and he wished that he'd never heard of the word magic.

[a/n: Petunia is a little more protective of Harry here. Still neglectful and demanding, but really doesn't want him to go Wizarding.

Harry's not nearly as "take charge" here as in the books...

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