TRIGGER WARNING: SCENSE CONTAIN CHILD ABUSE OF MOST VARIETIES EXCEPT SEXUAL, CHILD NEGLECT AND (IN MY OPINION AT LEAST) KIDNAPPING.
Trigger warning: for horrible imagery, gruesome murder scenes.
Intrusive thoughts, nightmares and child neglect. Blood, cooking people, nightmares. Also possession via Horocrux.
Notes: I decided to rewrite this because I was having trouble with writer's block and there were a few changes to some of the scenes. I figured it'd be nice to fix some of the inaccuracies, errors and other such. Hope you enjoy.
Notes: NeoPronouns!
It was a dark and stormy night when Voldemort came to the small house that the Potters had hidden themselves and a few close friends away in. Voldemort was expecting them all, however they were also expecting him. A fight broke out; Marauder against Death Eater.
"Peter, with James and Lily," Sirius said. "Upstairs Lily, now."
"Be ready to run," James told her. Eyes meeting hers. She shook her head for a second before nodding. They kissed; first on the mouth then the cheek and then forehead.
"Go!" Sirius whispered. Peter tugged the two along, away from the window that looked out over the street. Where a small group of Death Eaters Gathered. Sirius and Remus looked at each other. Bumping fists sideways.
"Good luck," Remus said, taking off toward his part of the plan. Sirius setting up his own. It would hopefully at least take a few of the Death Eaters out of the equation. Voldemort shot out a spell, it hit the barrier around the house with a sharp lightning like crack. Things fell, shattered. Sirius finished the enchantment of the window, using another charm to temporarily strengthen the barrier while he wrapped up there. Activating the other defensive charms and rushing back, magic allowing him to kick the couch into the door. Something shattered and dust crumbled from the ceiling. James reappeared at the top of the stairs.
"She's ready, that was probably the barrier," James said in a rush. Sirius made a mess of the rest of the furniture, blocking windows and making strict complex paths. Charmed and jinxed and spelled to make the task of traversing the room harder. Another shake. Sirius held the couch against the door. Hoping that they'd choose the obvious path.
"Get up stairs," Sirius growled. Both men split off to further into the house. Remus met Sirius mid way back. "Alright then?"
"Right," Remus said. Something exploded, and the two men stood back to back, blocking and dodging spells coming from all directions, then the jinxes went off. "Dive," Remus growled, and the two separated, diving to the line of furniture and walling. Splitting up to take on groups, they had the house memorized, the Death Eaters ultimately were at a disadvantage no matter their numbers. Remus dropped five by activating a shocking spell attached to a dresser they'd moved. Sirius burst the pipes and used a cooling spell on the water to freeze several in place before using a spell to knock them out. Sirius dodged another Death Eater as they charged into the kitchen, using seasoning to blind him before picking up the pan, dodging another round of blind fired spells, and knocking the Death Eater upside the head hard enough that it sounded like something broke. Sirius slid over him and back to the living room, Remus was nowhere to be seen. Sirius's eyes snagged on the black of a long dark cloak ascending, and ultimately disappearing up the stairs. He saw James, Lily and Peter and baby Harry lying dead in his mind's eyes and his body moved. Rushing up the stairs only thinking of his friends, he came around the corner to see them. He was behind Voldemort, James and Peter were in front of Harry's door. James spotted him, then flicked his eyes back to Voldemort.
"I will not let you hurt my family," James said, preparing a spell. Then a flash of green came, but it wasn't from Voldemort's wand. James dropped, eyes going dark as he fell to the ground. For a split second Sirius felt unmoored, head spinning.
"James!" Sirius's voice came, but it was muffled, as if underwater.
"Take care of him," Voldemort said, sliding past Pettigrew, who looked wholly unprepared to be facing Sirius alone. Sirius found himself on the ground. Pettigrew looked between him and then the door before grinning smugly.
"Ah, I see, without James you're no longer quite so strong," Pettigrew said, his voice sounded muffled. He took steps forward, loud and thundering yet far to quiet. Sirius's heart was a howling grief stricken animal. "You always seemed so, so strong, but the two of you were never that bright. Gryffindor really is all brawn and no brain isn't it. Ah, well, I suppose Remus was always smart. Listen, Sirius, this is nothing personal. Not really. I just don't want to be on the losing side. You have to understand right."
"You- how could you!" Sirius shouted, a spell shooting from his wand unprompted, red mixing with the second flash of green. "N-no," Sirius said, Pettigrew took this distraction to flee. Sirius rushed forward, a third flash of green. "NO!" He crashed through the half open door, eyes darting, wand raised. Nothing. Lily lay dead, and a pile of dust and black robe. Harry started crying, he sat in his crib, blood dripping from his face, but otherwise fine. Reaching for his mother.
"Mambabama," Harry babbled. Then something exploded by Sirius's head. The fight was still going on. Sirius turned, dodging the next blow and sending his own spell out, knocking the death eater down the stairs. There was shouting, screams, spells going off. Sirius's eyes landed on James's body. It was perfectly still. Nothing there. Sirius couldn't force his legs to support him. Tears burned his eyes as he watched the broken form of his best friend.
It wasn't long before Remus rushed up the steps, Severus on his tail. Sirius raised his wand, and Severus froze, but his eyes fell to James's form.
"Stop, stop he's-" Remus finally noticed the crumpled form. "He-he." Remus fell to the floor. Severus taking a step around him.
"You stay away!" Sirius shouted. Severus raised his hands again. He looked ready to cry. How dare-.
"What's going on-?" Dumbledor froze at the top of the steps taking in the scene. "Oh, oh, James," He said. Eyes moving to Sirius. He looked sad, tired and sad. Dumbledor stepped forward. Told Sirius a story only he would know.
"He's with us, he always has been," Dumbledor said, raising his hands. "It's alright, you can put your wand down." Sirius did, Severus rushed forward. He paused over James' body, long enough that Sirius thought he might actually try and- but then he swept past him into the room. Eyes landing on Lily, he ended up against the wall. Then Harry cried again.
"Mahmamamama," Harry said, crying more. Severus walked the rest of the way into the room and picked him up. He paused again to look down at Lily's body before turning away from her corpse to the door. Sirius could see tears were falling down his face as he held the boy.
"I'm sorry," Sirius heard him whisper as he passed. Once again avoiding James' body.
"It seems arrangements must be made," Dumbledor said, holding his hands out for the infant. Snape pulled the child closer to him and slipped down the stairs. Sirius almost made his way after them but Remus's harsh grasp and Dumbledor's reassurance stopped him. Instead he'd comfort Remus. Surely other Order members were there by now. Ready to help care for Harry. Sirius hugged Remus tightly, hard enough to make his arms shake. Sirius barely felt his grip. Remus crushed his ribs in his own hug. And they wept.
"I hate to interrupt but where is-?"
"Dead," Sirius said, sharp and angry into Remus's shoulder. "He's dust on the floor you can go look. I couldn't make it in time. I don't know-" He couldn't keep his voice anymore. Sirius wasn't sure how long he stayed there clinging to his last remaining friend.
Betrayal and loss eating away at him. Then he remembered, Petigrew was still out there. The Death Eaters were still out there. There were many who'd be allowed to just continue on as if they'd never betrayed wizard kind. And Petigrew, oh Petigrew. Sirius couldn't allow him to get away. Not with what he'd done.
Had to go, he had to kill him. He would tear him limb from limb, drain his blood, break his skull with a rock. He couldn't think of enough terrible things to do to him. His hatred boiled under his skin. He let go of Remus, pounding his hand on his back before letting go.
"I'm sorry." He told him. "I'm sorry I was too late." And then he was moving down the steps out the door. Toward the wild world. He dropped his human form. It'd be easier to track him by scent.
Remus tried to pull Sirius back. He didn't want to let him leave. He felt like if that happened it would be a long time before he saw him again. His eyes landed on James. He didn't see Peter anywhere. His eyes looked into the dead glassy stare of the eyes that used to be so warm and full of care. One of his best friends' eyes. Harry was crying, Severus probably wasn't fairing well. What with-
Remus could not think of this. Even as he stared at the dead body it didn't feel real. James and Lily were out. Yeah. Remus stood. He'd believe that for a while. Just till he could- could once everything was sorted, once they'd held the-. Remus almost stumbled down the stairs. Severus was rocking Harry in his arms, the boy was absolutely unconsolable. His head had been bandaged, and he'd been cleaned up and redressed. Remus's leg hit the coffee table, knocking him down and with a bit of effort he managed to flop onto the now righted couch. Not the old one. Harry's breathing slowed.
"How are you holding up?" Severus said. Handing him a can of something. "Caffeine, it helps with shock." He said. Attention returning to the boy in his arms.
"How am I holding up?" Remus repeated. He'd opened the can. When had he opened it? The contents tasted like nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"Yes," Severus said, annoyance clear in his voice.
"I just lost two of my best friends, maybe three. Have you seen Peter? You?"
"What?"
"How are you? Have you seen Peter?" Remus said. There was a bite to his own voice, not annoyance, but something.
"N-no, I'm sorry," Severus said.
"That's alright" Remus said. More tears rolling down his cheeks. He was so numb. "Are you sure this is supposed to help?"
"That and food," Snape said. "But neither of us… Maybe we should order something." Severus said. "What do you think?" Severus asked the baby in his arms. Harry looked around like he'd never seen any of this, then he started crying again. Big silent tears. "That's okay, we can do that." Severus sounded sad.
"I'm sorry," Remus said.
"Not your fault," Severus said. "I still hate you." Remus laughed. Then they were both crying, together on the couch three people crying over loved ones lost.
The war was over. Now was the time for grief.
Severus passed Harry to Remus in order to stir the soup he'd started making. It was hard to tell how many hours it had been. It felt like years, it felt like seconds. It felt like James would come down and would talk about the quidditch cup this year. Or Lily would join them for coffee and chat about whatever. Remus bounced Harry on his lap. Severus stirred.
It had to have been more than one day. Severus looked like he hadn't slept in at least two. Remus felt like he hadn't slept in a year. Harry chewed on one of the toys Lily had bought him for teething. Babbling softly to himself as he did. There was a knock on the door and the two men tensed, Harry fell silent looking around curiously.
"Dumbledor reinstalled the protection charms," Severus said. "I added a few."
"I added some as well," Remus said. None of these facts made either man relax. They looked at each other.
"Which of us do you think would have a better chance of getting away with Harry?" Severus sounded desperate. Remus didn't blame him. He couldn't fail Harry. He couldn't lose Lily and James' child like he'd lost them.
"I-I'm not entirely sure," Remus admitted. "Do you think?" Another knock, more patterned. Severus relaxed marginally.
"It's probably Dumbledor," Severus said, heading toward the front door. Remus got ready to bolt. There was some talking, done entirely through the door. "It's him." Severus said. Remus relaxed. The two returned to the kitchen.
"Hello," Remus said. He still felt a bit hollow but he was comforted by the older man's presence. "It's good to see you. Well, as good as things can be."
"I'm afraid that I am here with bad news, even under these tragic circumstances," Dumbledor said. Severus stood a little straighter than, anger clear in his expression.
"What is it?"
"I'm sure you are aware of the matter of Lily and James will, and the circumstances of their-"
"Sirius will be back soon," Severus growled. "Not that he's specifically-"
"I'm afraid that is not something that can be allowed," Dumbledor said. "As of this moment he is under investigation for betrayal of -" Remus shot to his feet.
"Sirius would never!" Remus shouted. "He was right here, defending them. Do you think he'd-" Dumbledor held his hand up.
"I am well aware, and I'm afraid that I will be unable to- free him of these accusations, unless another traitor comes forward then-," Dumbledor sighed. "I'm sorry. That being the case,"
"I'm still not sure what you're bringing this up for," Severus said. "We can care for Harry just fi-"
"There are also still many Death Eaters that remain free, and those that have managed to lessen and even avoid sentencing." His voice was soft, however, it cut through the air like a knife. "That being the case I'm afraid I have to ask you to continue acting as a Death Eater. After all, Harry's life is still endangered."
"I can still care for Harry," Remus said.
"You can't possibly hope to care for Harry on your own," Dumbledor said, sighing. "What will you do for the full moon? What are you going to do about the medicine you must take?" His voice was low and tired as he said the next part. "And a single werewolf, no friends, raising a child unrelated to him," Dumble dor said. "Surely you can see how that would look." the other two men tensed. Remus sat down. Eyes moving to Harry and then to the table.
"I understand." Remus said, voice worn so thin it almost hurt.
"Severus," Dumbledor said. "I can't force you, but I really must ask this of you old friend. You can't hope to shield Harry from the world. Surely you understand how much they'll want to kill him." Severus was shaking, anger and sadness and loss waring on his face. "Severus," Dumbledor started.
"Where are you planning on sending him?" Severus growled.
"The magic that Lily used spans over her bloodline," Dumbledor said. "It will grant Harry all the protection he'll need. As long as we send him to Lily's sister's house."
"Muggles, those muggles," Severus growled.
"I will make sure that Harry is safe at all times," Dumbledor said. "You have my word. I'm not sure how much it is worth, but this is what is best for Harry. He will be safe with his aunt."
"Have you ever met Petunia?" Severus growled.
"Of course," Dumbledor said. "I'm not sure how she was when she was younger but you should know better then anyone how much people can change.."
"Fine," Severus growled. "Where do you want me to go?" Dumbledor handed him a note. Severus tucked it into his pocket. They said their good-byes and Dumbledor took Harry. Harry reached over the man's shoulder.
"Bababa," he cried quietly.
Dumbledor arrived back at the castle and put the horcrux down. It babbled up at him. It looked like any other baby.
Dumbledor turned away.
It whined as if it craved attention. It probably wanted to feed off of someone. He looked back. It was also still a baby. He could use it. Its connection to the others could prove vital to capturing and destroying them. It put its foot into its mouth. He scrunched his nose up at it. He'd finish studying it and then he'd pass it to someone else while he looked for Lily's sister. The boy who lived, the boy who would die for the wizarding world. He would need to cultivate the child's desires accordingly.
Aspen shot up in bed 'd been having nightmares since James' and Lily's death, since Sirius's disappearance.
They changed from the time of day, and what was happening, but they always seemed to end in blood, flashes of green, and screams. Ve hadn't been there when, but vis dreams had been affected. Not just because of vis knowledge of how the Killing Curse looked. It was because Sirius had been there.
Aspen's eyes blurred with tears, vis breath coming in short gasps, as images of what ve'd seen through Sirius's eyes that night flashed through vis brain again. Petigrew's betray a sting in vis heart.
"Aspen?" the girl in the bed next to vis asked, voice foggy with sleep. "He's at it again isn't he?" Aspen nodded, trying to breathe. "You can't let it fill your head too much." The girl said, climbing from her bed. "I'll lay with you okay." Aspen nodded, and the girl slid into the next to ver. Taking vis hand and holding it. "What was it about?" The girl, Rosannah Reed, said. "Breath with me. Tell me five things you see."
"I see- I see the footboard, the-" Aspen forced another breath into their lungs. "The- the books at the- one the chest, that too; the chest, do the books count as one or-or- t-two, there are th-r-three."
"Breath, slowly, with me now," Rosannah said. Rosannah put vis hand against her mouth and Aspen could feel each slow inhale and exhale. "Now, let's try again, the books count as a single stack okay."
"Okay, okay, the curtains, the footboard, the books, the floor, and the c-ceiling." Aspen said.
"Alright, good, good job," Rosannah said. "Now four things you can hear."
"The- the sound of my breathing, and your, the s-s-sno-snore of the other girls," Aspen said.
"And one more," Rosannah said.
"There are- I think there are birds out-outside," Aspen said.
