Here is the next chapter. Please read and review it and we'll see where it goes. Love Moon xxx
Harry returned home by which point Vernon was back and had been appraised of the situation. Surprisingly he wasn't mad at all about it but that was only because he'd been given a significant pay rise and promotion at work that day. He was too proud of himself to give a shit about his nephew right now. That might well change later though whether he liked it or not. He knew because Petunia had told him that they'd only ever need to see their nephew in the summer time which was fine with him so long as he never needed to see any of the other freaks. It was like having nine months off and then three months of what he considered hell. If Harry didn't do all that much though things would be fine. Harry and Dudley were called into the kitchen where Vernon was sitting looking very serious indeed two letters in front of him. Dudley thumped Harry in the side as Vernon smiled.
"Ok Dudley now that's not why I called you in here although your right hook is indeed a mean one. I've been updated on new policies at your school so now they send school reports home to the parents to see. It would seem some children were not handing in their report cards!" he said glaring at Harry. The only reason Harry hadn't done that is because his was excellent and he could almost guarantee Dudley's wasn't. Vernon ordered them to sit down telling Dudley he'd be opening Harry's report card first.
"Let's see what he is so desperate to hide shall we? You can't stop me from seeing it now you fucking swine!" he cursed ripping open the letter with glee.
Dear Mr and Mrs Dursley,
Please find enclosed this report card of my student Harry Potter. He has achieved the grade of an A+. He is a very quiet and shy child who uses many manners. To be honest his grades are excellent however I must point out that I do see a bit of myself in him. When I was younger I too had no friends and it made my teenage years hell. I know of course that teenage years are kind of rough for everyone but I would genuinely recommend him to get a friend as soon as he can. Maybe you can aid him in this endeavour because I am worried he may lack the confidence or skills to do it alone. He knows so much though that making a friend may just be something he isn't good at. Even straight A students have things they are not good at. No one is perfect after all.
I am sorry we have had to start sending these reports home like this but it did seem the only way we could insure you would see it and indeed sign it. It would seem Harry is far more concerned about his cousin Dudley then his own grades. I can see he worries a lot for the boy in terms of how he does in school although I do not know why. I would assume like me in my youth he struggles deeply with taking compliments on his good work. I always did and I can assure you this gets better with time. I am sure he did not wish you to see his report card so he wouldn't have to deal with the praise and would struggle with it.
I would recommend him to take some higher level subjects next year in secondary school. He would be advised to do some advanced reading as well. He has a thirst for knowledge and is always reading something. He also has a talent for art. The only issue we have with Harry is that he can sometimes condescend to adults who do the wrong thing or make a mistake and it does give off rather the wrong impression of him to those who do not know him as I do. I wish him all the very best for his future in secondary school. Mr Potter has been a pleasure to teach.
Signed,
Mrs Davis.
His eyebrows rose in shock at what he had just read as he scowled deeply in Harry's direction. "I see! I am not one bit as foolish as I look boy. Now then let's go to Dudley's shall we!" he said placing the report card of Harry which contained the A +grade mark on it to one side.
Dear Mr and Mrs Dursley,
Please find enclosed this report card of my student Dudley Dursley. He has achieved the grade of a D+. In all honesty if Dudley had spent less time worrying about and antagonising others his grade would be higher. It truly is that simple. This year Dudley has had many tantrums which I wish to report so he may be rid of them when he goes to secondary school. If he is not rid of them then I fear he may be eaten alive in secondary school. I am only saying this because I feel I have no choice. We all know how mean children can be and I would hate for him to be bullied in the future because he often throws tantrums when he doesn't get his own way. When we do PE he is an excellent student and performs the sports quite well. I would actually recommend that he take up a sport of his own choosing in the summertime as it would be an invaluable outlet for all the energy he wastes on tantrums. He has a talent there and I would be remiss to see it wasted.
Dudley does everything he is given but does tend to get very angry when he cannot understand something. I am referring him to a clinical psychologist for one meeting next week to take place here at the school as I fear he may have an undiagnosed learning difficulty we don't know anything about. If that is the case then this could also aid in explaining his low grades and attention span. Dudley is a student who is generally very polite to everyone here at the school except his peers. For some reason better known to him he seems to want to do anything he can to get attention from the adults whether that be a good thing or a bad thing. I would also recommend him doing some extracurricular reading. I am certain that with a little more care and effort he will become the model student I am sure he can be. I wish him the very best of luck next year in secondary school.
Signed
Mrs Davis.
Dudley's report card was a D + while Harry's was an A+ something Vernon found incredibly difficult to swallow. Yes he'd gone to Smeltings as a child but he'd always wanted to do well. He'd always prided himself on having straight grades and had anyone asked him he would have told them those grades alone secured his promotion today. This was the kind of crisis he'd never thought he'd ever face. He was genuinely disgusted with both boys but for different reasons. He was furious Harry had done well effortlessly and mortified by Dudley's poor grades. He would sooner die then be shown up by his own damn son.
"Boy this is the first and last time you will ever hear me say in my life that I do understand. I was like you in my own youth and it is for this reason I understand so much. I wouldn't otherwise. Dudley I love you more than life itself you know that but you had better straighten up and fly right or you won't get to go to Smeltings like me. I will not have an unemployable son in the future!" he said seriously as Dudley looked confused.
"Whatever it is it was his fault!" he said pointing at Harry as Vernon saw his son for the first time for what he actually was and felt slight shame inside. He'd never been like this in his youth so he had assumed it was normal for every other child to be. He had assumed he was the unusual child now he saw he wasn't. Harry was stunned at what Vernon had said never having seen it coming.
"Dudley today I got a promotion at work which means more responsibility and more money. When I was your age my grades were like Harry's. My own father was quite proud as his grades had been like yours. When he had been young education had not been readily available to him hence the bad grades. I am sorry to say that whatever extreme inconvenience Harry here is he is not responsible for your shocking grades only you are. Things are seriously going to change around here from now on. I will be playing a much more important role in your studies. Go to the shelf there and pick up a book please!" he instructed as Dudley who was genuinely stunned he was being given out to at all did so. He returned with it handing it to his father.
"Boy tell me can you read this book?" he asked holding it up for Harry to see. It was actually a small book box containing the three books which made up the Lord of the Rings.
"Yes I can. I've um already read it all. It was remarkable. I loved it!" Harry enthused forgetting for a moment who he was talking to as he allowed the wonder of that world to take him over and saw Vernon shed a tear. Why in the hell couldn't Dudley be like that?
"Dudley you will read this and I don't care how long it takes either. You will read this to me each evening one chapter at a time. We will get you there my lad! Don't you worry we'll soon have you getting grades like Harry here!" he said as Dudley threw himself onto the floor and wailed kicking his legs.
"But I don't want his smelly grades. I want my own stupid grades so I can be myself! I'm not doing it!" he screamed as Vernon ordered him to his room and spoke to Petunia about his grades. Even she could see it wasn't Harry's fault Dudley sucked and would be sure to help in ensuring he always got great grades. He wouldn't be allowed to fail. Smeltings would never take it anyway. His teacher was right that if he didn't stop having tantrums he'd definitely be eaten alive there. His friend John had been like that in their first year of Smeltings and had found it exceedingly tough but on the other hand it forced him to get better because he had no other choice and he did end school with the straight grades he'd not started the school with. Both confused boys were sent to bed for the night. It would seem straight grades were everything to Vernon and he'd except nothing less.
