Harry stood on the doorstep and was shocked at what was happening. His uncle was kneeling on the floor and trying to revive his aunt. She fainted because of me? He asked himself. I wonder why she... He looked down at the trunk in his hand and remembered that he was no longer wearing Dudley's old hand-me-downs. He wore expensive and stylish clothing, his hair was cut, and he didn't have his glasses on. He knew then that they hadn't recognized him.
Dudley had heard the commotion and came barrelling down the stairs. “What's going on down... Mummy!” He exclaimed and joined his father in trying to wake her up. After a few minutes, Aunt Petunia started to come around. Vernon and Dudley helped her sit up and then both of them glared at Harry.
“Who are you?” Dudley asked when he saw him.
“That... that's your cousin, Harry.” Petunia said, disbelief still in her voice. She looked at the handsome boy and she wondered where he had been hiding all of these years. She didn't really have a problem with the change in his looks, since almost anyone could look better with enough make-up and expensive clothes.
The problem she had was that she still hated him, even dressed up like he was and not the unsightly boy she knew he was underneath all that polish. She knew that once the hair grew in and his clothes had to be replaced with Dudley's cast-offs, he would once again be the Harry Potter she knew.
“T-take those ridiculous clothes off.” Petunia said as she started to regain her composure. “I don't know where you stole them from; but, you'll be returning them first thing in the morning!”
Harry put the trunk down and started to reach for the buttons on his shirt, then he frowned and stopped. “No.”
“Excuse me?” Petunia almost yelled.
“I won't do it.” Harry said. “These are my clothes.”
“Boy.” Vernon glared at him. “You stole that trunk and those clothes. You're a ruffian and there's no way you could get clothes like that without stealing them.” He said in satisfaction. “I'll be taking them, and you, back to wherever you got them.”
Vernon stepped out of the door, pushed Harry aside, and grabbed the handle of the trunk. When he tried to lift it, it wouldn't move. He tried again, and his pudgy face turned red with strain.
“What in the... he lifted it without trouble.” Vernon whispered in disbelief, then he bent his knees, grabbed onto the handle with both hands, and yanked up as hard as he could.
The only thing that moved was his hernia.
“Argh!” Vernon grunted in pain, hunched over, then rolled onto his back in the middle of the walk.
“Vernon!” “Daddy!” Petunia and Dudley yelled at the same time and rushed to his side. There wasn't much they could do for him, though.
“I think... things are going to change around here.” Harry said as he went to his trunk and picked it up as if it weighed nothing.
Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley stared at him in disbelief.
The screech of an owl cut through the darkness and Harry looked up to see a snowy white owl descend. To his surprise, it spread its wings and fluttered down to a perfect landing on the end of his trunk. It stared into his eyes for several moments, then it expertly tilted its weight onto one leg and lifted the other.
Harry saw the little pouch and opened it with his free hand, then took out the rolled up piece of paper inside and read the note written on it.
Dear Harry, I finally decided what ta get yeh fer yer present. It's an owl if'n yeh hadn't figured it out yet. She don't need no feedin, since she can fend fer herself. Just give her some treats when she does a good job delivering letters fer yeh and she'll be yer friend ferever. Hagrid.
P.s. Don't ferget to name her. She's proud, so it better be a good'un.
Harry stared at the note and then looked at the beautiful snowy owl in front of him. My friend forever. He thought, then he smiled. “I think...”
Harry's words stopped as he somehow recalled the great film he saw one night called Sampson and Delilah. It was about a man who had his hair cut and then he was betrayed. The lead actress had a really weird name. Two names, actually. He wasn't sure how he remembered that and shrugged.
“I think I'll call you Hedwig.” Harry said, remembering how regal and proud Delilah had looked on the screen.
The snowy white owl let out a little hoot and he smiled.
“I'm glad you like it.” Harry said, then he frowned. “I don't have any treats for you. Do you know where I can get some?”
Hedwig extended a wing and pointed to the note, then pointed to his money bag.
Harry chuckled. “I get the idea.” He said and took her into the house. He put the trunk down and picked up a pen, scratched out Hagrid's writing on the front of the note, then wrote 'I need owl treats, please' on the back of it. He reached into his money bag and took out a galleon, a silver sickle, and a bronze knut.
Hedwig pointed to the silver sickle and when Harry counted out eight of them, she hooted softly. She held her leg out, and to Harry's only slight surprise, the money slipped right into the tiny pouch that had held only a piece of paper. He added the note and then Hedwig took off down the hallway, swooped right over the heads of Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley, and disappeared into the dark sky.
“Things are definitely going to change around here.” Harry said with a smile and walked over to the front door. “I'm going to boarding school a month from now on September first.”
“I... argh!” Vernon grunted when he tried to sit up. “I won't be paying for any such thing!”
“I didn't ask you to, did I?” Harry said. “Just like you never paid for any clothes, or to get my hair cut, or anything else for my whole life.” He said, almost tauntingly. “I have new clothes now and I'm going to school and it's already paid for.” He lied, since he had no idea if that was true or not. “I won't even ask you to drive me to the train station.”
