Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows

Secrets Unraveled

Him and that freak of an old man who took him the last time – they did this to me.

The corner of Harry’s mouth twitched humorlessly as he envisioned how they’d take the news.

They were each going to make quick stops at their respective homes before Apparating to Privet Drive.

Harry smiled fondly, remembering their show of solidarity.

Although he was desperately worried about them and the remainder of their quest, he had to admit that the thought of some support while facing his relatives was quite nice indeed.

Although he was desperately worried about them and the remainder of their quest, he had to admit that the thought of some support while facing his relatives was quite nice indeed.

But he had something he had to do, and he couldn’t afford any distractions while he was searching for the Horcruxes.

The long, hot journey had left him irritable.

Ministry chucked him out of Hogwarts now?

Rufus Scrimgeour wanted Harry under his control, and Harry wouldn’t put it past the man to make life difficult in an effort to force Harry to comply.

Rufus Scrimgeour wanted Harry under his control, and Harry wouldn’t put it past the man to make life difficult in an effort to force Harry to comply.

He hadn’t seen her the entire journey home and wondered which compartment she’d sat on the train.

Harry had been steadfast in avoiding her gaze.

Harry had been steadfast in avoiding her gaze.

Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans and squaring his shoulders, Harry trudged across the street towards the immaculately pruned garden of number four, Privet Drive.

Stuffing his hands in the pockets of his jeans and squaring his shoulders, Harry trudged across the street towards the immaculately pruned garden of number four, Privet Drive.

He’d promised Dumbledore that he’d return one more time before his birthday, and he intended to keep that pledge.

Harry’s chest tightened as he thought of his headmaster, but he blinked the moisture from his eyes and continued forward.

He wasn’t in the mood to deal with the Dursleys’ nonsense.

He had no patience for their petty bigotry…he had bigger challenges to face.

He had no patience for their petty bigotry…he had bigger challenges to face.

Dursleys’ ire than Molly Weasley’s fury when Ron informed her of his plans to ditch the Burrow this summer and head straight into the war that she’d been so adamantly attempting to shield him from.

Dursleys’ ire than Molly Weasley’s fury when Ron informed her of his plans to ditch the Burrow this summer and head straight into the war that she’d been so adamantly attempting to shield him from.

Dursleys’ ire than Molly Weasley’s fury when Ron informed her of his plans to ditch the Burrow this summer and head straight into the war that she’d been so adamantly attempting to shield him from.

Twice more he struggled with the urge to lay his hand on her back in an attempt to calm her.

Oh, no, Harry mused, he got off far easier in only having to face the

He didn’t know how he’d be able to function with this pain tearing such a hole in his heart.

Harry wasn’t certain what she expected of him, but followed her lead and sat down at the other end of the couch, waiting.

As for what did come next…that’s where Harry faltered.

It seemed hopeless and overwhelming as a whole, so he’d have to start in pieces and work from there.

Harry had found himself using it as some sort of talisman, holding onto it whenever the stress started to build.

Scratch that.

The first step would be getting through his last confinement with the Dursleys, and the sooner he started enduring that, the sooner he could move forward.

He spared a quick glance at the parlor, noting that nothing had really changed, although there were some crumpled sweet wrappers on an end table, which was unusual for Aunt Petunia.

He glanced out the window apprehensively, wondering if he’d be receiving a reprimand from the Ministry.

You’re the freak here, not him,” she snapped, before her face crumpled, and she put her head in her hands.

“Don’t you ‘hello’ me,” his aunt snapped, dragging his attention back to her aggravated face.

Dudley lumbered into the room.

His eyes opened wide with shock upon seeing Harry, and he began gaping like a fish.

“Now, now, Popkin,” Aunt Petunia said soothingly, but Harry couldn’t help but notice the tremor in her voice.

Petunia’s taunt back at his cousin.

You know what happens when you get too fussed.”

Dudley’s eyes nearly bulged out of the sockets, and he grasped his mother’s forearms with enough force to leave red marks.

The entire room swam before his eyes, and he had to grasp the arm of the couch to remain upright.

Her eyes were filled with such intense loathing that Harry found himself taking a step back involuntarily.

Her eyes were filled with such intense loathing that Harry found himself taking a step back involuntarily.

I’m going to get Duddy a glass of lemonade,” she hissed, scurrying from the room.

Don’t think I can’t get that ruddy thing away from you, and when I do…” Dudley’s face matched the purple color that Harry usually associated with Uncle

Of course, being the bully he was, Dudley probably assumed everyone was threatening him, since he spent most of his time threatening others.

