Part 10

The next morning, Harry woke up early so he could make breakfast and try to put his uncle in a good mood. Hedwig had returned after making her delivery to Ron the night before and was munching happily on her night's catch. Groggily, Harry reached for his glasses and looked at the clock. The Dursleys wouldn't be up for another hour or so. It was a tribute to how much Harry wanted to get out of the house, that he was getting up to make breakfast.

For breakfast, Harry made bacon and eggs. Standing over the stove, Harry remembered the time almost six years ago when he had made a breakfast just like this. Back then, he had been miserable, not thinking that there would ever be anything for him but a life of sadness and drudgery. Then, he got the letter from Hogwarts and everything changed.

Quickly, Harry pulled his mind back to the present to keep the bacon from burning. Twenty minutes later, Harry heard the heavy thumps on the stairs that could only mean that Dudley was up. Harry grimaced. Of course Dudley would be the first one up when he smelled breakfast.

He pushed his blonde hair out of his eyes, mumbling indistinctly as he came into the kitchen. "Mornin' Mum," Dudley yawned, but stopped when he saw Harry.

"What are you doing?" Dudley asked, his eyes suspicious.

"Making breakfast," Harry gestured, fighting to keep his tone pleasant. "Want some?"

Dudley's eyes narrowed. "What did you do to it, Potter?" he snarled.

"I didn't do anything, Dudley," Harry protested.

Dudley crossed his fat arms over his broad chest. "Sure you didn't. If not, then why are you up so early?"

"I'm making breakfast," Harry said, gritting his teeth.

"What did you do to it, Potter?" Dudley growled, coming up and grabbing Harry by the collar.

"Get away from me Dudley!" Harry said, pushing Dudley away. "I didn't do anything."

"You never get up early. You're obviously planning something. Now tell me, or else I'll go and tell Mom and Dad."

Harry rolled his eyes and threw up his hands in exasperation. "I didn't do anything! Why won't you believe me?!"

"Get away from me!" Dudley cried, his piggy eyes narrowing in panic.

Harry had no idea what had happened and then realized he was still holding the spatchela. He went to throw it down when the kitchen door burst open and Uncle Vernon came in, sleepy eyed.

The scene froze, and as Vernon took it all in, his eyes grew smaller and his face flushed so much it turned purple. His blonde moustache bristled and he clenched his hands into fists. "What are you doing, Boy?" he asked, his voice quiet but deadly.

"I-I was making breakfast," Harry gestured behind him.

"He was not Dad!" Dudley protested. "He was threatening me with the spatchela!! He was going to use it as a wan-weapon!"

Uncle Vernon practically shook with anger. "You were what?!" he shouted.

"I was making breakfast!" Harry yelled.

Dudley shook his head. "That's not true! Harry's lying Dad, he's lying! He was going to do…the m word!"

"HOW DARE YOU EVEN THINK OF THREATNING MY SON UNDER MY ROOF!!!" Uncle Vernon yelled, spit flying from his mouth. "YOU UNGRATEFUL WHELP! WE TOOK YOU IN AND LOOK WHERE THAT'S GOTTEN US. YOU THREATEN MY SON!!! AND WHAT IS THAT BEHIND YOU? WERE YOU TRYING TO POISON US?"

Harry shook his head vehemently. "I wasn't, I promise! I was just making breakfast! I swear it!"

Uncle Vernon shook his head. "Of course that's what you'll tell us! I want you out of my house. NOW! You leave, go to your dirty friend's, go anywhere, just LEAVE! Get out of my house this INSTANT!"

Harry was at a loss. He wasn't expected at the Weasley's until August at least. "Now?" he gulped. The spatchela fell from his hands onto the marble floor.

"Now," Vernon said briskly, folding his arms.

Dudley went to stand by his father as well, folding his arms and looking like a miniature Vernon.

"I-I—now?"

"Yes boy. Are you deaf?" Vernon mocked his nephew.

"I-I can't go now," Harry sputtered.

Vernon laughed. "You can and you will, boy. I want you out of my house and our of our lives!"

"No," a quiet voice said; a voice not belonging to Harry.