"Oh, I hadn't notice them, that's very good," Rosannah said. "Now three you can smell."
"The smell o-of that p-potion that we made in po-potions class," Aspen said. "There's ah- the smell of B-body order, and Samantha's sa-socks." Aspen giggled, Rosannah laughed too, running her hands through Aspen's hair.
"Good, Samantha really should wash her socks more often," Rosannah said. Aspen giggled. "Now two you things you feel," Rosannah said.
"The bedding, and your han-hands, your breathing too but that's thr-three."
"Yeah, good job, one more sense, taste something you taste."
"M-m-my morning bre-breath," Aspen said.
"Good," Rosannah said. "Wanna talk about it?"
"No-not really," Aspen said. "Can-can you stay with me?"
"Of course," Rosannah said.
Petunia and Vernon woke early every weekday morning, so that Vernon could prepare for his commute, and they could spend a short bit of time together. Petunia would make breakfast for Vernon, and Vernon would read her the paper. That's how it usually would go.
That morning started out the same as all the others, but it was fundamentally different. It would change the course of their lives forever. A portent of doom wrapped up in a baby blanket.
"Petunia!" Vernon called from the living room. Petunia set down her chopping and headed to the livingroom to see what her husband was calling her for. He held a baby, and a note in one hand.
"Oh my god what-?"
"Damned wizards," Vernon growled. "They didn't even have the decency to-" He looked at Petunia and his anger softened. He handed her the letter. "I'm sorry." He growled. He walked further into the room. Petunia read the message written down, while shutting the door. She had to read it more than once.
Lily Potter, formerly known as Lily Evans, passed away seven days ago. This child is named Harry Potter and is the only child of Lily and James and the only remaining Potter. We formally ask you to care for the child until further notice. We will send compensation regularly.
"Not even a please or thank you," Vernon growled. He set the sleeping boy down in the playpen.
"It does mention child support at least," Petunia said, her voice sounding so far away.
"Yeah in wizard money, well, it at least means his school expenses are covered," Vernon growled.
"There is an exchange," Petunia said, voice half vacant, almost getting lost in the suddenly cavernous space. She re-read the letter, mind blank, uncomprehending. Regrets turning over in her mind. Her eyes landed on the sleeping infant. Pressing her hand to his forehead, wondering how long he'd been left out in the cold.
"I almost stepped on him," Vernon growled. "You wouldn't happen to know who to complain to about it." Petunia shook her head. "You'd think they'd have the decency to knock." He growled, he paced. "I mean, we may not have been close but it's still your sister, the least they could do was…." His voice had grown softer and softer till it was covered by the dull roar of her own heart, tears burning her eyes. He sat next to her, and wrapped her into a warm hug.
"It's alright, we'll figure it out, buck up," Vernon said, patting her back. She couldn't help but laugh.
Lily and Petunia's sons were born a little over a month apart. Petunia sent Lily a Vase. It seemed a measly, childish thing now. Petunia thought, staring down at the infant in front of her. The boy was only a month younger than her own. Small and fragile and with that scar. And Lily… Oh, Lily was gone. It seemed silly now. Holding onto anything resembling anger, resentment, or just anything negative at all. It had been how long since she'd seen Lily, it was just after Petunia's wedding. Lily, reaching out her hands; Petunia, pulling away. Still, Lily had smiled, tucked her hands against herself.
"I wish you nothing but happiness," Lily said, smiling again tears coming out of her eyes and she turned to wipe them.
"I plan to have the happiest life," Petunia had said; sounding petulant now. Lily had nodded. Petunia had not wished her the same. If she had? What if she had? Would it be different? Would Lily be alive? Petunia felt moisture leaking out of her eyes, she wiped her face. What was she going to do with another baby? They couldn't share a crib. Did wizards even use cribs? Would anyone even answer if she tried to ask? That headmaster had when she'd sent him that letter all those years ago. She wiped another stream of tears from her eyes. The little boy had a scar on his forehead. It almost looked like lightning, no it looked exactly like lightning.
Petunia stood, dusted herself off. She had things to do tomorrow. There was so much to do. So many things to get done.
Sirius kept running, regularly stopping to check scents. It takes him a while, Petigrew is clever, regularly teleporting away. But Petigrew isn't as clever as he thinks he is, he makes several mistakes. He'll make a mistake. He's certainly led Sirius to several Death Eaters.
Sirius is particularly proud of this one. He'd torn this one's throat out with his teeth, but Petegrew had run before Sirius had arrived. Sirius was surprised to catch his scent. He tracked him finding him sitting in a muggle cafe. He waved at him. Sirius charged.
Aspen's owl dropped vis mail onto the table in front of ver. Ve looked around ver, eyes wandering around the table. Ve hadn't received a letter since Lily had sent her will, maybe it was the ministry looking into it. Lily had said that she'd make sure they knew about it. Ve opened the letter and read the contents- then re-read them.
"Is there something wrong?" Rosannah said. "Is it Pettigrew again?"
"Y-yeah," Aspen said, handing the letter to Rosannah. The girl read the words on the page, she swallowed angrily before standing up.
"We need to go to Dumbledor," Rosannah said. "H-he needs to- to tell the ministry." Aspen smiled at the old marauders' smile and loudly said.
"What that bloody rat just sent me was a confession letter." Rosannah nodded, holding the envelope, but she kept the letter tucked just in case.
"Sir!" She shouted.
"I heard," Dumbledor said.
Vernon got meaner, Petunia would be the first to say that Vernon wasn't a perfect man. Sometimes he wasn't a very nice man. The time he'd yelled at James and Lily till Lily was reduced to tears calling after Petunia as they left sprang to mind. But the more time Harry spent in his presents the worse he'd get. Dudley wouldn't stop crying when they'd tried to room them together. Petunia understood why. The first night she'd tried to have the boy in with them. The nightmares, the ghoulish, horrendous, vile nightmares. Vernon hadn't had any but Petunia did, and only when Harry shared a room with them. Lily never caused nightmares, not once, if anything Petunia's dreams were always better when she'd shared a room with Lily.
Petunia decided that it might be best if Harry had a separate room till he was old enough to learn to control his pow-
Vernon had thrown a fit.
"I will not be having that free loading freak use the third bedroom as if it's a part of this family!" Vernon had bellowed. "Put it in a- ah, you can put the little demon under the stairs. Then we won't have to look at him." He'd said dismissively. After several nights without sleep Petunia was at her wits end.
Dudley had woken her up screaming, Harry had started crying quickly after. Petunia had taken Harry down stairs to sit in the play pin while she soothed Dudley back to sleep. Once Dudley was asleep Petunia worked on getting Harry to sleep. He was a less fussy baby, she wondered if that was just a witch and wizard thing or just because he was Lily's son. She got the boy to sleep, laid him once again in a less used drawer close to the ground, and settled into bed watching the boy watch her.
That's when she'd first heard it. The voice was low and hissing, it felt like cold day old cooking oil being poured over her skin. The whispering got louder, Harry watching her worried and fussing. Swiping at something in the air. Something she couldn't see. He started crying again screaming, Dudley started crying. She stood up, she walked down stairs into the kitchen, turned the oven on, once it preheated to the temperature she wanted she went and got the boys, she put them inside the oven. They screamed louder, so loud Petunia was impressed they didn't wake Vernon. She watched as they kicked, squirmed, and eventually bubbled, they stopped screaming, they stopped moving. Good.
She carefully cut them up into fine slices, to marinate. Then she grabbed the hammer the one Vernon was so proud of. The one he never used. He never did anything around the house. Never did anything to help with the babies, or even just their son. She took the hammer upstairs. She raised it over her head, the little hooks with the gap, the one for nails facing downward. She aimed, she brought the hammer down. Again. Again. Again. There was so much blood. The sound of Vernon's bones crunching, the squelching of his meats and fluids. Once that was done, she went back downstairs to enjoy her meal. It was very goo-
Petunia sat up with a horrified start and whimpered. She whipped around in bed. Vernon snorted in his sleep. Her eyes traveled to the boy in the dresser drawer. He was watching her, big sad green eyes. Lily's eyes. Petunia sobbed, forced her tears back down, trapping them in her throat. She stood. She carefully picked up Harry, gingerly, holding him away from her. He felt like a thousand pound weight, he felt oily somehow. Cursed.
That's the only thing Petunia could think of. But that was silly, there was no reason to do that. She walked down stairs, still holding Harry away from her body. Him still looking at her with those almost knowing eyes. Petunia was imagining it of course. He wasn't even two, he wasn't forming complex thoughts beyond his own needs. He was curious at best, but Petunia, Petunia felt Judge as she struggled to open the cupboard door. She shuffled this and that out of the way, emptied it. She felt judged as she laid him down in the cupboard, she felt judged all the way until she closed the door on those green eyes. She went upstairs and laid down, she slept perfectly the rest of that night.
Harriette's first memory was of being sent to bed by a very angry Petunia. Then the sound of Vernon's voice shouting at Petunia. Harriette's first remembered thoughts were wondering what he'd done wrong.
Harriette's next memory was of watching Dudley receive an affectionate pat when asking for second, and Harriette receiving an annoyed glare.
"Keeping Freaks like you is expensive you know," Vernon said. "You cost us a lot of money just by being here. You should be grateful we even let you stay." Vernon growled, throwing the dirty clothing item at Harriette who'd been carrying the basket.
"Yes, sir," Harriette said, keeping her voice soft to avoid angering him. She collected the dirty clothing and headed to the next room.
Harriette had watched Petunia gently comforting Dudley while making him a whole new outfit. She spoke so gently to him, when she did that her voice was actually quite pleasant. Harriette wished she'd give her that kind of attention. She wished she'd pat her head and tell her she was doing a good job.
She vaguely remembered them saying that Dudley was different because he was their child. But Harriette didn't know her parents. They were dead before Harriette could form any memories. She could only make guesses based on what she did hear. Vernon hadn't liked them. Petunia hadn't liked them. They were bad people, she'd heard Aunt Marge say that. Though she didn't know if she was the best judge of character in that matter.
She shifted. Petunia didn't seem to notice her at all. Maybe if she learned to sew like that she'd be liked better.
She wanted her aunt to like her better. She wanted to be gently held when she was upset or scared. She wanted to be comforted. But she couldn't be comforted because she wasn't their child.
Dudley called them mom and dad, maybe they didn't like being called aunt and uncle when they were the ones raising her.
She didn't know why she called them that anyway. Maybe it wasn't a good idea.
But Harriette wanted to be their child. She wanted to be held. She didn't want to be locked in the cupboard. She wanted to be able to watch stuff with the rest of the family. She wanted them to say they were proud of her.
She shook her head, and made her way down stairs. Maybe if she told them she wanted to be their kid for really, reals they'd let her and be happy having her. That fluttering hope spurred her forward. Then she froze standing in the doorway to the living room.
What if they didn't want that? What if they hated her?
She tried not to cost that much
She didn't ask for things and she did the things she was asked. Dudley never did anything he was asked, even though he was rarely asked. Harritte couldn't remember the last time he'd been asked. She couldn't even count high enough to know how much she'd been asked.
She shifted, still scared, Dudley asked for all kinds of things too. Maybe if she became they're really real daughter they'd let her ask for just one. That's all she wanted. Just one head pat. She swallowed. She stepped farther into the living room and froze. She couldn't. She turned away started cleaning. Petunia liked things clean, Vernon liked things clean. She could be useful and maybe…
"What are you doing, boy?" Vernon asked. His tone was oddly gentle.
"Cleaning, dad," Harriette said. She'd been thinking about it so much it just slipped out. She froze looking up. Hoping that-. It wasn't a good idea after all.
Vernon stood over her with an expression of pure hatred. Harriette backed away, falling down. Covering her head and face.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to- to upset you I didn't think-"
"That's right, you didn't think," It was a low cruel sound in his throat. "You never think, do you?" He reeled back, then slammed the back of his hand into Harriette's face; she almost went flying, but he grabbed her arm and tossed her into something else. It jerked her arm painfully and the thing crashed down on top of her. Then he started kicking her. She curled in on herself to avoid the worst of it.
Why was he hurting her? She didn't know what she'd done. It hurt, it hurt so much!
"YOU STUPID FREAK!" Vernon shouted, kicking her harder and harder. She heard someone enter the room. "You stupid hore's son!" Vernon kicked her away from him, sending her into something else, it knocked the air out of her, and for a desperate second she could only struggle to get air into her lungs, when she could think about anything other than the air that rushed finally into her chest again she was almost being held up by her hair. Scalp ripping under her body's weight.
"Stoppit! Vernon whatever the child did it doesn'-" Aunt Petunia's panicked voice called out.
"Shut up! Don't you know this is your fault" Vernon shouted, Harriette saw her aunt being flung across the room hitting against the shelves on the other side. "If you hadn't been so- so. ARRRGH." Dudley was next to his mother trying to shake her awake, she was bleeding. Harriette didn't have a chance to make out much more because Vernon was dragging her into the kitchen. There was a scent soup on the stove boiling to make the air smell better. Petunia had read it online somewhere. "Perfect." Vernon sounded gleeful. She struggled. She didn't want to know what he wanted to do. But she wasn't strong. She was small for a two year old, and had no way of defending herself. Vernon slammed her against the ground. "Don't move or this is going to be worse." He growled. He almost sounded possessed. When Harriette, struggling to breath, looked up at him she saw his expression. He looked possessed. She screamed, tried to crawl away, scratching at the tile. He slammed her into the ground again. "If you don't want these burns all over your body you lay there and stay still." He said. Harriette felt tears burning tracks down her face. Her lungs were once again on fire, desperate for air. He grabbed one of her arms and twisted it, twisted it till there was a snap. She stayed still covering her face with her free hand, then with the- it hurt, the one Vernon let go of, to avoid burning that too. She'd just managed to get air into her lungs when the water started hitting her back. Her scream tore that air right back out of her lungs. He hit her again, then he stomped on her leg for good measure. "Shut up, shut up, shut up." Vernon chanted each time Harriette let out a sound. She bit into her hand to keep from screaming. He hit her again and again, until there was a stumbling sort of crashing sound. Harriette looked up to see her Aunt.
""Yo-our okay?" Harriette croaked, voice broken, she tasted blood, and her smile felt like it split her lip down the middle. "Y-you're okay aunt-" The pot hit the ground next to Harriette causing her to flinch away, he grabbed the arm he'd twisted. Harriette shrieked. Petunia stepped forward. She didn't make it far before she collapsed on the floor.
"Vernon," she struggled.
"This is for you!" He shouted, throwing Harriette to the ground. "Have you forgotten what that slag did to you? How did your parents prioritize that Freak over you? I can't stand it anymore! I won't stand it anymore!" He dragged Harriette out of the room. Harriette was so tired, and everything hurt so much that she didn't even bother trying to fight him. He tossed her into her cupboard.
It felt like she hit every sore spot on everything else on the way in. He slammed the door after kicking her legs the rest of the way in. The under door pinched her but she couldn't bring herself to move, breathing hurt. "I don't want to see you out wandering the house, acting like you own it! A freak like you ought to be locked up! That's where you belong!" Harriette closed her eyes, it hurt to be here.
Petunia had expected a lot more questions. She expected someone to come take her away, take Harriette and Dudley away. Maybe a police officer to come and take a statement to arrest Vernon. Petunia felt guilty about that. She'd loved Vernon, she still did, and no amount of wanting to stop him from hurting Harriette again would take away that love.
It was like cutting away a piece of herself, and while she was willing to do it to survive and protect the little ones in her care, it still hurt a lot. So, she tried not to think about it. She focused on holding Harriette's hand and cuddling Dudley and sometimes pacing the room desperately trying not to think about it.
