Chapter 4

I stared up at the man who was looming over me. Surprisingly enough, the unicorn tattoo that appeared to be galloping over his face was not his most absurd feature. His left ear was lined with piercings and his startlingly red hair stuck up in a tuft. He was wearing a bright yellow suit with a rainbow tie, both of which clashed with his hair. If the house was, as he had said, a mad house, then I supposed it was only appropriate that it housed a mad man.

"Professor Flip!" Dedalus squealed from somewhere behind me, and rushed forward to pump his arm enthusiastically up and down.

"Why, if it isn't Dedalus Diggle! How simply spiffing to see you old bean! My, it has been a long time. I haven't left this house in... oh, it must be about seventeen years!"

Dedalus nodded, beaming.

"Might I introduce, Dudley Dursley," he said, gesturing to where I was still lying in a heap on the ground.

"He's Harry Potter's cousin, you know," Dedalus stood on the tips of his toes to whisper none too quietly in Professor Flip's ear, "A muggle, too."

"My, my," said Professor Flip, once again grinning down at me," "To what do I owe this pleasure, meeting a blood relative of the world's most famous wizard without leaving the comfort of my own home?"

He reached out his hand to pull me to my feet. Dedalus coughed.

"As I said, Dudley is a muggle..."

"Ha! A muggle he may be, but no ordinary muggle if young Hestia's Patronus was anything to go by!"

He waved to Hestia, who was lingering a few yards behind me.

"Anyway, where are my manners? Come in, all of you, come in!"

He made a sweeping gesture and disappeared into the large, sprawling house. Dedalus indicated for me to follow him, with Hestia bringing up the rear, my suitcases once again orbiting around her head.

As I passed through the heavy, oak, front door, I did a double take as the brass, lion's head knocker winked at me. Magic, I thought to myself, positively bonkers. I moved into the hallway. It was a grand room dominated by a long, sweeping staircase. Numerous doors led off to the left and right and the walls were dotted with paintings. Not just ordinary paintings, but moving artwork, just like the daffodil back at Mum and Dad's safe house. I quickly pushed them out of my mind as I took in a pastel drawing of a windmill, its blades rotating in a slow, casual circle. Next to it, was a small cottage, with smoke pumping out of the chimney. I stared at the next picture unsure what it was, until a bull dog leapt at me, barking savagely. I jumped backwards in alarm, glad it was locked safely behind the gilt frame.

I turned my attention back to the trio of wizards standing next to the first door on the left, whispering in an urgent manner, Professor Flip stooping slightly to hear what petite Dedalus had to say. He was nodding and chewing his lip, the unicorn on his cheek prancing in an agitated circle.

"Dudley," he called to me. I moved towards the group, ignoring the little dog still snarling behind me.

"Come with me."

He led me through the door but Hestia and Dedalus stayed in the hall. I stopped to wait for them, but they ushered me to follow the insane looking wizard. I shrugged and did as I was told. We were in a cosy room that smelled strongly of incense. Heavy, velvet curtains were drawn over the windows, blocking out any traces of daylight. The room was lit only by candles that flickered from saucers perched on shelves and low coffee tables.

"Do take a seat, Dudley,"

Professor Flip sat in a high-backed armchair and I took the poufy opposite him. A dark wooden table sat in between us, a large, clear crystal ball held in an emerald clamp on top of it.

"Please place your hands on the crystal."

"Why?" I asked, "Are you going to tell me my fortune?"

My mum and dad had always told me that fortune tellers were frauds, trying to make money off the foolishness of others and that whatever they said was entirely untrue. I guessed that this did not apply here, in a world were pictures talked, monsters existed and anything was possible. I placed my hands hesitantly on either side of the crystal ball. A jolt of electricity ran up my arm.

"This will help me understand your gift, Dudley."

I nodded and the Professor clamped his hands on top of mine. They were hot and sweaty and I wondered why he didn't take his jacket off to cool down. I watched his face. His eyes looked into the distance and the unicorn became still. The ball turned cloudy and I started to panic.

Why had I agreed to this? What was going to happen? I don't belong here. I want to go home!

Before I knew it, the Professor had released my hands, and was looking at me, a faint smile etched across his face.

"Well, Dudley," he said, "That was interesting..."

Somewhere at the base of my throat, a pulse began to pound. My head spun and my mouth went dry, just as darkness enveloped me in its welcome embrace...