All three men in the kitchen turned and saw in the doorway Aunt Petunia who had been roused by all the yelling. She had tied a large, fuzzy pink bathrobe around herself and on her feet were little pink slippers. Her horsey lips were pursed in displeasure and her hands were firmly crossed in front of her.

None of the men could believe what she had said.

"What was that, Petunia, love?" Vernon asked, quietly.

"I said, no," Petunia answered.

"No to what, Mother?" Dudley asked.

"No, Harry is not leaving," Aunt Petunia said firmly.

Uncle Vernon's eyes widened in surprise and he started to sputter, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. Finally, he managed to get out, "What do you mean?"

"I mean exactly what I said," Aunt Petunia answered, coming into the kitchen and picking the spatchela up off the floor.

Harry stepped back, astonished. Was this really Aunt Petunia…defending him?

"Harry shall not be leaving, not unless he has somewhere to go."

"He has somewhere to go. He has all those…weird friends of his!" Uncle Vernon blustered. "Besides, since when do you care?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

Aunt Petunia shifted a little nervously. "I-I don't," she said. "I just-I promised the…principal of Harry's school that he would stay here. And now with…that man being dead, I-I can't break my word. Besides, you can't just send him off to those people without any warning. I won't be driving him all the way out there which would happen if you just send him now. We'll write to them and have them pick Harry up. No bother to us," Aunt Petunia said, sounding more like her old self now.

"But Motheeeeer," Dudley whined.

Aunt Petunia's face softened, "Yes Duddums?"

Dudley shifted uncomfortably hearing that name, but continued, "He-he threatened me Mother," Dudley protested.

Aunt Petunia went and put her shoulders around her son. "And he will be punished, don't worry Duddy Dearwums," she crooned softly, all the while glaring daggers at Harry.

Harry just stood there, dumbfounded.

"Fine, then if you are going to go stay with these friends of yours, go upstairs and write to them. And don't bother coming down for breakfast or lunch!" Vernon shouted at Harry's retreating back.

Harry ran up the stairs and slammed the door behind him. As if he would attack Dudley! Sitting heavily down on the bed, Harry put his head in his hands. He didn't know how things had gone so wrong so quickly. At least Uncle Vernon had given his permission for Harry to go stay with Ron. To keep his mind occupied, Harry went and got a piece of parchment and his quill. Finding his ink pot empty, Harry rummaged in his desk and pulled out his spare pot. With an impatient gesture, Harry sharpened his quill and dipped it in the ink.

"Dear Ron,

Things here have been getting stranger by the minute. And no, its nothing to do with Voldemort, but with my Aunt Petunia. Anyway, I'll tell you all about it when I see you, but I'm writing to tell you that the Dursley's have given me their permission to come. I would have come anyway, but it was good to ask their permission. Anyway, I can't wait to see you.

Bye,

Harry"

Just as Harry was about to send the letter off, Pig came zooming through the window and hit Harry on the side of the head.

"Ouch! Piiig!" Harry moaned, grabbing the furry tennis-ball like owl out of the air. There was a letter attached to his foot, and Harry grabbed it off before putting Pig down beside Hedwig.

Harry smiled to see Ron's familiar and messy scrawl.

"Hi Harry,

Wow, I'm hearing a lot from you lately, aren't I? Yes, it's true about the Malfoys. Dad just says that they probably went into hiding since the rest of the wizarding world knows that they are now. No one has been able to forgive them since Draco let those Death Eaters into the castle.

Things are going well here. Fred and George are back for good now, or at least, for as long as "good" is for them. Hermione is coming in a couple days. Her parents apparently gave their permission right away. Ginny is glad that Hermione's coming, she is tired of being the only girl in the house besides Mum and Fleur. She and Hermione were always close.

Anyway, hope you get around to asking the Dursleys soon,

Ron"

Harry smiled as he read the letter then called Pig over. "Take this letter to Ron," he said, tying the message to the owl's feet. Pig hooted excitedly, took a sip from Hedwig's water dish, then was off, bouncing through the air like an oversized tennis ball.

Harry shook his head, still smiling. He couldn't wait to get to the Burrow.