"Petunia,'' a vaguely familiar voice said from the doorway. She turned expecting a doctor or nurse or someone like that, maybe a police officer or social worker. Instead she saw him, she vaguely recognized him from one of her sister's yearbooks, she recognized his voice from a congratulatory Howler. That was probably five to seven years ago now. Petunia stood, seeing who was behind him. "I must speak to you about this…" He paused, Vernon shifting uncomfortably just behind him. "Unfortunate situation."
"What is he doing here?" Petunia said, trying to position herself between Harriette and Vernon. "Surely you know what he did?" Petunia's voice shook with anger, fear, and a few other less recognizable emotions.
"Mrs. Dursley, mistakes happen, surely you can forgive him a moment's indiscretion."
"Indiscretion!" Both Petunia and Vernon said at the same time. Vernon hadn't met her eye in all the time he'd been there, and shame-faced looked even further away.
"What I did was unforgivable," he muttered. Dumbledor pretended not to hear him, or maybe he actually hadn't, Petunia had only understood because she'd been facing him.
"This is a complicated situation," Dumbledor said. "But the two of you I'm sure can work it out." He looked pointedly at Vernon then, the large man that Petunia always thought was fairly strong flinched under the gaze. "I'm sure I won't be hearing of any further…" He paused. "Incidents." He'd put more emphasis on the hearing part then the incident part. The way Vernon flinched at the word made Petunia sure it was an important part.
Then he was gone. Disappearing as if he'd never been. Vernon stayed away from them, walking only enough to get out of the doorway, and then slid to the floor.
"I don't know what came over me," Vernon said. "I know I've always had a temper, but not like that. Never like- Petunia you know I've never-" Petunia nodded. She did know. This was the first time she'd ever seen him actually hit someone. Was he easily angered, oh for sure, but he usually removed himself from the situation before he could escalate them. She sat herself down.
"What did he do?" She asked.
"He made them all forget, just like that, he threatened me Petunia, and when that didn't work he threatened you, and when that didn't work he- he." His voice broke eyes flickering to the soft pink and green lump on the bed where Dudley's little arms wrapped around a green blanket. Petunia's gasp was audible, tears slid down her face. "I couldn't- I couldn't let him- I couldn't let him hur-" He broke down into sobs. "I don't even know why I acted like that, I don't even remember what he'd done to- I don't feel like myself when he's-" He sobbed. "I feel like something is pulling up all the worst in me and I just- I can't fight it." He sobbed. Petunia sunk further into her seat. Vernon felt it too, that thing- whatever it was that tugged out all the worst of her.
"I feel it too," Petunia said, tears leaking. He looked at her shock, horror and a million other emotions warring on his face. "I felt it too, it's why I'd started, I'd started with the cupboard thing." She'd said.
"What is it?" Vernon asked, voice weak.
"A curse," Petunia said. "I remember reading about some from one of my sister's books. They can take lots of different shapes, and forms and do all kinds of nasty evil things." She looked at Harriette. "He cursed he-him. He put something in there to make this happen." She was growing more certain about it every moment. "He wanted us to do this."
"Why?" Vernon asked, voice wavering.
"I don't know, but I know it's true," She said, a little sniffle interrupting her.
"What are we going to do about it? What are we going to do about-" He gestured at Harriette. "He won't let us give him up for adoption, and even if we could-" Petunia didn't need him to finish. She took a watery breath through her nose.
"I don't know, but we'll figure it out," Petunia said. "We'll start by limiting contact with-with it." Petunia started.
"Will that work," Vernon asked.
"We have to hope," Petunia said, voice soft and weak.. "We have to try." Vernon nodded, another sniffle coming from his nose.
"What else?" Vernon said.
"We'll, we'll lessen our reasons to resent the- we have to figure out a way to make-" Petunia covered her face in her hands.
"We can't starve the child," Vernon said.
"Well, we can just-" Petunia sighed. "We'll teach them to cook and clean, that way there'll be less reason for us to be annoyed."
"Will any of this even work?" Vernon's head hit the wall behind him.
"It has too," Petunia begged, who she was begging she wasn't entirely sure, but she recognised the feeling.
Harriette woke up a day later in an almost all white room. Completely blind in one eye, pain everywhere. Her back was so painful that she almost couldn't breathe. She sobbed, covering her mouth with a wrapped hand. All her bones ached, her skin was- oh why? Harriette would not cry.
"Hello, little one, do you know where you are?" a woman said. She was dressed funny.
"N-o-o," Harriette croaked. Her throat was dry.
"You are in a hospital, sweetie," The woman said. "You were in quite a nasty accident, y'know?"
"Accident?" Harriette asked.
"Yeah, an accident it's where something bad happens but it's nobody's fault," the woman said. Harriette nodded. So, that's how it was. It hurt a lot.
"Don't worry, the pain meds should kick back in, in a second," the woman said. Harriette nodded, it went dark again.
It was a bright sunny day without any clouds in the sky. Birds were singing, babies were all happy. Flowers were blooming, and all the colors were bright as if the world was brand new. Well, flowers probably weren't blooming since it was October.
Vernon woke feeling like he used to before that curse took over him. He was going to make today be the start of a new life for his nephew. Vernon called out of work and was already making plans to go to the movies, or the zoo, anything that would take the family out of the house.
"Good morning; Love, Dudley." Vernon said, pressing a kiss to his wife's cheek and ruffling Dudley's hair. "Harry, my boy, how would you like to go see the animals at the zoo," Vernon said walking into the dinning room. Harry looked at him in confusion, but nodded his tiny little head, looking shy and hopeful. He'd just turned two a little over two months ago now.
He was mostly recovered from the painful injuries that Vernon had given him when he hadn't been himself, but it would be a long time for him to heal the emotional wounds. Vernon owed Harry that much.
"I want to go to the Zoo!" Dudley declared.
"That's good," Vernon assured. "We'll go, right after breakfast. Don't worry about lunch we can eat out. It's a special occasion."
"Oh?" Petunia seemed happier too. Cheeks dusted in pink. "That's very exciting."
At the Zoo, Vernon noticed that Harry seemed to like the spider and reptile houses. Excitedly peering into their enclosure. So, he took the time to read the enclosures placards for those as thoroughly as the ones Dudley took interest in.
He purchased snacks, and ice cream for both boys. Harry brightened at the treat, munching cautiously, but happily. He bought both boys a stuffed animal each, and a t-shirt. Harry's was a lot bigger, since Vernon was a little afraid that… No he wasn't going to think about that.
Petunia was in the living room, with the boys, making a spider costume for Harry as Halloween was closing in. She had already tucked away the stuffed animals Vernon had gotten Harry incase this month was not going to last. She was not going to count on anything until she saw it.
That didn't mean she didn't want Vernon to keep up this new version of himself, just that she had a plan if it didn't.
For her part her own head was clearer too. Her feelings less muddled, sleep calmer, fewer nightmares and intrusive thoughts. Less sick and weak too. She wasn't sure if it was just her own grief finally settling into something more manageable and thus allowing her to put more focus into fighting off whatever curse that bastard had put on Harry or if it was just this month. Maybe Lily and the boy's father were watching over them.
"Get over here, Boy," Vernon shouted, grabbing Harriette's collar and dragging the child after him. Harriette was now three years old and had learned that talking in situations like this was likely to get her more hurt. She also learned what a boy was and that she was supposed to be one, but when she'd tried to call herself a boy she'd ended up sick.
They made their way through the house and out into the garden. The sound of rain hitting dirt was the first clue. Then Harriette was thrown to the ground, skidding over the mud of the garden. Wetness soaking through, thick and cold. "What's this mess?"
"It's raining?" Harry said, scrambling to their feet. He wasn't wearing any shoes, her clothes were wet and muddy. "I didn't mean for it to mess up the garden." Harriette tried to defend herself. She resisted the urge to step back. Vernon started forward.
"Are you back talking, you worthless money waste," He growled. Harriette shook her head.
"I'm sorry, I-" Harriette said.
"You need to fix it," Petunia said, stepping out and around her husband.
"That's right, and you're not allowed back inside until this is all fixed," Vernon shouted. "And don't even think about any funny business." He growled. "You'll need to go buy more supplies, since you wasted the last ones! Fucking waste, waste of time, waste of money…" Harriette didn't get to hear the rest of what she-he was, as Vernon had stormed further into the house.
"Here you are," Petunia said, tossing her shoes and a small bag onto the ground. The bag was the 'Harry go shopping bag' . It had money in it whenever it was tossed at Harry like that. She-he stepped forward. The shoes were a pair of Dudleys, they were old, but they weren't falling apart like the pair Vernon had once grabbed from a trash can. Harry pulled the wet shoes on over her wet feet, and then clambered to her feet. Her arms and legs hurt from both the cold and from crawling around in the garden all morning tending to it. Only for it to rain.
Harry rubbed his arms, up and down to try and warm them up. Sh-he was already shivering.
Petunia sighed watching Harriette organize the waste materials, into neat little stacks. Petunia could have just used them for something tiny or thrown them away. But watching Harriette's slow careful packing of it, and the ways she lovingly brushed each. Petunia thought maybe it'd be nice to let her niece have.
"Why don't you take those?" Petunia said, slightly more callus then she wanted to sound. "I don't need them." She said. Well, maybe it was better this way. Harriette wouldn't have to feel grateful for them if she thought Petunia would just be throwing them away. Harriette still brightened. Hugging the small box to her chest.
"What are you doing in my room?!" Dudley shouted, stomping into the doorway.
"C-cleaning!" Harriette tried to console her cousin. She didn't want him to hit her, but there wasn't much she could do if he did decide to. She curled into herself trying to avoid his glare. "Aunt and Uncle told me to." She said, Hoping her cousin would let her do her work. She'd get into trouble for making him mad, but she'd get into trouble for not doing the work she was supposed to.
"You better nah have messed boken anyfing!" Dudley wailed, stomping forward, "This is my room and my stuff and-" Dudley had been waving his arms around gesturing to all his things. Harriette saw what was going to happen before it did. But there wasn't anything she could do to stop it. Dudley's hand connected to the radio that sat on the shelf next to his unused desk. It crashed to the floor with a loud crack. "What did you do?"
"I didn't!" Harriette's eyes flashed back up to her cousin, tears welling up. "I-I- It wasn't. I-?"
"Mu~m!" Dudley shrieked the way only three year olds can. "Harry's messing up my room again!" Dudley shrieked. Harriette flinched, knocking against the desk she'd been cleaning. She shrunk in on herself. She was going to get hit, at least Vernon wasn't home. Dudley didn't hit that hard, and Petunia would just lock her in her cupboard again.
"Harry, what are you doing in Dudley's room?" Aunt Petunia shouted, storming into the room. Harriette trembled, ducking into herself even further.
"I-I, You-you asked me-me to cle-clean," Harriette barely managed to get the words out. She wished she could disappear, she hugged her arms to herself as she trembled. Trying to make herself as small as possible. She tried to get out a 'please don't hurt me' but gave up at the stuttering p. Her aunt was already mad she didn't want to add to it.
"She broke my radio," Dudley shouted, Harriette flinched.
"Duddey-kins, it's alright, we'll just get you a new one," Petunia said, her voice soft and gentle. Harriette couldn't help envy Dudley for a second. "As for you," Petunia's voice turned hard and cold. "Go to your room. Don't come out till you're asked for it. Got it!" Harriatte nodded. Tears spilling.
"Ye-yes, ma'am," Harriette said, wiping her eyes and running out of the room. She dived into her room and Petunia locked the cupboard door.
Petunia caught Harry referring to herself as Harriette once when the girl thought no one else was home. She'd put the girl in the cupboard for some peace from the visions. She'd started cleaning for some reason, she was in the hallway by the stairs for some reason. She overheard Harry talking to herself in the cupboard, making voices the way Lily did whenever they'd played pretend with dolls, but Harry didn't have dolls or any toys for that matter. Vernon had absolutely forbidden it. Petunia wasn't entirely sure why. While Petunia did tend to spoil Dudley, in a way that she was half certain was a form of making up for her own parents neglect, and often got a weird feeling whenever she gave Harry anything that she didn't at least give Dudley she wasn't sure why he was against letting the boy have any form of entertainment.
"Oh, Lily you're so pretty, and our child is so very pretty too, she's just like you," Harry said in a very fake deep voice.
"Oh, I know, isn't she ever so pretty," in a higher voice. "We can't possibly call her Harry, Harry is a boy's name and she's our precious baby girl."
"Yes, but what shall we call her," again in a fake deep voice.
"Oh, I know, we'll call her Harriette, that way she's still got Harry in her name," in the higher.
"Yes, Harriette, our daughter," the fake deep voice. "She'll be loved for sure. And no one will ever be angry with her or lock her in a cupboard." Harry's voice was going back to his own now. "And then years pass and Harriette got older."
"Thank you Mum and Dad, for giving me the name Harriette instead of Harry like you wanted," Harry said in his… Her? Own voice.
"Oh, no worries our darling daughter Harriette," the child continued. "We'll always love you."
"And thanks for stopping your drinking and cleaning up your life and not dying in a car crash and leaving me all alone." This was said, so very watery that Petunia almost couldn't make it out.
"Oh, of course we would, because we love you so, so, so much, that you were worth far more then whatever lifestyle got us killed."
"Oh, shoot, I messed that up," Harry said.
"Maybe that's why nobody loves you," Said the fake deep voice. "You can't even pretend right, you daft, dreadful freak, you really think we'd love you."
"I'm sorry," Harriette said.
"Honestly, your uncle is right, you're the thing that drove us to drink you terrible, awful little girl," the fake high voice said.
"That's not true, you were drinking before that," Harry said.
"Oh, and you don't think you drove us to drink more than do you," the fake deep voice said. Petunia wanted to intervene, but something kept her rooted.
"You're so ungrateful, you should be grateful we even bothered to give you a name, Harry," the fake deep voice said.
"Harriette!" the child's voice said. "My name is Harriette, and I don't care what you chose. I only picked a name with Harry in it to be nice, but I'm Harriette." Petunia heard a sniffle. "It's okay Ms. Spider." Harriette's voice was wet and wobbly. "I don't need them anyway." Something hit the wall then. "I'm fine without them. I have you. And I have food, clothes and a place to sleep. I'm not ungrateful. It's only the one thing I don't want. Do you think someday, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon will call me that? Yeah, that's true, but it's okay if I'm the only one who ever, ever calls me that. I'm Harriette, and I'm a girl, and I know that much at least."
"I ought to sell you," Vernon grumbled.
"Why are you even here?" Dudley asked. "Oh, right, cause there was nobody who actually wanted you."
"Your parents were parasites on society and so are you," Vernon growled.
"Why are you looking at me like that?!" Petunia shouted.
Harriette had to earn her keep. Washing laundry, doing dishes, scrubbing floors. Cleaning rooms resulted in her finding all kinds of things in the trash that she could use. Her cousin threw away any art stuff he got, usually after breaking them up for fun, but Harriette had managed to sneak a few pieces. Sometimes he'd even throw away a broken toy or two. Harriette had amassed a small collection when Dudley caught her stealing from the trash. He made fun of her for it. Vernon overheard and threw all her things away. He even threw away her baby blanket, but Petunia had given it back to her.
"Here it's the only thing in this house that's yours," she said, shoving it into Harriette's chest. She was so grateful she cried.
"Why do I have to go to school with him?" Dudley complained. "He's a gross freak." Harriette tried not to let the words get to her. She'd be good. She'd be well behaved and not upset them. She wanted to go to school after all. Good girls go to school.
