Chapter 3: The Final Straw

Harry could hear the doorbell ring from inside his cupboard. He wasn’t allowed out today. It was Dudley’s birthday party. Harry wasn’t sure when his birthday was; he’d never had a party. He just knew that he and his cousin were the same age. Dudley was turning 4 today and his aunt and uncle had planned a huge birthday party with all of the kids from the neighborhood. Harry really wanted to join in on the fun. However, he wasn’t allowed to be out of his cupboard when people were over. He did strange things that upset his aunt and uncle. It wouldn’t be good if other people saw.

The laughter from the kids running past his door woke Harry from his nap. With a giant yawn, he sat up on the dingy mattress. Shouts for cake rang out from the kitchen and made Harry’s stomach rumble. However, his full bladder overrode any huger pains the small boy was feeling. Hearing the heavy footsteps of his aunt walk by, he knocked quietly on the door.

Petunia sighed in agitation at the knocking sound from the cupboard. “What, boy?” she hissed quietly so that no one else would hear.

“Auntie ‘Tunia, I need the loo,” came a quiet voice from behind the small door.

With a quick look to the kitchen, she unbolted the door and dragged the small boy out.

“Quickly and then right back in where you belong.”

Harry scurried up the stairs, careful not to be seen by the rest of the children. He had been potty trained last year after his aunt complained about having to change two sets of diapers. Dudley was still wearing diapers at night because he usually wet the bed. Harry was secretly proud to not have had any accidents for months now. Not that the smacks he got when he did wasn’t motivation enough to wait for the loo.

After finishing up quickly in the bathroom, Harry headed back down the stairs, slowly this time. He could hear his aunt and uncle in the kitchen with the rest of the children, eating birthday cake. Dudley was throwing a fit for a third slice of cake.

Walking through the sitting room, Harry stopped to look at all of the toys strewn about the floor. Dudley had gotten several presents for his birthday. Even knowing that he wasn’t allowed to touch anything, Harry couldn’t help but pick up a shiny red fire engine. Entranced by the moving parts and the ladder that went up and down, he didn’t notice the kids piling back into the room.

“Hey! Who’s that?” one of the kids asked, looking curiously at Harry.

Harry’s face went white as he dropped the toy. The ladder snapped off the truck as it bounced at his feet.

Dudley pushed past the kids to see what they were looking at. He saw his cousin standing over his new fire truck, now broken.

“Mommy!” the boy screamed and started throwing a fit. The adults ran quickly into the room to see what had upset their precious birthday boy.

It only took a second for Vernon to react to his freak of a nephew standing over the broken toy.

“You little freak!” he bellowed. “How dare you ruin Dudley’s birthday!”

The large man stomped over to the boy, intending to teach him a lesson.

Harry was so scared, knowing that he had never seen his uncle this mad before. He could practically feel the anger coming at him in waves.

He was really in for it this time. His whole body started trembling as large tears rolled down his face. Squeezing his eyes closed, Harry never saw the white light burst from him and throw his Uncle across the room, into the wall.

There was a loud crash as Vernon slumped down to the ground, dazed at what had just happened. Everyone was silent in fear as they looked at the little, dark haired boy.

Harry had snapped his eyes open at the sound of the crash. He didn’t know how his uncle had gotten across the room but he wasn’t waiting around to find out. Harry ran past the scared children and his now screaming aunt. He flung himself into the cupboard, the door slamming shut behind him. He couldn’t stop the sobs that shook his small body and he pressed his face into the mattress. What had he done?

Petunia raced to her husband’s side and helped him sit up the best she could. Her hands were trembling as she searched for any injuries. Thankfully, there were none. Vernon had just had the wind knocked out of him. By the time he had collected himself, Vernon was shaking in rage.

“Get it together, Vernon. We still have guests.” Petunia hissed in his ear as she stomped away to distract the group of children.

“Come now. Why don’t we have some more ice cream?” she asked, guiding the children back into the kitchen. There were tons of questions over the dessert over what had happened. Petunia covered up the freakishness of her nephew by simply explaining that Vernon had slipped on the broken toy. Being trusting 4 year olds, they took that explanation without question and eagerly set off on the next birthday game in the back garden.

Petunia watched the children from the window as Vernon came to stand next to her.

“I will not stand to have him in this house any longer, Petunia.” Vernon growled, his back aching from hitting the wall.

“We have no choice, Vernon,” Petunia hissed quietly, in case someone would overhear their conversation.

“I don’t care what we do, but he leaves tonight.”

“To where?”

“Let it be an orphanage for all I care. That freak will not stay one more night in this house!” Vernon bellowed before Petunia could slap her hand over his mouth.

“Quiet! Someone will hear you!” she hissed angrily. Her son’s birthday was completely ruined; she didn’t need the freak to ruin her entire life. “Fine, he’ll go. I’ll contact that man who left him as soon as everyone leaves. He can have him back,” Petunia relented.

Later, that evening at Hogwarts. . .

It was the middle of the summer holidays at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry. Most of the staff were either at their summer homes or visiting family. Those that remained at the school were either finishing up paperwork from the previous term or simply enjoying the quiet halls of the school.

Headmaster Dumbledore was at his desk, sorting through several correspondences that had arrived earlier that day. Many of the letters were from concerned parents regarding their child’s grades from the term. Others were from various ministry officials, as well as the school board.

With a tired sigh, Dumbledore pushed the letters aside. Deciding it was time for tea, he summoned a platter from the kitchens. Sitting back in his chair, he sipped the hot brew and contemplated all that had happened that year. Thankfully, it was a quiet term. Just your normal pranks and a few troublesome students. The years had been quiet since Voldemort’s defeat, even though the headmaster suspected it was only temporary. There had been no body to determine whether or not the dark wizard had been completely destroyed. Only time would tell.

Several Death Eaters had been arrested and sentenced to life in Azkaban following that horrific event. Even one of his most trusted staff had suffered for 3 months before Albus could defend him in court. Severus Snape, Potions Master and professor, had been Dumbledore’s trusted spy and had actually helped the Order capture several of the death eaters now in custody. Of course, some had gotten away with their crimes due to their contacts within the ministry, such as Lucius Malfoy. The Order was keeping tabs on the wizard, but he seemed to be laying low for the time being. “Smart man,” Dumbledore mused to himself.

His inner reflections were interrupted for a chime from the locked drawer in his desk. His eyebrows arched as he removed the locking charms. There was a parchment glowing red, signaling that a message had been sent.

“Get here now! ~Petunia Dursley” was all it read.

“Oh dear!” Dumbledore murmured to himself. Activating the floo, he notified a startled Minerva McGonagall of his urgent appointment. However, he didn’t give her details to exactly where he was going. She would watch over the school while he was off the grounds.

Hurrying to the school gates, Albus Dumbledore apparated to 4 Privet Drive, Surrey.