Chapter 2 – Greif
Pain is a strange thing. How can the pain of 3 broken ribs and a fractured skull be totally eclipsed by the pain of a broken heart? Vernon sat opposite a nurse, who had just brought him the worst news of his life. His darling wife, his beautiful Petunia, was gone. His chest burned and his head ached, but they were not the cause of the tears rolling down his face.
"Sir?" said the nurse softly, "The two boys in the back seat…"
"Du-Dudley?" he sobbed, was there hope? Had his boy survived?
"I'm extremely sorry to tell you that the older boy didn't survive, he had numerous injuries to his head..." A fresh wave of tears burst from his eyes. His Boy. His baby Boy. He was only two for Christ's sake! He didn't deserve to die, the poor little tyke. His family was gone. In one clear swoop, he was alone. The nurse's voice broke through his thoughts.
"The other boy survived. The younger one on the driver's side?" Vernon choked. Harry? Harry was alive? He might not be his, but the boy had been part of his family for a year now. He would be lying if he said he said he didn't care for the boy.
"Harry?" Vernon whispered.
"Yes, he's got a broken arm, and is extremely shaken, understandably, but other than that he is completely fine." Vernon lost himself in thought again. The small boy wasn't related to him, but he was all the family he had left now, apart from his sister, who he had despised since childhood.
"Do you want to go see him?" asked the nurse.
"Ye- yes," muttered Vernon. He followed the nurse down several corridors, and they emerged at the children's ward. Vernon spotted his nephew. He looked so small. Curled up on a hospital bed, with a cast over his tiny arm. His heart, so recently broken, melted. This boy, no matter how…abnormal, was now his family, and he was going to be raised in a loving environment, the toddler turned over and spotted his Uncle. Vernon crossed the room and sat down beside his nephew.
" 'Ncle Vernon?" murmured Harry weakly, "Where's Ant Tuna?" Vernon chocked on his tears.
"Gone." He said.
"Like Mummy and Daddy?"
"Yes. Just like your Mummy and Daddy." And he broke, sobbing uncontrollably, his face in his hands. Harry Harry was scared, he had never seen anyone act like this before, especially not a grown-up.
Vernon was vaguely aware of a small hand patting his shoulder.
Three days later found Vernon and Harry standing outside Number 4, Privet Drive. Vernon Stared at the obsessively-neat flowerbeds and squeaky-clean windows. Everything had a Petunia-ish feel too it and now more tears dripped from his eyes.
It was worse inside. Vernon went through to the kitchen, where a knife and chopping board lay on the counter, left from the dinner that never got prepared. He broke again. He couldn't stay here, not where everything had been so perfect, where nothing could be the same, ever again. Everywhere he looked he was reminded of Petunia and Dudley. He felt a tugging on his trouser leg, and looked down to see his nephew, the small stag tucked under his arm.
"You 'kay?" he asked in a small voice. Vernon took a deep breath and tried to put on a reassuring smile. The boy was obviously scared, and he had to be strong for the small child who was all he had left.
But he couldn't be strong here, not amongst all the reminders of his beautiful wife, his boisterous son.
Houses in his area were always sought-after; it wouldn't be too difficult to sell up. He lost himself in his thoughts yet again. He vaguely remembered visiting many small villages when he was a small boy, that all had the same, friendly-homey feel to them. It would be nice for the boy to grow up in a tight community, with other children his age- Dudley's age, he thought with a twinge- to play with. He took another look around the kitchen- he couldn't stay here, not even for one night. He called a taxi and headed up the stairs too pack a suitcase. He found himself subconsciously packing several of Petunias trinkets and a couple of photo albums in amongst his clothes.
Harry was playing with his stag, lying on the floor, making it carefully trot across the hall. Vernon watched as it began to float around the boys giggling head. Like all children, Vernon had loved the idea of magic as a child. But when he had fallen for Petunia, and learned of her hatred of it, he had compelled with-out thought. This boy did not deserve the treatment he'd got for something he couldn't control. He would know a normal childhood, Vernon decided, as a taxi pulled up outside. Vernon picked up his nephew, who clutched his stag close to his chest, and the two left Number 4, Privet Drive for good.
A/N. hello! i was really really happy to get so many reveiws/story adds. so THANK YOU all SO much!
shmegz: as you can probably tell now, this is the complete opposite to Vernon hates Harry, i just thought there were too many of them, so i've done somethin differnt.
Thanks again to everyone for their reveiws, they made me feel REALLY HAPPY.
Katie.