"Maybe school will teach him how to be useful around here," Petunia said. Sewing a button back onto one of Dudley's old coats. Dudley was already twice her size, so the thing was way too big. "Behave yourself and now freak behavior," Petunia said, gripping her chin. She nodded. Recently weird stuff had started happening around her. Her aunt and uncle seemed to view it as proof, so did Dudley.
"Your cousin is such a crybaby," One of Dudley's friends said. Harriette had been trying not to cause trouble. It was two and a half weeks into school. Harriette had at first met a few kids and they'd gotten on well. Dudley had decided he didn't like that. By now Harriette was completely alone, and most kids learned that nobody would stand up for Harriette if they hurt her, as long as the teacher didn't catch them they could get away with just about anything. Harriette hated school. Not only that but she'd brought home good grades at first only to have gotten punished for being a smart-alec know it all. Harriette barely bothered. Just enough to avoid getting into trouble for slacking.
"What a loser." Another friend chipped in. "What's with your shitty clothes? Can't afford better?"
"Of course not, he's a parasite feeding off of good people's kindness," Dudley said. "Isn't that right?" Dudley asked. Harriette nodded.
"I'm sorry," Harriette said. Why couldn't she be good? She'd tried doing Dudley's homework to keep his grades up, that way she didn't have to fail. She'd almost gotten caught though, she had to be careful, and she wasn't good at that. So, now he was mad that he'd gotten into trouble for copying her homework. One of the boys threw a rock at her, she barely avoided it, covering her head and neck with her arms. She wished she could disappear.
"He's boring," said another friend. "He's no fun."
"Why don't we up the stakes?" Dudle said. "What if we make it a game?" The other boys looked eager. "We chase him, and the one who catches him gets to decide his punishment. Nothing is against the rules as long as it doesn't leave a mark on his face. And if you try and get us in trouble with the teachers about what's not visible, well you know what will happen to you at home." Harriette had listened with wide eyes.
"Yeah!" one of the other boys shouted.
"Let's do it!" another boy said. Harriette looked between them, tears burning her eyes, but there was no reasoning to shed them.
"Stop crying your big baby," Dudley said. "Now Run!" Harriette took off, running as fast as her little body would take her, but the boys were so much bigger and they're longer legs took them farther faster.
Harriette always came home covered in new bruises, and immediately started her chores.
"Why are you always messing up your clothes boy?" Vernon growled.
"Dudley and his friends-"
"Excuses, you should be more careful, you're not getting any more clothes," Vernon growled. "You should be more grateful. You know how expensive you are, well, do you?" Harriette nodded.
"I'm sorry, I'll do better," Harriette said.
"Better," Vernon snorted. "As if you're even capable of doing better."
When Dudley and his friends chased her the next day Harriette found herself on top of the roof. She didn't know how she got up there.
She got punished for that.
"Clean up this mess, Freak," Vernon growled. Harriette nodded, coming over to pick up the mess that was made by the tray that Vernon had knocked over. He kicked her in the ribs. "Get out of my sight!"
"Vernon, you asked him to clean something in front of you," Petunia said, eyes glued to the TV. Harriette hurried to clean the mess and get out of Vernon's sight. She didn't want to get into trouble for leaving it. She dropped a bit and it stopped mid air. She got punished for doing freaky things
"Clean up this mess, Freak," Dudley said, pouring the remainder of a soda he'd decided he didn't want. Harriette just put up with it, closing her eyes to keep the soda out of them. That's why she didn't see the kick coming. "Now get out of my sight, Freak." Harriette wiped her face, and stood. Her side hurt pretty badly but she did hobble away. Classmates snickered.
"Out of the way, Freak," Vernon growled, shoving Harriette into the wall when Harriette was trying to pass him to take the trash out.
"Harriette!" Petunia said, handing Harriette a boy of things. "Get into your room and don't come out until you're called for. I don't want to see you tonight!" Aunt Petunia sniffed. Harriette took the back from her and ducked into the cupboard under the stairs that was her room. "I mean it, Harriette, I don't want to see you again today." Harriette looked up at hearing her name being called by someone else. Aunt Petunia sniffed, and turned away. She shut the door, and locked it. Harriette sniffed, wiping her nose on the oversized sleeve. She opened the bag that Aunt Petunia had handed her. The bag had a little light, and a small amount of dry foods; the kinds that could easily be stored. There was a whole box of pencils. Brand New! Harriette clenched her prize to her chest. Soft joy blooming in her heart.
Harriette had ended up locked in one of the lockers and missed the Dursley pick up. Harriette had been forced to walk home. Luckily she'd learned to pay close attention to where her aunt and uncle lived, and the road they would take. However that didn't stop them from being mad at her for being so ungrateful and missing their pick up. Uncle Vernon had to go out again for something, and Aunt Petunia was told to come up with a punishment. Harriette was a little relieved Petunia was a lot gentler. She shouldn't be. She was bad, she deserved punishment, but she was relieved, maybe that's why she never learned though.
Harriette had been sent out to Mr. Dressel's house. He was a neighbor and one of Vernon's friends. He was also really nice to Harriette, and watched her sometimes when Mrs. Figg was sick or away. He also often loaned Petunia or Vernon tools. He and Vernon seemed to get along, but he wasn't as angry with Harriette as Vernon was. She wondered what she didn't do around him that she did around Vernon to make him so angry. Maybe if she could copy her behavior at Mr. Dresel's, Vernon wouldn't be so mad, and he might even pat her on the head and say she did a good job. She'd have to perfect it though, since she always seemed to mess up no matter what with Vernon. She'd do better next time. She mastered the dishes and laundry, and she was good with all her other chores too. She could take out the trash without being noticed now, and she got the floor to shine. She even learned the sewing that aunt Petunia had demanded she learn. Petunia had gifted her that bag on October 31st. She'd mastered the art of doing Dudley's homework in a way that no one could tell. He'd started being nicer to her too.
Maybe she was finally doing good enough for them to love her too.
She looked down at the (Tool) that she'd been asked to fetch from Mr. Dresel. She'd be able to fix the thing Vernon wanted fixed with it. She adjusted her hold. Almost excited to get to work. She was being a good girl, and she was going to do a good job. She had to fight the urge to skip. Vernon hated it when she skipped, he said only girls skipped. Maybe if she was good enough he'd let her act like a girl, right now she couldn't skip though.
She got to the door and crouched to get the key they kept under a secret rock. Harriette wasn't allowed to have a house key. Freaks didn't have houses after all. Sometimes when Vernon was really mad at her and none of the neighbors and Petunia were around he'd kick her out and take the key inside and lock all the doors and windows. He'd tell her that she wasn't wanted and that he hoped she'd get hit by a car. But Harriette was doing so that he hadn't done that recently! She must be getting better.
She smiled, maybe she'd be so good that they'd even be happy to let her stay, let her have a house key like Dudley had. Would be happy to let her call this her home. Maybe she'd be so good that they'd even be happy to call her family. She could do it, she'd work really really hard. Then Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia and even Dudley were sure to like her.
She opened the front door and heard a crash. She flinched, wondering what she'd done to make Vernon mad already. He'd been out, and she'd just come in. She'd done Dudley's homework, she'd scrubbed the floor and done the dishes and she'd even weeded the garden. She even got the tool just like she was told to. TEars already pricking her eyes, she put the tool down and went toward the living room. It was always best to be close by when she was called, but she didn't want to be holding the tool, She didn't want to get hit with it, or worse be accused of planning something with it. She made her way to the room where her aunt and uncle kept some stuff they both really liked and didn't want her to ruin with her freakiness. Harriette felt like she was getting smaller, she curled in on herself to protect herself. The front room is just a hall, with the stairs where her cupboard was in and doors to the rest of the house. Harriette was shaking as she got closer to the living room, there was another crash. This time it was something made out of wood, and it broke. She flinched. She really really didn't want to get hit by whatever had just broken, but she was sure she would. Another crash, this time another glass thing, it sounds like it crashed up high though. Then she heard sobbing, Dudley was crying. Why was Vernon mad at Dudley? Sometimes Uncle Vernon got mad at Aunt Petunia, but Harriette couldn't remember him ever being mad at Dudley. Whenever Uncle Vernon was mad at Aunt Petunia he was always meaner to Harriette. She swallowed, she couldn't imagine how mean he'd be to her if he was mad at Dudley. She could already feel the bruises and the hung pains. He might even break a bone this time. Dudley shrieked as something hit the ground, Harriette couldn't stop herself. Dudley may be mean to her but he was her cousin and was still the nicest to her. He even let her eat veggies from his plate.
Harriette stood in the open doorway frozen. Not sure what she was seeing. Dudley was alone in the room. Shaking on the ground covering his head with his arms. While things floated around the room. Mostly lighter stuff, some of it was broken. Something almost hit Dudley and Harriette got between them.
"Stop it!" Harriette said, and everything fell to the ground. A few of Aunt Petunia's favorite vases breaking.
"Harriette?" Dudley said. Harriette looked at him. He looked so sad, and scared, and a little hopeful. He opened his mouth but Harriette found herself speaking first.
"Are you alright? What happened? I just came in an heard a crash. How long has this been happening? Did you did it? You have to have, I wasn't even here," Harriette said, then something occurred to her. "Are you hurt?" Dudley burst into tears.
"I'm a freak," Dudley said. Harriette's heart broke. Dudley was always brash, harch, but an energetic boy. He may be a jerk but he was still her cousin, and he was going to get kicked out of the house. He'd get hit and locked up and yelled at. Uncle Vernon might even take them out of school, and move them somewhere remote where they could be locked up properly. Uncle Vernon was always threatening that with her. Aunt Petunia always argued that Dudley needed to go to school and that put a stop to it, but now Dudley was a freak too. Harriette couldn't live with that.
"No you're not," Harriette said. "It's my fault!"
"But-but you said-" Harriette interrupted Dudley before he could continue.
"I came back and- and you lost your video game cause I distracted you, then you started hitting me, and then I made the room mess up!" Harriette said. She made her voice sound as firm as she could.
"What?"
"Go to your room, when Aunt or Uncle come home you run down stairs and tell them that's what happened!" Harriette said firmly.
"But-"
No buts, move it!" Harriette said. "I gotta start cleaning up this mess. Maybe if I fix some of the vases Aunt Petunia won't get as mad at me for breaking them."
"Harry?" Dudley said.
"Go. Up. Stairs! And Remember to cry when you tell Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon what I did." Harriette said. She got to work cleaning up. Looks like she wasn't going to be loved yet, but she couldn't let them know that Dudley was a freak too. She had to help Dudley, he was her cousin and he needed help. Aunt Petunia would hate having to live out in the country because of the two freaks she got stuck with. Harriette was used to being a freak anyway.
Harriette sniffled, she wasn't a very good girl. But maybe she could settle for being a good cousin.
Dudley did as she told him to do. It was a weird situation for their roles to be reversed. Aunt Petunia yelled a lot. But because Harriette had managed to fix most of the vases she wasn't in as much trouble. Even if she did feel guilty for using her own freak powers to fix them. Uncle Vernon wasn't as forgiving.
"What's with this mess?" He said storming in. Petunia and Dudley froze in the middle of their task. Dudley had come down to grab a snack from the kitchen. He stood so still, eyes too wide as they met hers. Petunia looked at Harriette, she was shaking, expectant.
"It was me," Harriette said. "I'm sorry, it wasn't on purpose I just- I'm sorry." She willed all her sensarity into her words. "I really didn't- I really didn't mean to." Uncle Vernon was stepping toward her and she instinctively stepped back. Tears falling down her face. "I-I'm s-"
"YOU WERE BEING A FREAK AGAIN!" Vernon shouted. "USING THOSE- MAKING OBJECTS FLOAT AND FLY ABOUT THE ROOM! BREAKING THINGS THAT DON'T BELONG TO YOU!"
"I-"
"I'M SORRY," Vernon said in a fake whine. "Shut up! You think you're sorry but you did it didn't you! You don't care how much of an incon-"
"Vernon the neighbors," Petunia said.
"SHUT UP! ARE YOU GOING TO TAKE THIS MONSTERS SIDE OVER YOUR OWN HUSBANDS!"
"It was my fault, I was hitting him again," Dudley said. Petunia froze eyes turning to him then angrily flashing to Harriette, then fearfully to Vernon. Just seconds, but Harriette noticed.
"THAT'S NO EXCUSE TO MAKE THINGS FLY AROUND THE ROOM!" Vernon shouted. Harriette shook her head to Dudley. Silently begging him not to interfere. It would only make Vernon madder. And then he'd hurt Harriette more. "HE GOES ABOUT ACTING LIKE HE OWNS THE WHOLE WORLD! ACTING LIKE JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT POWERS THAT MEANS YOUR SPECIAL DON'T YOU?" Harriette shook her head. "YOU THINK THAT BECAUSE YOU AN ORPHAN THAT MEANS YOU GET TO DO WHATEVER YOU WANT WITHOUT ANY CONSEQUENCES!" Harriette shook her head again. She was shaking.
"It was an accident," Harriette said. "I'm sorry. I'm try-"
"TRYING! TRYING!" Vernon shouted, stepping closer to Harriette then. Harriette fell over, sobbing. "THAT DOESN'T FIX ANYTHING! IT DOESN'T CLEAN UP THE MESS YOU MADE! DOES IT?!"
"Harry was cleaning up before Mum got back," Dudley said. Harriette panicked mounted.
Dudley, please stop trying to help, Harriette's panicked thought made her swallow.
"TRYING TO COVER UP ITS MISTAKE NO DOUBT!" Vernon shouted. "THOUGHT THAT IF YOU COVERED IT UP NO ONE WOULD NOTICE NOW DIDN'T YOU!" Harriette shook her head, scooching away from Vernon. "FREAKS LIKE YOU-FREAKS LIKE YOU! OH, IF I HAD MY WAY FREAKS LIKE YOU WOULD BE LOCKED UP! FREAKS, AND DEGENERATES AND BEGGARS AND THIEVES THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU ARE THE SAME." He grabbed Harriette's hair then.
"No, please, I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean to," Harriette fought back her tears as he dragged.
"Vernon stop this, this is re-"
"RIDICULOUS? IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE GOING TO SAY!" Vernon bellowed. Harriette struggled to lessen the burden on her hair even for a moment, but Vernon kicked her legs out from under her. "I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S RIDICULOUS!" He shook her then, lifting her almost off her feet. Her scalp burned, her head throbbed, her neck strained against the sudden weight put on it. Harriette tried to claw at his hands. "IT'S THE COST OF KEEPING THIS THING IN OUR HOUSE!" He threw Harriette down on the world thing, because of the constant shaking and the force Harriette fell to the ground almost face first. Then he stomped on her, then kicked her. "THE FACT THAT IT THINKS IT HAS ANY RIGHT TO BE SUCH A PAIN! IN! THE! ARS!" he kicked her each time. Harriette's chest aches, burns, it hurts. Harriette curled up to try and lessen the pain. So Vernon grabbed her hair again and shook her. Then he slapped her. "YOU DON'T DESERVE TO BREATHE THE SAME AIR AS US! YOUR A DIRTY, DISGUSTING, WORTHLESS FREAK! YOU MAKE THE WORLD A WORSE PLACE BY BEING IN IT! YOUR SUCK UP THE TIME AND ENERGY OF US GOOD HARD WORKING PEOPLE AND NEVER GIVE ANYTHING BACK!" He kept hitting Harriette. Sometimes with each word, sometimes just with each sentence. He threw Harriette to the floor and she crumbled in a heep. "YOU THINK YOUR BETTER THEN EVERYONE AROUND YOU'RE JUST BECAUSE YOU CAN MAKE THINGS FLOAT! WELL LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING! YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A PIECE OF SHIT! VERMOM FREAK! A DISGUSTING PARASITE FEEDING OFF OF YOUR BETTERS! YOU DON'T DO ANYTHING BUT WHINE AND PISS, AND WASTE SPACE! YOUR DESERVE FAR WORSE THAN ANYTHING I GIVE YOU!" He was panting now, the effort of kicking her was too much. Harriette heard him undo his belt and she flinched. He started hitting her with the belt, cracking against her bones while the leather bit into her skin. When he was too tired to do that he kicked her again. "Get up! Don't think you're done getting punished just because I'm tired from working hard to provide for my family." He smacked her with the belt again. Harriette hurt everywhere. Snot and tears and she was red stuff, oh she was bleeding. She reached up to try and feel the wound but Vernon grabbed her arm and tossed her into the hallway, she hit the floor wrong with her knee and when she tried to scramble to her feet it felt twisted and wrong. "Get it!" he said. "To the kitchen." Harriette's heart sank.
