Chapter 2: Lucky 7

Disclaimer: this work borrows from the world of J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter books; some plot elements, characters, and concepts are hers.

Harry woke early to hear his Aunt Petunia's scolding voice

"Wake up boy!" she shrieked "Why haven't you started breakfast yet you ungrateful freak!"

He got up off of the floor and tried to open the door, to find it locked.

"The door is locked Aunt Petunia" Harry called at her when she

Petunia gave an exasperated sigh, and unlocked the door, flinging it open.

"Why didn't you unlock it?" she hissed acidly

Harry shrugged "I was trying not to be a freak" he said coldly, and stepped past his aunt, and headed for the kitchen to make breakfast.

Harry had just finished preparing breakfast, consisting of bangers, griddle cakes and porridge, and was just setting the table when the doorbell rang, and Aunt Petunia yelled at him to get the door.

"All right" Harry muttered, and headed for the door; he opened it, and nearly fainted from shock.

There, smiling benignly at him was his uncle's famous cousin, Gilderoy Lockhart.

"Hello lad." Lockhart said with a massive smile, his eyes sparkling almost as much as his glamour-charmed teeth. "I'm here to meet my cousin, is Vernon Dursley here?"

"Roy!" Vernon's walrus like voice called eagerly, he stepped forward, pushing Harry out of the way, and reached to shake hands with his famous cousin.

Harry felt a knot form in his stomach as soon as he saw Lockhart standing on the doorstep.

When his uncle rushed forward, Harry slipped back, heading for the cupboard under the stairs.

Harry never thought he would look forward to being in the small, stuffy cupboard, but he was. From the foyer he heard Lockhart's eager voice. "Vernon, I'm so happy to see you again, it's been what, twenty years?" Harry could almost hear the gooey smile on the former professor's face as he continued, not waiting for Vernon to reply. "I brought something for you. I've actually had a few books published, and I thought you might want an autographed collection" he said pleasantly.

Harry shut the door, torn between laughing and trying to run away.

He didn't think that Vernon's reaction to some of the titles would be good. He wasn't disappointed.

Vernon Dursley was at a loss for words.

His cousin, the man who had made his family proud, was a freak.

Worse yet, that freak was the majority owner of Grunnings drills, though up to now he had been a silent partner, allowing the business to be run the way the managers saw fit, but Vernon knew that if he angered the man he could quickly find himself in the poorhouse.

Vernon's thoughts were interrupted by a teenage boy walking quietly up behind Lockhart.

He was thin, but tall, and looked to be about 15, a few months younger than Harry.

He had wavy auburn hair and purple eyes.

His eyes always unsettled Vernon, they were deep and intense, they gave him a similar feeling that a certain pair of emerald green eyes did, That same disturbing feeling that they weren't looking at him but rather looking into him, into his very soul, and passing silent judgment on what they saw always made him nervous.

Vernon shook himself mentally; this boy was clearly nothing like that freak.

He seemed like a decent lad, he worked hard, and Dudley seemed to respect him, though Dudley did not hang around him.

Big Dudders was a good judge of character, right? He would never have any kind of respect for a lazy, stick-waving freak, right?

"Hello Jacob" Vernon said, carefully stowing the books out of sight in the hallway.

"Good morning Mr. Dursley" The young man replied "Mum sent me over to ask if we could borrow your nephew for the day, as you two discussed."

Vernon frowned "I don't remember talking to her about it" he said, glancing over his shoulder into the hall. Why would a decent boy want to have that freak work for him?

"Mr. Dursley?" Jacob asked. Vernon turned, and caught Jacob's eye, and paused.

His eyes glazed over, and his massive, walrus-like body shuddered slightly as a strange feeling swept over him, though he did not know what it was.

Any trained auror, as well as many civilian wizards would have recognized the signs of Legilimency being used instantly, but none were present, and Vernon had neither magical ability, nor training, so he did not notice anything out of the ordinary.

All he knew is he suddenly remembered making arrangements for Harry to work with Jacob today.

"Boy, get out here" Vernon called, a little more civilly then normal, as there were guests about.

Harry quietly exited the cupboard under the stairs, and walked over to his hippopotamus-sized uncle.

"You called" He said tonelessly.

"Grab your shoes boy; you'll be working with some of the neighbors today." Vernon said quickly.

"This is Jacob Anasazi. His family moved into number 7 down the street a few months ago, his father worked for a few years overseas, in Australia, wasn't it?"

Jacob shook his head "America." Vernon shrugged "Anyway, you'll be working with them today, and you'll be on your best behavior too!" Vernon said harshly "None of your delinquency today!"

Jacob coughed lightly, suppressing a glare at Vernon, and then turned to Harry.

"Actually, you don't have to if you don't want to." He said quietly but firmly "But if you are willing, I have some extra chores to do, and I could use a hand"

Harry quickly nodded his assent, willing to do anything to get himself out of his relative's house for a while.