The three people that were his only family were surprised to hear that.
Harry stood there and looked at them with disdain and a little bit of pity. “Well, don't just sit there. Get back inside the house before the neighbours start talking.”
That had been the perfect thing to say because Petunia somehow gained gargantuan strength to lift Vernon up to his feet. The three of them waddled into the house and Harry shut the front door. He followed them into the living room, ignored their glares, and waited beside the window. He wasn't going to disappoint his only friend by not being ready to open the window when she came back.
An hour later, Harry quickly opened the window and his snowy white owl flapped in through the opening with a large bag in her beak. She landed on the chair arm beside the window and he took the bag from her.
“Eeylops Premium Owl Treats.” Harry read out loud and then opened the bag. “It's full of tiny mice!”
Petunia let out another little shriek and managed to not faint this time, only because she had to take care of her husband. She planned to faint over it later.
Harry reached into the bag and the three people across the room made 'eww' sounds. He grabbed one and pulled it out. “Oh! It's just shaped like mice.” He said and laughed, then gave Hedwig one. “That's for Hagrid's letter.”
Hedwig balanced herself and held out her leg.
Harry opened the pouch and inside was a different note, which he quickly read.
Harry, please use fresh parchment for writing orders to businesses, since it took me several minutes to figure out that your order was on the back. I recommend Scribbulus Writing Implements for all of your future writing needs. - Eeylop
Harry looked at the size of the piece of paper and it was full size and not the small piece that had been Hagrid's note. “Here's a treat for this letter, too.” He said and gave Hedwig another treat. “Good job.”
Hedwig gave a soft hoot and looked out the window.
“If you want to hang out outside, go ahead.” Harry said and then yawned. “You'll have to stay out until morning if you do. I'm going to bed.”
Hedwig hooted and spread her wings, then took off through the open window. It reminded Harry about riding the motorcycle through the air and he smiled.
I'll be flying again soon. I just know it. Harry thought and closed the window, locked it like he did every night, then he checked all the other windows automatically. He walked out of the living room and into the hallway, opened the door to his cupboard, then went inside and closed it.
He put the owl treats on a shelf, changed out of his nice clothes, and put on new pyjamas. He climbed into the nestle of old blankets and doubled over the old flat pillow to give it some height. He soon fell asleep with the thoughts of all the things he was going to learn about, starting tomorrow.
Harry stood on the doorstep and was shocked at what was happening. His uncle was kneeling on the floor and trying to revive his aunt. She fainted because of me? He asked himself. I wonder why she... He looked down at the trunk in his hand and remembered that he was no longer wearing Dudley's old hand-me-downs. He wore expensive and stylish clothing, his hair was cut, and he didn't have his glasses on. He knew then that they hadn't recognized him.
Dudley had heard the commotion and came barrelling down the stairs. “What's going on down... Mummy!” He exclaimed and joined his father in trying to wake her up. After a few minutes, Aunt Petunia started to come around. Vernon and Dudley helped her sit up and then both of them glared at Harry.
“Who are you?” Dudley asked when he saw him.
“That... that's your cousin, Harry.” Petunia said, disbelief still in her voice. She looked at the handsome boy and she wondered where he had been hiding all of these years. She didn't really have a problem with the change in his looks, since almost anyone could look better with enough make-up and expensive clothes.
The problem she had was that she still hated him, even dressed up like he was and not the unsightly boy she knew he was underneath all that polish. She knew that once the hair grew in and his clothes had to be replaced with Dudley's cast-offs, he would once again be the Harry Potter she knew.
“T-take those ridiculous clothes off.” Petunia said as she started to regain her composure. “I don't know where you stole them from; but, you'll be returning them first thing in the morning!”
Harry put the trunk down and started to reach for the buttons on his shirt, then he frowned and stopped. “No.”
“Excuse me?” Petunia almost yelled.
“I won't do it.” Harry said. “These are my clothes.”
“Boy.” Vernon glared at him. “You stole that trunk and those clothes. You're a ruffian and there's no way you could get clothes like that without stealing them.” He said in satisfaction. “I'll be taking them, and you, back to wherever you got them.”
Vernon stepped out of the door, pushed Harry aside, and grabbed the handle of the trunk. When he tried to lift it, it wouldn't move. He tried again, and his pudgy face turned red with strain.
“What in the... he lifted it without trouble.” Vernon whispered in disbelief, then he bent his knees, grabbed onto the handle with both hands, and yanked up as hard as he could.
The only thing that moved was his hernia.
“Argh!” Vernon grunted in pain, hunched over, then rolled onto his back in the middle of the walk.
“Vernon!” “Daddy!” Petunia and Dudley yelled at the same time and rushed to his side. There wasn't much they could do for him, though.
“I think... things are going to change around here.” Harry said as he went to his trunk and picked it up as if it weighed nothing.
Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley stared at him in disbelief.
The screech of an owl cut through the darkness and Harry looked up to see a snowy white owl descend. To his surprise, it spread its wings and fluttered down to a perfect landing on the end of his trunk. It stared into his eyes for several moments, then it expertly tilted its weight onto one leg and lifted the other.
Harry saw the little pouch and opened it with his free hand, then took out the rolled up piece of paper inside and read the note written on it.
Dear Harry, I finally decided what ta get yeh fer yer present. It's an owl if'n yeh hadn't figured it out yet. She don't need no feedin, since she can fend fer herself. Just give her some treats when she does a good job delivering letters fer yeh and she'll be yer friend ferever. Hagrid.
P.s. Don't ferget to name her. She's proud, so it better be a good'un.
Harry stared at the note and then looked at the beautiful snowy owl in front of him. My friend forever. He thought, then he smiled. “I think...”
Harry's words stopped as he somehow recalled the great film he saw one night called Sampson and Delilah. It was about a man who had his hair cut and then he was betrayed. The lead actress had a really weird name. Two names, actually. He wasn't sure how he remembered that and shrugged.
“I think I'll call you Hedwig.” Harry said, remembering how regal and proud Delilah had looked on the screen.
The snowy white owl let out a little hoot and he smiled.
“I'm glad you like it.” Harry said, then he frowned. “I don't have any treats for you. Do you know where I can get some?”
Hedwig extended a wing and pointed to the note, then pointed to his money bag.
Harry chuckled. “I get the idea.” He said and took her into the house. He put the trunk down and picked up a pen, scratched out Hagrid's writing on the front of the note, then wrote 'I need owl treats, please' on the back of it. He reached into his money bag and took out a galleon, a silver sickle, and a bronze knut.
Hedwig pointed to the silver sickle and when Harry counted out eight of them, she hooted softly. She held her leg out, and to Harry's only slight surprise, the money slipped right into the tiny pouch that had held only a piece of paper. He added the note and then Hedwig took off down the hallway, swooped right over the heads of Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley, and disappeared into the dark sky.
“Things are definitely going to change around here.” Harry said with a smile and walked over to the front door. “I'm going to boarding school a month from now on September first.”
“I... argh!” Vernon grunted when he tried to sit up. “I won't be paying for any such thing!”
“I didn't ask you to, did I?” Harry said. “Just like you never paid for any clothes, or to get my hair cut, or anything else for my whole life.” He said, almost tauntingly. “I have new clothes now and I'm going to school and it's already paid for.” He lied, since he had no idea if that was true or not. “I won't even ask you to drive me to the train station.”
The three people that were his only family were surprised to hear that.
Harry stood there and looked at them with disdain and a little bit of pity. “Well, don't just sit there. Get back inside the house before the neighbours start talking.”
That had been the perfect thing to say because Petunia somehow gained gargantuan strength to lift Vernon up to his feet. The three of them waddled into the house and Harry shut the front door. He followed them into the living room, ignored their glares, and waited beside the window. He wasn't going to disappoint his only friend by not being ready to open the window when she came back.
An hour later, Harry quickly opened the window and his snowy white owl flapped in through the opening with a large bag in her beak. She landed on the chair arm beside the window and he took the bag from her.
“Eeylops Premium Owl Treats.” Harry read out loud and then opened the bag. “It's full of tiny mice!”
Petunia let out another little shriek and managed to not faint this time, only because she had to take care of her husband. She planned to faint over it later.
Harry reached into the bag and the three people across the room made 'eww' sounds. He grabbed one and pulled it out. “Oh! It's just shaped like mice.” He said and laughed, then gave Hedwig one. “That's for Hagrid's letter.”
Hedwig balanced herself and held out her leg.
Harry opened the pouch and inside was a different note, which he quickly read.
Harry, please use fresh parchment for writing orders to businesses, since it took me several minutes to figure out that your order was on the back. I recommend Scribbulus Writing Implements for all of your future writing needs. - Eeylop
Harry looked at the size of the piece of paper and it was full size and not the small piece that had been Hagrid's note. “Here's a treat for this letter, too.” He said and gave Hedwig another treat. “Good job.”
Hedwig gave a soft hoot and looked out the window.
“If you want to hang out outside, go ahead.” Harry said and then yawned. “You'll have to stay out until morning if you do. I'm going to bed.”
Hedwig hooted and spread her wings, then took off through the open window. It reminded Harry about riding the motorcycle through the air and he smiled.
I'll be flying again soon. I just know it. Harry thought and closed the window, locked it like he did every night, then he checked all the other windows automatically. He walked out of the living room and into the hallway, opened the door to his cupboard, then went inside and closed it.
He put the owl treats on a shelf, changed out of his nice clothes, and put on new pyjamas. He climbed into the nestle of old blankets and doubled over the old flat pillow to give it some height. He soon fell asleep with the thoughts of all the things he was going to learn about, starting tomorrow.