"Uncle Vernon please, I'm sorry I-"
"Get!" He said. Harriette stumbled to the kitchen, sobbing and gasping. Dudley and Petunia weren't anywhere to be seen. She wanted to be glad, she shouldn't want them to watch her get hurt. It was- it was a bad thing to want, so why did she feel so- abandoned. She made it to the kitchen counter. "Fill up the kettle." Harriette shook her head, sobbed.
"Plea-please-please, please pleaseplease," Harriette begged.
"Fill up the kettle," Uncle Vernon's voice was cold as ice. Harriette sobbed.
"Please, please don't do this," Harriette begged while filling up the kettle.
"Shut up!" Vernon didn't below. Harriette sobbed, she couldn't quite manage doing it silently. "Put it on the stove and set it to boil." He said voice was cold as ice. Harriette was sure there was a word that ment in was funny. Since she was boiling water. Vernon had finished he side of the punishment by the time Harriette managed the stove with her shaking hands. "Kneel," He said, pointing to the patch of rice on the ground. The Durslye's rarely ever ate rice, and usually Petunia would buy a special kind for that. This was cheap rice. Specifically for Harriette's punishments. Harriette wobbled forward, she knelt down and let the rice dig into the skin on her knees. They were both already covered in scrapes so it hurt even more. Harriette forced down a sob. "Recite." Vernon said. Harriette sobbed.
"I'm sor-"
"RECITE!" Venom shouted. Harriette flinched, swallowed the painful lump in her throat and croaked out the first lines of the commandments.
"I'm-I'm a foul evil creature who deserves pu-p-p-punishment," Harriette sobbed. She already knew that she was bad. She tried to be good. She did. "I'm-ma-mah-a bad fre-eak! I-i deserve- I deserve to suffer for ma-ma-making everyone else mi-i-i-iserable." Harriette sobbed.
"And?" Vernon was sitting in a chair by the stove waiting for the water to boil.
"M-m-my parents were bad p-p-people, and that me-means that I'm a bad per-person," Harriette sobbed. "I'll never be-be goo-good so I shou-should be punished." Harriette sobbed.
"Continue?"
"I-it's my fault that-that you can't get-" Harriette choked on the next words. She wasn't sure how it was her fault but Uncle Vernon said it was so it was. So why was it so hard for her to say it? Why couldn't she just accept her punishment. Why couldn't she be good enough not to bother anyone at least? "It's my faul-alt that you can't get promoted in your company," Harriette finally managed, Vernon settled back into his chair.
"And?"
"It-it's my fault that Aunt Petunia ca-can't show off th-the house to her-her fri-friends," Harriette sobbed.
"And?"
"It's m-m-my fault that Du-dudley can't have a pro-proper bir-birthday party,"
"And?"
"I'm the reason that you- you can't have nice things," Harriette said. Tears were still burning their way down her cheeks but soon they weren't going to feel that hot at all.
"Close enough," Venom said. "There are a million ways you make our lives harder. And because of all that?"
"I d-deserve to be pu-punished," Harriette sobbed. The kettle whistled. Harriette had been calming down, but now she wasn't so calm anymore. "Puh-please."
"You deserve this," Vernon said. "It's the only way that you can stay here. Do you want to go onto the streets? There are people out there that will do far worse to you than this." Harriette shook her head. "Then you accept what you deserve." He said. Harriette nodded. Sobbing..
"Alright, then," Venom said, grabbing the bucket. It wasn't a very big thing, just big enough for Harriette's head to fit inside. Harriette sobbed. "Stip." Harriette pulled off her oversize shirt and pants. Cold air hit the scarred skin of her back and it tightened painfully. Harriette laid down on the kitchen floor the rice now digging into her tummy. Vernon put the bucket on her head. She sobbed into the dark confinement. Then the burning splash of water hitting her back, she shrieked. Tried to resist the urge to writhe, the squirm and twist and try to get away. It would only make it worse, but her body would only obey for so long. Because of that the water ended up in other places, something cool and comforting swept her back, side and legs where the hot water had poured over her. Harriette instantly regretted it. Vernon ripped her to her feet and slammed his hand across her face, sending her to the ground.
"Are you fucking stupid as well as a freak!" Vernon shouted. Harriette sobbed, shaking her head and trying instinctively to skitter away. He stomped on her leg. "I thought we made it clear that you deserve this."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I don't know how-" He grabbed her leg, dragging her over the floor so fast that skin peeled off her stomach, rice burrowed into her skin. He slammed his hand against her head and the world went weird and lopsided, spinning. There was shuffling in the drawer. Harriette could tell which drawer it was, just from where the sound was coming from, the tool drawer. The hammer drawer. That's what he pulled out. Harriette tried to pull away, but he held her leg. He was going to kill her, he was going to crack her skull open and-and.
"Stop, please," Harriette sobbed. "I'll be better, I won't- I won't do."
"Yes you will," Vernon said. And brought the hammer down. Harriette screamed, white hot fire ignited in her leg bone as the hammer hit her with a harsh crack. Harriette was too tired to fight when he pulled her up and started twisting her arm. Everything hurt too much, and she was far too little to do anything to stop him. When the bone in her arm snapped she found she did still have a little bit of worthless energy. Vernon dropped her on her broken limbs and the overly hot floor. Harriette tried to crawl away only to have her hair pulling her on her wobbling and broken legs. Vernon dragged her into her cupboard. "You brought this upon yourself."
"I know," Harriette sobbed. Finally he left her alone. It was dark when Petunia pulled her out to treat her wounds.
"Why'd you wreck the living room huh?" She asked, splinting her arm, she wasn't gentle about pulling it back into place, it hurt all over again. Her back burned again, so did a lot of little patches all over. Petunia pickle rice from one of the scabs. "You could have at least picked the rice out." Harriette could barely move a finger. "You're not going to answer me are you?" Harriette couldn't muster the energy to speak. Her whole body felt like it weighed a million-billion pounds. Her neck and scalp and head ached. Her skin burned, her bones burned or ached and felt like molten lead. She was hot and yet she was also freezing, and her throat was parched. "Fine,' Petunia said, shoving her back into the cupboard. She also shoved some water into her room. "That's all you'll be getting for a while, be grateful, and make sure to crush and hide them once you're done. I don't want Vernon yelling at me because I didn't want to deal with your dead body." Petunia stood. Harriette laid on her aching side. Harriette didn't even have the energy to sob. Maybe she didn't deserve to cry, since she was a nasty freak that messed everything up.
But she'd protected Dudley, and she'd protected her aunt and uncle too. After all, two freaks would mean they'd have to lose everything. She may be bad but- but- Harriette felt a cold tear drop from her eyes, so she closed them. Nobody would even care if she disappeared, if she died nobody would miss her. She was a nasty ugly worthless freak after all. She didn't even deserve to be alive. She should be grateful that she was even born. But she wasn't, she didn't want to be born, she didn't want to be alive, she didn't want to be a burden or be in pain. She didn't want to think about it. Dudley would just go back to being mean to her tomorrow, or whenever she got to come out. If she ever got to come out.
Harriette was hungry, and really really thirsty. It hurt to even swallow. She was covered in bruises, Vernon had dragged her out in the morning for a beating. He'd gotten really mad when he'd seen the water in her cupboard.
"Stealing!" Vernon growled. Harriette didn't correct him. It would have just ended up being her word against her aunts anyway. "Of course you would steal from us, you son of whore and dog," then he started hitting her. Harriette hadn't even gotten to drink any of the water. Though she had managed to hide one single bottle when she'd heard Vernon storming down the steps. She wasn't willing to waste it though. She drank a sip then tucked the bottle behind the stack of shoe boxes where all her contraband goods were. Even though she knew she'd get in trouble she couldn't help but take take take. She was so greedy. But she hadn't been able to stop herself when spotting the almost intact red crayon in Dudley's trash can, or the tiny green soldiers that some kid had left at the park, she hadn't been able to stop herself from grabbing the melted pink crayon that Dudley had set on fire on a garden stone, or the little bits of torn paper that she found scattered around the house, the broken action figure of a character she didn't know when she was cleaning under Dudley's bed, the nub of a yellow color pencil from Petunia's trash can, the little purple gel pen that her teacher gave her for doing the reading homework, the shiny broken bit of chain and the chipped marble, a lost doll shoe, and three puzzle pieces that actually fit together and made up part of an eye. She'd added it to her little light and the box of pencils.
Something gnawed on the inside of her stomach, making her whimper. Her throat hurt with how dry it was. Still she didn't regret taking the blame for Dudley. She felt guilty for even feeling bad about it before. After all, Dudley didn't deserve to be treated like this. He was a-a he had a- He didn't deserve to be treated like this. Just because he had freak powers like Harriette didn't mean he should be treated like Harriette. Harriette thought about Dudley's tear streaked face, how relieved and how hopeful he'd been when Harriette took the fall for him. That was a good thing. She did something kind for him. Sure he'd probably hurt her again later but that wasn't important. Besides, Harriette liked going to school, she got to eat and she was able to move around and do stuff, she liked reading, and she liked getting to do art. She liked learning about colors and stuff. If Dudley was a freak they'd get locked up.
No, no, no; Harriette thought. "You're supposed to do good because it's good." Maybe Harriette really was, really, really bad. She wished she could go to school now. It was a school day, she heard Dudley going out for it. Well, maybe she didn't deserve to go to school either.
Harriette watched Mrs. Spider watching from her web. Harriette turned over. It was kind of warm, surely spiders needed water too. Harriette's throat was dry but she hadn't seen Mrs. Spider drink for a while. She knew that spiders drank their food but still it had been a while since then too. Harriette sat up taking some of the little water she had and poured some out.
"Here you go Mrs. Spider," Harriette said leaning against the boxes."Thank you for not leaving me alone. I don't know what I'd do without you." Harriette sniffled. She was too dry to cry.
When Harriette was finally allowed out of the cupboard it was because she'd been out of school for a week. Her teacher was concerned about it. Aunt Petunia apparently got a message from a doctor that explained her absence but not beyond that week. Petunia had pulled her out on the second day just to make sure she drank some water, before shoving her back into the cupboard, but now she was allowed to be out to go to school she was expected to do her chores right after coming home, then go back into her cupboard. When Vernon came home he'd punish her with the belt then she'd go back into the cupboard. She would be eating at school so she didn't need dinner and they thought it should be part of her punishment too. Harriette had nodded along before settling into the car where she was expected to wait for Dudley to get his breakfast and then be loaded into the car too. She curled around her backpack and sniffled. At least Petunia gave her a water bottle so she wasn't as dry as before but she was still sore and tired all over.
Not to mention her tummy was growling painfully. She'd been allowed to eat very little during her time of punishment. When Petunia did feed her she made it clear she was only doing it to make sure she didn't start rotting in there.
Harriette rested her head against the cold window. She tried to ignore the pain in her stomach and the limbs that Vernon broke. The brace that Petunia put on her was itchy and still and kept her from bending her knee even though it was the lower part of her leg that had been broken. The brace on her arm was just as still and itchy. They made the aching lessen though so Harriette endured. Casts were just itchy, Harriette was just grateful she even got to have any form of treatment. After all, Freaks didn't deserve help.
That's why she had to stand up for Dudley, nobody else ever would if they knew. It was better this way. Harriette's parents were bad so she was a freak. Dudley's parents followed the rules, so their son shouldn't be a freak. That's how things were supposed to be. Maybe her aunt or uncle had broken a rule though, and Dudley was a freak as punishment for that. Maybe Harriette was being bad for not telling on Dudley. Well, she didn't care, if she was going to be bad no matter what she was going to choose the bad thing that made her feel better about it. At least this way she was still allowed to go to school.
Harriette hadn't realized she'd dozed off until she heard the car doors slamming around her. She flinched awake with mild panic before remembering where she was. She looked to her cousin who was sitting next to her looking a little paler than usual. He was normally a bright shade of pink. Harriette shifted, turning more fully to her cousin.
"What's the matter?" She asked. "Are you feeling sick?" She wasn't sure if she wanted to be noticed but she also didn't want Dudley to be in pain. The whole point was to protect Dudley so he should get medicine if he wasn't feeling good.
"No, I'm fine," He said, annoyed.
"Oh, sorry," Harriette said, turning away.
"It's fine," Dudley said, annoyed. "Thanks for asking." He said in a much gentler tone. Harriette looked at him in surprise, but then looked away.
"What are you on about? Leave Dudley alone!" Uncle Vernon growled. Harriette looked back out the window. Feeling just the tiniest bit better about the day. Even if her stomach was complaining about being empty.
At school Harriette struggled out of the car, she had to be careful about climbing out on her wobbly legs. Especially since one was broken. She had to be careful as she made her way to the building. Once they were inside Dudley offered her an arm. Harriette wasn't sure if she should trust it, but decided to accept it. Her leg was already hurting pretty badly, and her body was weak anyway. She didn't really have much choice but to hope he was sincere.
Dudley helped her to the classroom since Harriette couldn't walk or play anyway. Harriette settled against the wall.
"Thanks for helping me," Harriette said.
"Your welcome, uh, Harry," Dudley said. It was the first time Dudley ever called her by her birth name, she wished she was more happy about it. She should be grateful that he was calling her a name that wasn't mean at all.
"Well, you can go play with your friends now," Harriette said. "I'll just wait here for the teacher." Dudley nodded, starting to turn. "Um.. Dudley," when Dudley turned around Harriette looked away suddenly nervous. "Can-" She took a deep breath. "Can you maybe ask, well, can we not play the chasing game today. I-" Harriette paused looking at her leg. "I don't think I can run." she said. Ashamed to have to ask. Ashamed that she felt the little spark of hope, in her chest. Of course they would play chasing Harry today. It had been a week, and Dudley had already been nice enough to help her to class. "Ne-nevermi-" Harriette started.
"No, yeah, we- I wasn't planning on it," Dudley said. Harriette looked up then, before looking down again.
"Thank you," Harriette said.
"Ye-yeah," Dudley said. "I-I'll see you when class starts." It almost sounded like a question.
"Yeah, of course," Harriette said. "Where else would I go?" She joked, gesturing to her leg. Dudley made a face at that, but nodded, before waving. Harriette slid down the wall then, keeping her broken leg straight. It hurt so bad. She had to wipe a tear from her face. She couldn't be a big baby. She had to be strong. Besides, it wasn't like anyone would comfort her anyways.
The teacher let Harriette play inside at the usual play times, and she didn't have to participate in any of the running games that the other kids played at group play that week. Harriette was a little sad she couldn't actually. She liked the games where the other kids couldn't leave her out. She liked pretending she was a part of the group, and having fun with the other kids. But her leg was hurt and she had to rest it or it would never get better.
