Chapter 19

As Harry sat down, he looked across at his aunt and nodded. 'Tonight's the night,' he thought, as she nodded back.

So, as Vernon was eating dessert, Harry cleared his throat.

"Um, Uncle Vernon. I wanted to tell you a bit about my school and why I want to go."

Vernon nodded at Harry to continue.

"Well, you know how I ended up on your doorstep." Vernon's eyes widened, but he nodded.

"Well, that world, including the man who left me here, want me to attend their school. The thing is, when I got that letter of acceptance, I learned more than the letter intended." Harry was still trying to skip around the "M" word, but could see no way to further avoid it.

"Go on, boy, I mean Harry. Spit it out." Said Vernon.

"Well, okay, I received part of my magical inheritance. Part of that is that I can feel or see spells around me, depending on how strong they are."

At this pronouncement, Vernon was speechless, so Harry hurried on.

"Well, I started thinking about why I was here. Not on the planet, I mean, but here in your home. Oh, I know the old man left me here after my parents died, but why did he feel the need to leave me when you had a child of your own to raise and nothing to do with that world." Here, he paused, before continuing, "so I asked Aunt Petunia if I could see the letter that was left with me. I could see spells on it as she gave it to me. I dispelled them, but there's no doubt who put them there."

"What spells did you see, Harry?" asked his Uncle Vernon slowly, as if fearing the answer.

"There was one on Aunt Petunia, that whenever she looked at me and thought of her sister, she would experience anger. There was a general compulsion for everyone in the house to hate me and another to hate magic in general." replied Harry.

Petunia raised her hands to her mouth, while Vernon got up, shaking his fist, yelling, "That bastard made us hate our own family! How dare he meddle with my mind! This is outrageous!" Vernon sat down, fuming, while Dudley and Petunia looked on, scared.

"I want you all to know, I don't hold you responsible. That old goat is a powerful wizard and thinks his meddling will go unnoticed. That's the reason I want to attend. I want him brought to heel." stated Harry, vehemently.

Vernon looked at his nephew, now that he had calmed somewhat, he could see the worth in such a course of action. After all, the boy had already broken three pretty strong spells cast by what he thought of as a Lead Wizard Guy.

Nodding, Vernon spoke, "So, how're you gonna pay him back?"

Harry smiled, and explained about the books written and tales told of that famous night that no one, besides Harry, had actually witnessed, and how he was going to make it look bad for Dumbledore, as he was trying to take some sort of credit. At the very least, if the old goat was really his magical guardian, as he suspected, he should be trying to protect Harry's good name, not allow it to be dragged through the mud by guttersnipe reporters like Rita Skeeter. He had a plan worked out through his father's former solicitor, whom he had been in correspondence with since the day after his visit to Diagon Alley. Vernon admired the plan for it's simplicity and, hopefully, the very public humiliation of these perpetrators of lies about his nephew!

It was with this sentiment that the evening ended, and Harry felt relieved that it had gone so well! He sent Hedwig that night to drop off his reply of confirmation that he would be attending Hogwarts, and, no, he did not need an escort to the platform, thank you very much.