Yay! Another update the very next day! My teachers didn't give me much homework, so I just took advantage of the situation. So... Here's Chapter 8!
A blanket of pure white covered the pine trees. The sun shone down upon the scene brightly, which would have made anyone slit their eyes against the dazzling white sparkle of snow. However, the only living creature to observe the beautiful view was a dog which belonged to the Humphreys next door.
Minerva Apparated in the backyard of the Dursleys' house out of thin air, wearing sky blue robes with a heavy navy blue cloak to keep out the bitter cold. "Seems like I timed my arrival perfectly," she muttered as she watched the dark green van of the Dursleys' round the corner of the neighborhood.
"Harry?" Minerva called, looking round the yard as she expected Harry to be waiting for her as he always did. Frowning in confusion, she strode round the garden, peering behind each bush and tree. After all, at one memorable visit, Harry had hidden behind a prickly bush, leaped behind her, grabbed her robes and shouted, "Caught you!" She had jumped nearly a foot in the air in fright, drawn her wand and whipped around to face her attacker, only to find a sputtering and gasping boy.
After confirming Harry was indeed not in the garden, she came to the conclusion that Harry was inside the house, maybe finishing off some chores his relatives had assigned for him. "Well, maybe I could give him a hand," Minerva though with a grin on her face. "What a pity I couldn't use magic." Creeping to the back door, she muttered, "Alohomora!" She heard a faint click and the door swung open. Forgetting all about shutting the door, she went straight upstairs as she expected Harry to be there, cleaning the toilet or tidying the bedrooms.
"Harry? Harry, quit hiding!" Minerva called out, looking through the rooms and trying to make as little mess as possible. She searched in Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's bedroom, where the chairs and bed were completely covered by tried on and rejected clothes, proving Harry had not been there yet to clean up; two bedrooms, which she suspected belonged to that horrible cousin of Harry's, filled with all sorts of video games, a computer and a television, but still utterly messy; and a unusually tidy guestroom, incanting no one was staying there at the moment – but still no sight of Harry, apart from the soaking wet bathroom, where the toilet seem to have no water at all.
Frustrated, and wondering if Harry had gone out with the Dursleys for goodness knows what, she went back downstairs to search, though she doubted he was there as she haven't heard anything(sneezes, coughs, giggles, that sort of thing). She began with the sitting room, going in a circle, looking in cabinets and cupboards. Finally, she was back at where she started – the staircase.
"Okay, search one more time and then I leave," Minerva promised herself mentally. She turned on the spot, and a grey tabby cat was suddenly in the Dursley household. Closing her eyes to help her concentrate, Minnie strained her ears for a sound – any sound – that sounded like Harry. She heard the 'plink' of the water dripping from the tap into the basin, the wail of a baby in the second story across the street, the growl of a dog in the next garden…
And then she heard it. The sound. A groan… Coming from the cupboard under the stairs! Turning back into her human form, she fumbled for her wand to unlock the door. By the time she finally got it open, she nearly fainted from shock.
Harry was covered from head to toe with bruises and deep cuts, still bleeding.
I'm pretty sure I know what you guys are going to say. It'll be something like:' Dudley is a big bully', 'Dudley and the Dursleys deserved a punishment', 'I wish Minerva would hurry up and adopt Harry' or 'Poor Harry!'. Am I correct? Anyways, even if I already listed all the things you'll like to say, PLEASE REVIEW! I DEMAND YOU DO SO! Or... Or... I know! I'll use the Bat-Bogey Hex on you! (Has anyone seen Ginny? I need her to tutor me...)
Bianca tabbycat