Dudley also started sneakily feeding her his vegetable through the bottom slat of the door. He couldn't get a whole lot through but Harriette didn't go to bed as hungry. He also started sneaking bits of breakfast out to the car and to pass to her when leaving her at the classroom door. She was immensely grateful for the food, even if it was only little bits. Maybe Dudley had decided to be a little nicer to her so that she'd continue taking the blame for his freakiness. She would have without the niceties but that didn't mean she wasn't grateful. She made him a card to let him know she appreciated it but that he didn't have to go to all the trouble if it bothered him too much. She stuck with the colors she knew he'd like but she even used the construction paper and sparkly crayons that one of the other kids' moms always brought.
Dudley seemed mad about it at first but he kept the card and didn't do anything to be mean to her after so Harriette figured he decided not to retaliate. She decided not to bother him with another card but still thanked him in person.
"You don't have to thank me for something like that," Dudley said, stomping away. Harriette decided not to bother him after that.
Harriette was seated at the table drawing. Mr. Dressel always let Harriette use his drawing stuff. He called it that. His drawing stuff. Harriette wished she could have her own drawing stuff. It'd be so neat.
Mr. Dressel was watching her, Mrs. Figg wasn't feeling well today. And Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia and Dudley were going out for something. Maybe it was one of Dudley's friend's birthdays, or another one of Uncle Vernon's work things. Harriette didn't need to know so she shouldn't have even bothered to ask, but she had and it had made Uncle Vernon mad. Aunt Petunia stopped him before he could hit her again though. Saying they'd miss the thing. They wouldn't be able to have Mr. Dressel watch her and a bunch of other stuff, so they'd left. Uncle Vernon said he'd punish her afterwards, but if she was lucky he'd have a good day and he would forget about it. Harriette hoped he would, even if it was a bad thing to do.
Dudley used to brag about being allowed to go, before he learned he was also a freak. It has been a little over a month since the discovery and neither had spoken of it. They'd spoken more than they had in the whole five years they'd lived together, but not about that. He was mostly avoiding her. Once her leg was healed and she was able to walk he'd stopped walking with her to class, but he still snuck her food sometimes.
Harriette was almost finished with the drawing, she was really proud of it. It was a picture of Mrs. Spider. She was getting older and slower and she was going to pass away soon. It was about time. She was going to have babies soon too. Harriette would miss her and she wanted a picture to remember her by, and she wanted to be able to show her babies. She wished Aunt Petunia had even just one picture of her Mumma. She didn't even know what her Mumma looked like.
Just that she'd married her father and died. He'd been bad and made her Mumma bad or maybe she'd always been bad. It changed sometimes. They died 'cause they were bad, they were drunks and they died in a car crash. That's what she'd overheard Aunt Petunia telling one of the neighbors. But Mrs. Spider wasn't bad, her mumma died having her and she was dying now having her babies. So Harriette wanted the babies to have at least one picture of the Mummy, even if Harriette wasn't a very good artist. Still she had to do her best since she could take a picture of her. Freaks are not allowed to have cameras Harriette added the last strand of hair, then held up her picture. Harriette really loved spiders, they ate the mean bitey bugs and never bothered Harriette. MHarriette wasn't allowed to have friends at school and she spent most of her time in the cupboard so the spiders that shared the space with her were her only friends. But Mrs. Spider the first, and her daughter were the only ones brave enough to settle near Harriette. Sometimes she made up stories about them. About their lives and what they might be thinking and telling each other. But mostly she liked to think about how it would be to be a spider. Tho not think, to make pretty webs and eat and sleep and drink her fill. To not want to be outside the cupboard, to be safe inside and not trapped there. Yeah Harriette likes spiders.
"Whatchya drawing there kiddo?" Mr. Dressel asked.
"Mrs. Spider," Harriette said, smiling while she showed him her drawing.
"Um," He looked, not happy. What did Harriette do wrong? He didn't like her drawing?
"I'm sorry," Harriette said. "I'll- I'm finished so I'll put it away." Harriette said, shuffling it into her school bag, since she'd been dropped off right after. "Please don't be mad. I won't draw her- them again. I'm- I'm sorry, please don't be mad. I-I-I'll be good, I swear." Harriette curled in on herself, desperately trying to be smaller, she wasn't bad, she wasn't scary. She was small, and-and…. "Please don't take it away. It's a gift. I'll draw cute things from now on, I promise." Harriette sobbed. Mr. Dressel stepped away from her. Harriette cried even harder. "Please don't hate me…. I'll be good. I won't draw spiders anymore. I won't draw any bad stuff. I swear. I didn't know it was bad. I- Please… please."
Harriette wasn't sure how she ended up outside. Sitting on the front step of number two private drive waiting for her Aunt, Uncle and Cousin to come back. She was pretty sure it had something to do with spiders.
(Dudley doesn't know that Harriette is trans- he's not deliberately deadnaming her here)
Dudley sat in the back seat of the car as his parents argued. They were always arguing, and it was always about Harry. He'd done something weird at Mr. Dressel's house. He'd called Mum and she'd talked to Dad and they'd seemed to agree to take care of whatever it was later as Dad was trying to show his boss what a nice normal family he had. It was apparently good for his career or something. Dudley was expected to make nice with his dad's bosses' kid. The boy was a year older and was very interested in a topic that Dudley had barely managed to keep track of for more than a few seconds. He'd been forced to nod along, his dad making it clear that he wasn't to start an argument by being rude.
Harry didn't have to be here, listening to such a long, boring speech, he was at Mr. Dressel's drawing away. It wasn't fair. Dudley had been incredibly bored for the majority of the evening until his dad finally decided it was enough time to go home. Dudley hoped that when he got a boss someday they didn't require so much coddling to feel like he liked them.
It was almost dark when they finally headed home. Late enough that some of the lights were turning on, and fewer people were on the road at least. They arrived at home to see Harry on the porch. Standing up on shaky legs, and quickly wiping his face as the car lights flooded him. Dudley's parents left the car, his mom coming to his door and when he got out she pulled him into her. Dudley could still easily see his dad going up to the other boy. Harry looked down, twisting the bottom of his shirt in his firsts, stretching it out even further. Dudley looked to his mother who silently pulled him along with her.
"What the blazes did you think you were doing boy?" Vernon growled quietly as he started opening the door.
"Yo-you took the house key with you," Harry said.
"Not that you stupid little- with Alex, boy." Vernon growled. "What did you think you were doing at Alex's house?" Harry sniffled.
"I thought I was just drawing, sir," Harry said. Vernon harrumphed to that.
"Vernon, please wait until we're inside," Petunia said. "What will the neighbors think?" Harry shifted uncomfortably.
"They'll think we're awfully generous to even be keeping such an awful ungrateful, selfish, ugly, worthless thing," Vernon growled. Finally getting the door open. "Get in there." He growled. Harry scurried into the house toward the kitchen. "You two upstairs. Now!" Vernon growled. Petunia pulled Dudley up the stairs, where she shuffled him into his room before heading to hers and Vernon's. Dudley slipped out of his room and headed to his mother's room curious. He heard her crying there. Dudley turned around and went downstairs. It was Harry's fault his mother was crying. It was Harry's fault that his Dad was angry. It was probably Harry's fault that he was a freak, no he probably set it up to seem like he was a freak. Then why did he take the blame for it at all. He probably knew my parents wouldn't be fooled. Really? Do you really believe that? Then go downstairs. So Dudley did. He made his way to the kitchen hearing the kettle whistle.
"You're acting out more and more these days, acting out in front of Alex," Dudley heard his father's voice say. "He doesn't want anything to do with you, you know? He won't say what he saw, but I do. You were being a freak and now you've gone and destroyed a perfectly good friendship." Vernon said. "You don't know how much trouble you freaks cause, always nosing in where you don't belong, causing trouble where you're not needed. Honestly, you freaks shouldn't even be allowed to exist." Dudley heard Harry sniff as he opened the kitchen door a crack. Harry was lying on the ground, he didn't have a shirt Vernon holding the kettle over him, his head in a bucket too…. Vernon poured the steaming water onto Harry's back. Harry screamed, a familiar scream that Dudley had heard a few times before. The skin on Harry's back warped and bubbled and reddened and blistered and peeled. Harry screamed the whole time. Dudley wanted to turn away to run upstairs to cower. He wanted to burst through the door and stop this.
Dudley had burnt himself a few times while playing with fire. It always hurts really, really badly. But it was usually only a finger, or maybe the palm of his hand. And never that bad. Never bad enough to blister.
"Get out of my site." Vernon growled. Harry collected his things and started toward the kitchen door. Dudley panicked. He didn't want to run into his cousin. He couldn't look directly into his face when he was in that much pain. Not when he knew he'd caused it at least once. Is that what's going to happen to me when they find out I'm a freak too. Dudley closed his eyes as his cousin opened the kitchen door. Waiting for some sort of reaction. The air popped and tightened. Dudley opened his eyes to his room. Not the kitchen hall.
So that's how Harry got onto the roof, Dudley mused. Remembering the scream, the screams that Dudley now recognized for what they were. Dudley threw up into his trash can.
Harriette curled in on herself under the stairs, she didn't know why she was such a bad kid or an awful, ugly, worthless freak. If she hadn't been born, maybe her parents would still be alive. Probably not, Uncle Vernon said they were bad people who made everyone hate them, and drank and got into a car crash and probably killed another perfectly good family along with them.
If she wasn't born maybe Uncle Vernon would get that promotion at work he'd been trying for. He'd be able to invite colleagues over to the house at least.
Aunt Petunia wouldn't have to cry, or fight with Uncle Vernon all the time. Maybe she wouldn't look so sad all the time.
Dudley definitely wouldn't have an awful ugly worthless freak for a cousin. He'd be able to have his friends over all the time. He'd be able to join sports, and he'd probably be able to… He probably wouldn't be a freak. That was probably her fault too.
He wouldn't have to be scared and could go and do… Well, Harriette couldn't think of a lot of things. Harriette didn't know a whole lot 'cause she was always in trouble and so she was put in her cupboard. She sobbed.
"Why was I born?" Harriette said, tears rolling down her face. "Why did you give birth to me?" Harriette sobbed into her blanket. The only thing was truly hers. "Why did you die and leave me all alone? Why did you have to have me? I'm always messing up and making Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia mad. I don't want to be a burden or a problem or a freak. I just-I-I-I-ju-uh-ugh-st wa-ant to be a-ah-ah part of a family!" Harriette didn't mean to say that last part so loud, so for a moment she laid silent, afraid to even breath, hand covering her mouth, her chest spasmed in unshed tears. When there was no sound of yelling, no stomping of angry feet down the stairs Harriette curled around herself, cuddling her blanket for dear life.
Maybe tomorrow will be better. Maybe tomorrow she'll be better.
Vernon felt a little more like himself when he woke up that morning. It was a cloudy slightly grey looking sunday. Still Vernon had to make the most of his time in control of himself. He walked downstairs the last to wake up. But it was still early, early enough that Harry was still getting instructions on what she wanted.
"Don't bother, we're going out!" He said. "There's a new restaurant opening down the way and I want to try it." He said. "Let's go." Harry looked down starting to shuffle putting the things back. Vernon took that over. "Petunia, get the boys in the car," he said, trying for cheerful. Harry stared at him. "Well, go on." Harry followed Petunia and Dudley to the car, and Vernon put the few items into the fridge before heading back out. The drive was a quick Silent affair. Vernon really had been planning on going, even in his weird curse influenced state. They climbed out, and heading into the building. Dudley orders a burger from the kids menu, and when Harry couldn't make a choice, Vernon decided two kids burgers would do just fine. He added a chocolate shake to each to give the kids a chance. Harriette thanked him, before taking a bite.
Harriette wasn't sure what to think when her uncle decided they were going out to eat, or when he decided that he was going to make sure that Harriettee had something to eat. Harriette knew better than to think that it was because he liked her. Harriette spotted the school counselor lady and understood that it was probably something she suggested.
Uncle Vernon Probably just didn't want her to know the Harriette was a freak. She was probably getting suspicious and that's why he was acting like she was normal.
Dudley sat staring at the toy. He didn't want it anymore, but he didn't want to just throw it away either. Harry wanted it too. He'd seen the way his cousin had looked at it for a few seconds on his last birthday. It was one of Dads gifts, one of the ones where he chose it because of how much it cost rather than how much Dudley would actually like it. He may have also chosen it so Dudley would taunt Harry with it.
The few chances Harry got to watch cartoons, cleaning the living room, Harry was obviously interested in this one particularly. They'd all heard him humming the theme to himself, or muttering the phrase 'transformers robots in disguise' while cleaning. It had gotten the cartoon banned for a short while before Vernon had decided to play his cruel joke. Dudley had liked the cartoon too, but he'd also liked the thing that would come on after it.
Dudley at the time had enjoyed more taunting Harry with it then actually playing with it. The transformation was a complicated feature that took a lot of moving parts, twisting, adjusting and turning. It came with a weapon attachment and was pretty high quality. But it had come in car form and Dudley had gotten the thing stuck partially transformed. He'd passed it to Harry, who had scarcely taken more than a few minutes of looking, then a few more moments of fiddling before he'd gotten it into robot form. He'd looked so proud of himself too. Dudley wasn't a fan of the stupid thing, honestly. But Harry was.
Dudley remembered the small weak smile on Harry's face as he'd been fiddling with it. Making the transformation sounds under his breath.
"Thanks for letting me play with it," Harry's soft voice had said, as he'd passed it back to him. Dudley sighed. He'd never managed to get the thing in car form again. Now it was once again a tangled mess. Harry didn't have a lot of toys. Dudley had spotted Harry taking one out of his trash can, a broken thing that was missing half his face and two limbs and squirreling them away in his cupboard. Dudley had even picked on him for it. His dad had thrown out all the things Harry had collected, broken pencils and crayons, broken toys, scraps of fabric that his mom hadn't planned on even using, a few almost dry pens, and several drawings. Vernon had pulled out each item and….
Petunia held Harry against her while Vernon went through his things. Harry was crying, Dudley watched from the corner.
"It'll just be worse if you get in his way," his mom had said. Vernon got out his hammer, a lighter and some other stuff.
"Thief, ungrateful, selfish, spoiled," Dudley's father bellowed. Harry squirmed in his mother's arms.
"Nobody wanted them," Harry tried.
"And that gives you a right to them," Vernon shouted. "No! You don't have a right to these things, you don't have a right to anything. You don't deserve these things." He picked up the hammer. "Now, freak, I want you to pay attention. See what happens when you take things that aren't yours." Harry sobbed. Vernon smashed the small collection of toys; a few broken action figures, two toy cars each missing wheels, a single jack that Dudley wasn't even sure was something he got at the house, and two dolls made of scrap yarn. The last one he lit on fire. He tore up each drawing; flowers, birds, spiders, cats and one that was probably Mrs. Figg. He burned the scrap fabric, and the yarn dolls and then melted a small collection of buttons, along with the crayons. The pencils that were barely nubs were sharpened into dust, and the pens were drained of in cut up with kitchen shears. Then Vernon stuffed Harry's things along with his baby blanket into a big trash bag and took it out. Harry sobbed and begged and pleaded the whole time.
Dudley never mentioned it again. Harry was also much more careful about his collection now. The only thing Harry ever got back was his baby blanket. Which he'd sobbed and thanked his mother for, forgetting that she was the one who held him back and forced him to watch his beloved things being destroyed.
For a while after Dudley would see His mother holding a sobbing, pleading Harry back as Vernon went rooting around his cupboard to remove anything further. He'd finally stopped when it seemed Harry had learned his lesson.
"Nothing in this world belongs to you, freak," Vernon said, shoving Harry's baby blanket in yet another trash bag.
Dudley knew better though. Harry had just gotten better at hiding things, picking smaller things to squirrel away. Keeping his baby blanket and collection in his backpack or in his pockets. Harry only learned to be better at hiding things.
Dudley wondered if his dad would do the same thing to him if he knew he was a freak too. Would he have to learn to keep his most prized possession tucked away in his pockets. Would he have to learn to keep his love for things that he could carry with him? Did Dudley even love anything enough to carry it with him?
Maybe Vernon wouldn't throw Harry's things away if Dudley was the one who handed it to him directly. Dudley didn't want to risk it. He knew his mother would just accept it if he did it in front of her, probably, but he still didn't want to risk it. What if she told his dad? What if she got mad at Harry too?
No Dudley had to make an excuse, a way of making the toy 'worthless' without actually destroying the toy. Maybe he'd have Harry clean his room and leave some broken pencils and crayons around too. He doubted Harry would just accept them if he tried to hand them over to him. Not after he'd made fun of him for it.
Dudley called Harriette over to him during recess. She cautiously approached. Him and his friends hadn't been as mean to her recently. Now the worst of it was mean words which were just kind of true so Harriette tried not to let them get to her too much, but she was still cautious about it. Dudley was alone, so she relaxed a little.
"C'mon," He said. Leading her to the bathrooms. Harriette didn't like using the bathrooms at school. She had to use the boys room because she was born a boy, even though she wasn't a boy, and it was obvious that she wasn't one. She shyly followed. He made sure they were alone, and Harriette got more nervous. "Open your bag." Dudley said. Harriette did so, not wanting to make him angry. He pulled something from his and dropped it into hers. It took her a second to recognize it as his transformer toy. "It's gun is gone so I don't want it." he said, shrugging. "You were better at it anyway, and you actually like the show." He said. "Don't thank me." He said. "I just don't want to waste it." Their teacher was teaching them about wasting things and landfills and recycling so Harriette understood immediately.
"Oh, well, I still appreciate it," Harriette said.
"Whatever," Dudley said. "Just make sure dad doesn't find it. He wasn't taught not to waste things. Y'know." Harriette nodded. Not wanting Uncler Vernon to find it either, but maybe not for as nice a reason as Dudley.
Uncle Vernon was talking loudly at aunt Petunia. Harriette couldn't make out all the words, but she did hear a few. He was mostly complaining about not being able to have colleagues and bosses over.
"Schmoozing is part of networking, Petunia!" Vernon shouted a little more loudly. Harriette had been tucked away into the cupboard with a few granola bars. Dudley was upstairs, Harriette didn't know what he was doing.
I know but we can't just invite people over to-"
"WE're going to have to Petunia, and I can't have it ruining things," Vernon said. "I'm sick of missing out on the good things in life while someone lessers gets what I deserve just 'cause he can get the boss drunk." Vernon shouted. "I'm done. I've invited them out to drinks to keep things civil but it's not enough. I want this house spotless and that thing well behaved. It's old enough to know how to do that."
"Vernon, we can't just-"
"Enough!" Vernon barked, causing Harriette to flinch. Yelling like that usually meant Harriette was in trouble. She stuffed her drawing stuff back into their hiding spot, hiding her granola bars, and any other contraband materials. Making sure her hand light wasn't visible from its spot, before pulling the string and sending the cupboard into darkness. She hadn't gotten into trouble so she was allowed to use the house lights, but she and Dudley didn't have homework so Vernon would still be mad if she wasted energy.
Harriette knew where everything was in her little cupboard. It was better than before. Harriette had the vaguest memory of sleeping somewhere even more cramped and dark. Harriette forced herself to listen very carefully to what was going on outside.
"That thing is old enough to know better. It needs to learn better. It needs to learn that the world doesn't revolve around it. Schmoozing is an important part of the job, Petunia. Now either you convince Alex that what he saw was his imagination, or you get that thing to behave itself." There was stomping, Vernon made his way from the kitchen to the hall and down it. Harriette instinctively shrank away from the door to her cupboard. He passed the door and up the stairs, stomping a little harder over Harriette's room.
Harriette stayed still and quiet for several moments. Waiting. Just when she was about to relax she heard her aunt's quietest footsteps. Harriette's stomach turned and heart twisted. Harriette didn't like when her aunt's footsteps sounded like that. Her aunt was lively and bright, always talking giddily with other women anywhere they met. So hearing her get small and quite twisted something up inside her. Aunt Petunia knocked on Harriette's door.
"Harriette?" Aunt Petunia said, voice soft. When Uncle Vernon was around Aunt Petunia was a lot rougher, often hammering on the door to Harriette's cupboard. This was the softer tone that Her Aunt had when they were going to do some sewing, or gardening, or cooking together. Sometimes Aunt Petunia would put on some music and they'd pretend they were other people for a while. Harriette wasn't sure who they were pretending to be but Aunt Petunia was alway a little happier when they pretended. Harriette likes pretending.
The weather was getting warmer. Aunt Petunia kept saying you could tell that spring was around the corner and sighing. It will be here soon. Dudley and Harriette would both turn six in the summer this year, but only Dudley would actually get a birthday. Harriette didn't know when exactly her birthday was. She didn't know if she'd ever been celebrated but Dudley had literally never not been celebrated in his whole life. She wondered how it felt to be waiting for your life as you knew it to end.
Harriette was used to being a freak, being treated badly. She'd for a while convinced herself that maybe she deserved it. Sometimes she didn't but mostly she did.
Right now though Harriette and Petunia were cleaning up the garden. Checking the flowers, Making sure the grass was right. Petunia would sometimes ignore the fact that Harriette accidentally made the flowers bright, or the grass greener, or a plant to stand straighter. Sometimes she'd even tell Harriette she did a good job. Harriette was sure she noticed. Harriette had to watch Petunia throw out an entire collection of flowers once, and Harriette had felt so bad for them that she'd accidentally started making the plants healthier. Harreitte had thought the first few times that the mistake had gone unnoticed but Harriette had caught Aunt Petunia with a funny little smile on her face when she'd done it once. It was their little secret. If it was dark and no one was around, Aunt Petunia would pretend not to see Harriette make flowers look a little bit prettier and Harriette would pretend no to feel a little bit proud of herself for it.
Harriette was doing her best to scrub the floor. Vernon was having a guest over. Someone fairly important and he can't have Harriette messing things up so she's expected to clean up the house and stay hidden in the cupboard. Aunt Petunia was helping a while ago, but she had to go shopping to pick up some stuff. She'd turned the stove down and told Uncle Vernon all he had to do was make sure the house didn't burn down.
But he'd immediately dragged Harriette in and told her to make sure it was cooked properly, and turned it back up. Harriette had just nodded and got to work in the kitchen. Once he wasn't in the room anymore she'd checked the recipe. She'd messed up once before and didn't want to again. She realized that Aunt Petunia had turned it down because it was part of the recipe so she turned the heat down again. Hoping Vernon didn't get mad at her.
Harriette was used to having to pretend she didn't exist for certain people. She was a freak so some people wouldn't like that she was here. But Harriette didn't mind too much today. Dudley told her a little about the guests and they sounded really boring. Maybe Harriette would be allowed to draw in the cupboard. Unlike Dudley who had to entertain the mean guest's sons. Aunt Petunia had complained about the wife a bunch during their sewing too. She'd been teaching her a lot of things recently. Harriette wasn't envious at all of the food they were going to eat. She could smell it cooking from her place on the floor. Her stomach didn't rumble, it really didn't. She didn't fantasize about tasting some of the food while she cooked it. Since cooking for the party she wasn't allowed to go to had been made her job. She scrubbed the floor more fiercely. Desperately trying not to think about just letting the food burn, or using her freak powers to remove it from the so she didn't have to stop cleaning to get it, or just about any number of things. She was fine though. Even if she wasn't allowed to go to the party she had a new toy to play with. Dudley had handed her his old transformer toy, she'd loved the cartoon since she'd seen it on tv and would deliberately choose the time it was one to clean the living room, and be as thorough as possible too so she could at least listen.
She'd been so happy she'd just about skipped back to class. Then later that day when she'd been cleaning Dudley's play room she'd emptied the trash to find a whole box of crayons. A whole box! She'd asked about it because Dudley usually liked melting his crayons and he'd told her that if she didn't like it she could just have them. He'd said he wouldn't tell his parents since they were his and he'd said it was fine. He said that if she wanted to take anything from his trash it wasn't a big deal since it was a waste anyway. And wasting things was wrong. They'd been learning that in school so he must have been feeling bad about it. Harriette had gotten several pieces of paper and some broken pencils out of it, and Dudley got to feel better about not letting down their teacher. Harriette decided to keep them in his room most of the time but did decide to keep them in her room for tonight specifically. Dudley offered to let her do that. He was being really nice about things recently. She had her and Dudley's homework and reading to do too. They'd picked out one of the small chapter books together and they usually read together passing it back and forth but he said she could do the reading all by herself tonight, and he'd do double another night. The teacher was worried at first but let them when they proved they could do it. Harriette would still get to finish a whole chapter tonight! Aunt Petunia had been tossing out a lot of unused batteries recently too so her little hand light would have plenty of power. She was actually kind of looking forward to it. Even if it did mean that she'd have to skip dinner. Oh well, she was used to that by now anyways.
They'd been coming over a lot recently. Harriette was currently tucked away in her cupboard. She couldn't get the main light to work and they were still in the hall so she couldn't use her hand light yet. Her hand rested on it as she waited, holding her breath to listen to the conversation going on outside.
"The food smells delicious, Petunia," The woman Harriette didn't know the name of, she was just the boss's wife as far as Harriette could tell.
"Thank you," Aunt Petunia said. Harriette was a little disappointed that she didn't say the woman's name.
Can I take your coat," Dudley said, like he'd been forced to practice a million times, even though he'd already practiced a million times before they'd come the first time, and he'd never messed it up once.
"Now why don't I show you to the garden," Petunia said. Harriette could picture her gesturing toward the garden. "We've put a lot of work into it, once you're seated I'll pour you some tea. It's just devine I assure you." Harriette felt a little swell of pride at that.
"She'd worked really hard to perfect the blend of herbs that Aunt Petunia had started having her grow along with the flowers. The perfect amount of honey versus sugar to add, the perfect temperature, all to bring out the best of the flavors. Harriette had borrowed a book from the school library to study how to make teas. Aunt Petunia had decided randomly one afternoon to start growing their own herbs. She'd convinced Uncle Vernon to allow her to set aside the space for it by saying it would lessen the price and all the things she could do with it.
Harriette had been brought on to help her build the small kitchen garden. Harriette had worked really had on it. Petunia had mostly stopped now. Harriette was fine with that. She liked being outside. Harriette turned on her little hand light and started reading as best she could.
Dudley was staring at Harriette, Harriette shifted. They were at the kitchen table doing their homework. Well, Harriette was doing her homework and Dudley was staring at her. She shifted again.
"Your hair is the same length as Nancy's," Dudley stated. Harriette looked up to him then back down to think, chewing the inside of her cheek. She guessed she kind of did. Nancy was a girl in their class. She was the oldest kid in class because her birthday was actually right after school started. She was nice but a little bossy and she likes to 'd also been really proud of her long brown hair, but one day her younger brother, also in their class, decided he was mad at her and put gum in her hair. She'd been crying and they'd had to cut her hair to get the gum out. Her parents had to take her to a hairdresser to style it, but it had still ended up really short and not very girly. Harriette felt bad for her. She'd been really angry about it ever since, and would cry if anyone brought it up. She'd loved having her mother do her hair in different ways everyday, before it had been chopped off, but her mum was apparently not as good with short hair.
Harriette nodded.
"Yeah, I-I guess," Harriette said, running a hand through her short mop.
"Can I- would it be alright if I practiced something," Dudley said. Harriette looked up at him. She could probably get away with saying no, but she didn't want to push it. "So, I fancy Nancy," He made a face. "I didn't mean to rhyme that. Anyway you know what that means right?" Harriette nodded, even though she really didn't. It must have shown on her face. Or maybe Dudley just wanted to talk about it. "It means that I think she's; Pretty, smart and nice and I want to spend a lot of time with her." Dudley said. "I get weird butterflies in my stomach and my heart beats really fast." he looked at Harriette. Harriette had never felt anything like that. It sounds kind of unpleasant. Harriette nodded. "So, I want to do something nice for her, and you know how she was saying how she hated her short hair and wanted to do it differently?" Harriette nodded. Remembering the time Nancy cried and said that short hair was a boy's haircut. Harriette had never really forgiven her for it, but she did feel bad for her. "So, I wanted to try and practice doing hair. No one has to know and you don't have to keep you hair-"
"Okay!" Harriette said, excited. She was going to get a girl hair style. She bounced in her seat. "When can we start?" she asked. Dudley nodded.
Dudley and Harriette were in the bathroom, Harriette leaned over the sink backwards while Dudley poured water over her hair. Rinsing out the subs from the shampoo conditioner combo Petunia used.
"Your hair should be easier to work with, now that it's clean, I think," Dudley said looking over to the video he was studying to learn to do short hair. "Oh, it looks like it'll be easier to get the suds out if I use my hands." Dudley said, starting to work and glowering at the screen. "Oh, wait, I should have the water running over your hair?" He half mumbled. Readjusting Harriette's head to try and get her hair under the faucet.
"Who'd have thought doing hair was so difficult," Harriette said.
"Yeah," Dudley said, continuing his efforts to clear the suds from her hair. "Alright, it looks like I got the suds out." He said, pulling Petunia's hair drying toward them, and turning it on. They spend another few minutes blow drying Hairrette's hair while he mumbled. "So it says that hair tends to be easier to work with while slightly damp. Oh, I think I'm supposed to pat dry some of it?" Then a few seconds later. "Wait, I'm supposed to comb it while blow drying it… how am I supposed to do that?" Another moment. "Wait, have I been doing it wrong the whole time…. No wait- I…_ think it's fine?" he grumbled. "Does it hurt?"
"N-no, I don't think so," Harriette said, trying not to move. Dudley had gotten one of his combs out and was smoothing it through Harriette's hair. The bit that Harriette could see made her happy, even if he couldn't get her hair to cooperate properly. "So, do you think Nancy will even let you do her hair?"
"I dunno, I'll have to figure it out later," Dudley said. "For instance if I made a boy look all pretty maybe she'd like to try."
"But I'm not a boy," Harriette hadn't meant to say it. It sort of just came out of her mouth.
"Oh?" Dudley said. "I thought you were, Dad's always calling you 'boy' and 'the boy'. Mum called you her nephew. That means boy. At least I thought…" He didn't seem to be bothered by it, just confused how that worked.
"Well I was born a boy," Harriette said. "But I- I just am a girl." Harriette tried to explain.
"Oh, okay," Dudley said. "So I'm helping you too, and you wouldn't mind looking like a girl at school since you are one right?"
"Uh-huh?" Harriette said.
"Cool," Dudley said back. "Anyway, it says that I might have to hold the hair tightly. It might cause some pulling."
"Okay," Harriette said.
"Alright," Dudley said. Dudley asked for her real name, and Harriette told him. They worked in silence for a while after that. "I'm glad I'm helping you. Now even if Nancy doesn't let me do her hair, it won't be a waste."
"I don't know, I think that maybe, time you enjoy spending isn't really wasted," Harriette said. "So, if you enjoy doing this or like the results yourself even if no one else does that's fine."
"Huh," Dudley said. "Why do you think that?"
"I dunno, I mean- how do you- lifes not good sometimes, so you- you kinda gotta live with that, so you gotta take whatever good stuff you can get. Like the smell of trees on a walk, or the way light catches the sprinklers, or I dunno. Sometimes lifes not very nice. So you gotta make your own good sometimes. I guess."
"I think that's very smart."
"Not really," Harriette said, feeling a little sad. "It's just that you gotta."
"That doesn't mean it's not smart, it's brilliant actually," Dudley assured.
"Thank you," Harriette said. "Do you think I'll really look like a real proper girl with this hair?" Harriette really hoped Dudley would let her change the subject. Her face felt like it might melt off with how hot it was.
"I'm sure of it, after all the only difference between a girl and a boy is that girls' have nicer hair," Dudley said.
"Older girls wear make-up," Harriette pointed out.
"But that's older girls," Dudley said. "There are a lot more differences between older girls and older boys than younger girls and younger boys."
"Hmm," Harriette said. "That makes sense." She could feel herself smile as she looked at her cousin. He looked surprised but smiled back.
"Alright, it actually looked like I should be working from the black of your head?" Dudley said, turning back to the screen to press play. "Won't that just make your hair messier?"
"Well, we should start by listening to the adults," Harriette said. "After all, kids who don't listen get hurt." Harriette frowned, remembering all the times she couldn't listen and thus got into trouble.
"I- Yeah, I guess," Dudley said. "They are the experts at least." For a while they were mostly silent again. Dudley copied the video from his phone. Harriette's hair became soft, fluffy and nearly dry. Dry enough to start working to braid it. Dudley worked diligently and Harriette sat still as a child of only five possibly could. She did wonder if she would look cute. Would she look stylish? Would she feel pretty?
The bathroom door opened and both of them flinched looking up to see Petunia. Who was standing just staring at the two.
"We-we're not- It's not, I want to- well- there's a girl and-" Dudley stuttered, eyes darting to his cousin. Hair messy in parts, shoulders having gone from relaxed to hunched up to her ears, eyes turning a glassy, watery shade of green. "I'm forcing Harrietted to help me!" Dudley said, then flinched. He hadn't meant to call her Harriette. "I'm making fun of him!" His voice sounded shrill even to his ears. Harriette would have to take the blame for a lot of his 'freak' the least he could do was protect her from- from being treated badly for being a girl.
"Just make sure to clean this mess up," Petunia said, her voice tired. She closed the door, leaving them to it. Harriette squeaked a sad sounding affirmative to the closed door.
"Ye-yes Aunt Petunia," Harriette said, relaxing and deflating at the same time.
"Harriette?" Dudley started reaching for her. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Harriette said, sniffling. "I just-" she lifts her head. She'd insisted on keeping her bangs out of whatever hairstyle Dudley decided on. That way it was easier to cover up the scar on her forehead. This meant that her hair had been covering her face from Dudley and his mother's view. But even though Dudley was still young and Harriette smiled, Dudley could tell that Harriette wanted to cry. "I'm fine. Let's continue."
"I'm not sure what upset you," Dudley said. "But I'm sorry. I didn't mean to misgender or tell on you I just-I'm not sure how to-" Harriette's smile became a little more real.
"It's okay, it's complicated, I'm pretty sure both of them know already," Harriette said. "Your dad gets really mad when I do anything girly." she said. Dudley nodded.
Harriette was looking through the store shelves for the specific brand that was on her Aunt and Uncle's list. Uncle Vernon kicked her out of the house. Telling her to buy the stuff on the list and not to come back till she at least got everything on it. Harriette grumbled, she'd been looking forward to tonight a lot too.
That's because Uncle Vernon was Schnoozing his boss tonight. He'd been doing it for a while now. At first it was mostly taking them to nice places, now that Harriette was old enough to be out of the way he was starting to have the over more and more. Meanwhile Harriette had decided that days when they were over were the best days since she was left alone in her cupboard and everyone was too busy to notice her little hand light. She wasn't sure what made Vernon decide that he needed her out of the house, but she didn't want to make him angry. So she read the list with slightly squinting eyes as she tried to make sure she got everything on it.
Petunia had gone out to pick up something or other in a different store. Harriette had been forced to walk to the gracer on her own, so she couldn't ask her Aunt what the word was or what type of jar she was looking for.
She didn't even know why he'd needed these things so badly, since all the food was cooked. Harrietted groaned, settling down on the ground for a moment, head buried in her knees and arms wrapped around it all to close herself off from the world. Harriette's glasses helped but they didn't solve everything. Petunia had gotten them at some store, having Harriette test each pair out till they found one that mostly solved the problem. Vernon hadn't wanted to bother getting her any but Petunia said it would look bad if they didn't at least pretend to bother. They did help but they also sometimes made her head hurt so bad it was hard to actually focus. Curling up like this wasn't the safest thing to do, but the lights were too bright and the buzzing was starting to make her feel sea sick. She needed the moment to herself.
She wished she was tucked away in her cupboard. It was safe and the light there was warm and Ms. Spider was there. Harriette groaned standing. Grabbing a random jar with the right word. It was probably the wrong one but she'd be able to get back into her cupboard then she could draw, Uncle Vernon wouldn't have time to punish her more then just locking her up. Dudley would share his lunch with her tomorrow, so being forced to skip breakfast or dinner would be the worst. Vernon might be too tired to do more than the belt or maybe the rice. Harriette could live with that. It hurt a lot but it wasn't like the kettle. He'd be in a good mood tonight.
She pushed her cart to the counter with a bit of effort. She set everything out and pulled the crumpled bills from her pocket. Vernon had thrown them at her when sending her out. She shifted as the woman rang up the items and counted the bills. The calculator was showing that it wasn't enough, five dollars short. Harriette would have to put something back, her heart picked up pace and tears pricked her eyes, she took a deep shaky breath, wiped her nose on her sleeve and reached for one of the items.
"Hold on," the woman said, pulling out a piece of paper, no, three pieces of paper. It wasn't money. Oh, a coupon. The woman scanned the coupon. The five missing dollars were cleared. Harriette let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Good luck, kid," the woman said. When the woman spoke Harriette recognised her. She was the worker who'd let Harriette sleep in the employee break room if she was kicked out late at night. Her hair and eyes were just different colors now. Harriette didn't know that you could change your eye color. The woman used to have brown eyes, now she had yellow eyes. Her hair used to b e blue but now it was a bright happy pink. She also didn't have her piercing in.
"What happened to your piercings?" Harriette asked. "I didn't recognize you." she added, moving out of the way of the line to let anyone who would need to use the check out access.
"Oh, the boss said the piercings were unprofessional and were upsetting the usual customers," The woman rolled her eyes. "She's cool though, and said I could keep my hair dye routine and contacts."
"Contacts?" Harriette asked.
"Yeah," the woman said. "You didn't think my eyes turned yellow did you?"
"Um… No," Harriette said, uncertain.
"Contacts cover your eyes, they can be used to change your eyes color and shape or help you see. Some even do both."
"Oh," Harriette said slowly. Her hand reached up to her round broken glasses. Uncle Vernon hadn't really wanted to get them for her. Petunia had called it pretending to care. Harriette doubted they'd ever let her get contacts. "I think they make you look cool." Harriette said.
"Thanks," The woman said. "If it helps, I think your glasses look nice on you." Harriette smiled, shifting a moment.
"I-I gotta go, it was nice seeing you again," Harriette said.
"You too, good luck out their kiddo," She said back. "Be safe and remember I'm on shift okay." Harriette nodded, relief lessening the knowledge in her stomach. Even though she wasn't sure she'd need to come here. It was always nice to have a safe place to hide on days when uncle Vernon decided to kick her out of the house.
"Thanks for the help," Harriette said.
"It's not much," the woman said. They both waved and Harriette headed out.
As Harriette made her way back to private drive she checked and rechecked her list and the items she'd got. She was pretty certain she got everything she was supposed to. She let out a sigh of restrained relief. She was a good girl, she did good. She was good, she'd gotten what she was asked to get. Harriete tried to relax but she couldn't help the growing dread. She was sure she'd messed up something. She always did.
She adjusted her oversized shirt, it was one of Dudley's older ones, he was starting to be nicer to his clothes but this one was from before the. It had a big hole in front and was stained with several colors of paint. Still Harriette did try her best to look presentable, or at least feel presentable, she doubted she'd ever be presentable. Freaks weren't presentable.
Harriette spotted the car in the drive almost too late. Harriette still tried to hide behind the bushes to avoid being seen.
The car was a nicer type car. A rich person's car as Uncle Vernon would call them. Though Harriette struggled to tell the difference between it and the car sitting next to it. Her Uncle's car was a sleek, dark gray car. It was very boxy. Harriette's best guess was that it was the light color, like vanilla bean ice cream. Or maybe it was the fact that it was curvier, more slim and… and whooshy. It looked like it might go very fast. That's what Harriette thought at least.
There weren't any people in the car, still Harriette stayed low and out of sight as best she could. She made her way to the house and peered in through the tiniest crack in the blinds. Vernon had accidentally bought the blinds too short so they didn't quite reach the bottom of the window. Harriette could pear in and see a tiny bit of the living room and kitchen, and a little of the hallway through the door.
Harriette guessed the man in the fancier suit was Uncle Vernon's boss, and the owner of the 'rich' car. He was tall, bulky with a well trimmed beard. His wife and sons matched. The older was closer to Harriette and Dudley's age but a bit older than them. He looked like a completely perfect mix of his parents even in color. They younger was only a baby, or toddler and sat with the adults at the table making a bit of a mess with his food. Verno was talking with the man, Petunia was talking with the woman, and Dudley the older boy. It looked perfect and normal and Harriette would just ruin everything.
She calculated how quickly she could duck through the hall and into her cupboard without getting caught. She thought about waiting outside or at the store until the other family was gone. Harriette thought about a lot of things, until Ms. Figg spotted her.
"Harry," the woman called, causing Harriette to flinch, turning around and tucking the bag behind her back as if it was some grave sin. "What are you doing out here so late?"
"I was asked to do some shopping," Harriette said, finally showing the woman the bag.
"Ah, well, why are you stand about then?" The woman said. She was the image of confusion. Harriette swallowed looking around as if she could somehow find a route of escape. Ms. Figg was heading up the walk toward the front door. She gestured for Harriette to follow her and Harriette despondent, obeyed. Head hung low as she made her way next to the older woman. Ms. Figg knocked, a little harder than Harriette thought was necessary. There was a long, long pause before the door opened and Aunt Petunia peaked out. She sighed, looking disappointed at Harriette before continuing.
"Thank you, Ms. Figg," Petunia said, gesturing Harriette forward, Harriette had barely taken a step before Aunt Petunia was tugging her inside. The two moved quickly and quietly, Harriette practically diving for the sanctuary of her cupboard. Heart pounding, the two exchanged looks while Aunt Petunia took the shopping from Harriette and shut the door. Harriette buried her face into her blanket and flat pillow and let out the softest sigh of relief that she'd ever heard. She turned to Ms. Spider and whispered.
"That was really scary," Harriette settled into her little cupboard for the night.
"What do you mean Ms. Figg can't take it?!" Vernon shouted. Harriette flinched awake at the sound. Heart pounding…
What had she done this time?
"Ms. Figg isn't doing well, and needs to see a doctor about it," Petunia's voice cut through the fog. It was calm and serious. No room for nonsense like feelings in its tone. Harriette had learned to listen carefully to their conversations. Sometimes they'd make a decision and neither would think to tell her until it was too late and she deserved to be punished for some reason.
"What are we going to do with that thing then?" Vernon was clearly talking about Harriette. He only used that tone of disgust and hatred for her and her parents. And you couldn't take the dead anywhere. Harriette would have to be on her best behavior until he wasn't mad anymore. She'd still get punished but she might not get the kettle.
"We'll- well, maybe we could just take he-him to the daycare, apparently they have a pretty good one, and it's got some decent coverage for the week," Petunia said. "S-he wouldn't be able to cause trouble and it'll be cheaper than getting a full priced ticket."
"We're not bringing that thing with us," Vernon said.
"Where else is he going to go?" Petunia asked. "We don't have anyone else. Margaret and Samantha are both already starting to get suspicious. Alex is terrified of h-him. Martha can't add another child to her situation. We can't pawn him off on Dudley's friends' family. Don't even suggest Marge, she won't do it. I already checked. We can't afford another-incident. We have to take h-him anyway, we might as well put him in the daycare. It's the least risky option."
"Fine! FINE! But if it ruins this trip, I'll personally skin it," Vernon growled. "Payments be damned!"
"Alright," Petunia said. Harriette shifted in her room. Wondering where they were going. Wondering if she should pack a bag. Wondering if assuming to pack a bag would make them angrier. Vernon didn't seem pleased that she was going with them.
Harriette decided that she'd just have to sneak pack her things. She didn't have much to begin with, but she'd be happier if she at least brought her blanket with her. The plan was decided. She'd pack her things in her backpack secreting them away in little gaps, holes and other things. Plans decided she tried to go back to sleep.
Aunt Petunia woke her in the early hours of the morning a little over two weeks later. Uncle Vernon had gone off to work. She pulled Harriette from the cupboard and shook her awake.
"Listen here; Vernon, Dudley and I are going on a trip, I want your cupboard cleaned out, do you understand?" She shook Harriette again. "Vernon is going to check on it tonight, and I'm vacuuming the whole house including that. Do you understand?"
Harriette nodded. Still groggy but understanding perfectly. Once her Aunt let her go and tossed the trash bag at her she shooed her back inside. "I'll be having you scrub it tonight, don't make me do any extra work." Harriette nodded, rubbing sleep from her eyes. Her best guess was that they were going tomorrow then. Petunia liked to clean the house before any trips. The cleaning got deeper and more thorough as the trip got closer. She'd been preparing since she'd heard her aunt and uncle talking.
Harriette yawned. She settled down cross legged. Listening to her aunt. Glad she'd decided to snatch a few of the tiny jars. She'd been collecting bugs and what not from the garden. Once she'd cleared her eyes of sleep she got to work.
She folded her blanket and clothes that she'd keep. Whenever they did this they always demanded that Harriette throw away some of her clothes. Even though they were hand-me-downs, and she didn't have that many anyway. She also added a bit of trash to the bag, mostly the granola wrappers. Aunt Petunia wouldn't risk having Uncle Vernon around to spot what was in Harriette's cupboard. Once her clothes and blanket were folded they fit neatly into the very bottom of her main backpack pocket. She also threw out any homework the teacher had handed back. Harriette had learned her lesson, nobody was ever going to be proud of anything she ever did. She packed her drawing in that pouch, and tucked her other treasures into her backpack too. Putting any of her looser art stuff in the almost used up crayon and colored pencil packs. She regretted using them so fast. She hadn't meant to, she'd tried not to. Her broken action figure and her transformer toy and toy soldiers were secreted into the large pouch covered carefully by her school books, and the clothing items she'd kept. Her jewelry chain, chipped marble, and doll shoe were stuffed into the pant pocket of her school clothes. The puzzle pieces were tucked into the smaller pouch protected in the tiniest pocket in it. Then Harriette made sure to clean her cupboard of anything else that would be there. Scooping up her spider friends. Ms Spider crawled comfortably into the bottom of the jar Harriette got for her. The others were not too happy about it. But eventually Harriette managed to get them all in and she avoided getting bit by them too.
"Don't worry, I'll take you outside," Harriette promised. "I won't tell anyone if you sneak back in." Harriette said. When Petunia let Harriette out to throw her trash away Harriette also took the time to go to the boosh.
"Here we are," Harriette said. "You can all go now." They all fled their jars with little concern or pause. Leaving only Ms. Spider staying in her jar. "If you stay there I'll have to keep you there for quite some time." Harriette said. Ms. Spider's answer seemed to wave and settled further into the jar Harriette smiled, tucking the jar into her pocket. She made sure to move very carefully keeping Ms. Spider safe and stable white she was stuck in the jar.