Of course, being the bully he was, Dudley probably assumed everyone was threatening him, since he spent most of his time threatening others.

He has known nothing but neglect and often cruelty at your hands.

The best that can be said is that he has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you.”

The best that can be said is that he has at least escaped the appalling damage you have inflicted upon the unfortunate boy sitting between you.”

Harry was burning with curiosity to know exactly what the letter had said.

Not that she ever likes to see her little popkin upset, Harry thought with a grimace.

Are you sprouting a tail again?

Of course, he has no problem with non-verbal spells, so you never know what he could have been up to,” Harry said casually, forcing down the painful lump that lodged itself in his throat when speaking as if

His hands instinctively searching his massive behind for, Harry assumed, the return of a pig’s tail.

Why are you so skittish all of a sudden?

“Put it away,” Dudley screeched, backing into a corner.

Harry would have laughed if it weren’t so pathetic.

Harry couldn’t help his morbid fascination, wondering how far he could push before Dudley would strike back.

Harry couldn’t help his morbid fascination, wondering how far he could push before Dudley would strike back.

Why was his magic reacting so strongly?

“What have you done?” she spat, stepping over Harry to retrieve the broken pieces of her vase.

“It happened again, Mummy,” Dudley wailed.

Aunt Petunia leapt to her feet and hurried over to Dudley.

As she ushered Dudley from the room, she turned back towards Harry, who was still struggling to rise from the floor.

Twice more he struggled with the urge to lay his hand on her back in an attempt to calm her.

Harry groaned as he sat up and put a hand to his throbbing cheekbone.

He didn’t think anything was broken, but the pain was enough to make him wish for one of Madam Pomfrey’s potions.

He glanced out the window apprehensively, wondering if he’d be receiving a reprimand from the Ministry.

Harry was thunderstruck and at a loss for what to do.

Aunt Petunia finally raised her head, and, although her lower lip trembled, she began to speak.

Harry had long ago stopped caring about or looking for the Dursleys’ approval, yet the coldness of the words stung.

Dumbledore withdrew his part of the agreement, didn’t he?”

Then, after last year, whatever it was he did stopped working, because Dudley started having instances of these oddities every few days, and I can’t stop them.

As if from a fog, Harry’s mind recalled the way Aunt Petunia had always catered to Dudley’s every whim.

As if from a fog, Harry’s mind recalled the way Aunt Petunia had always catered to Dudley’s every whim.

He wondered if Petunia’s obsessive need to clean was only a byproduct of her anxiety over cleaning up what she considered a huge mess.

The only time anything abnormal happened was when Dudley would get upset, and I could easily blame that on you so

“I don’t even know how he could have done such a thing, never mind how do it,” Harry said, aghast.

“My friends, Ron and Hermione – they’re brilliant with stuff like this.

I’m certain it’s very complicated magic if Professor Dumbledore did it,” Harry said, his mind already plotting.

I’m certain it’s very complicated magic if Professor Dumbledore did it,” Harry said, his mind already plotting.

Aunt Petunia frowned with disapproval.

Harry smirked, envisioning the color Ron’s ears would have turned had he heard that remark.

“We’re agreed on that, then,” Harry mumbled.

They can bring their own or you can share your portion, but I won’t be responsible for them,” Aunt Petunia said, her haughty demeanor returning.

They can bring their own or you can share your portion, but I won’t be responsible for them,” Aunt Petunia said, her haughty demeanor returning.

They can bring their own or you can share your portion, but I won’t be responsible for them,” Aunt Petunia said, her haughty demeanor returning.

She was certainly familiar enough with the Dursleys’ penchant for withholding nourishment.

They’d just have to figure something out.

On second thought, Harry decided that she couldn’t be involved with this in any way.

Dursleys as much as he was Ron’s presence in their very ordered life.

But her presence here would certainly be a nice contrast to Aunt

You said they were coming here for research,” she said, a whine in her voice.

Harry asked, thoroughly enjoying his aunt’s conundrum.

“He’s been muttering about the fact that you came into an inheritance and didn’t bother to make us aware of that situation,” Aunt Petunia said with obvious disapproval.

“He’s been muttering about the fact that you came into an inheritance and didn’t bother to make us aware of that situation,” Aunt Petunia said with obvious disapproval.

He’d been up in his room, unpacking his few meager belongings from his school trunk.

He’d been up in his room, unpacking his few meager belongings from his school trunk.

He reckoned that he and Ron would be quite cramped in his small bedroom, so a little organization couldn’t hurt.

TriWizard tournament itself, Harry thought with a chuckle.

He was nearly gleeful with anticipation and was amused to realize that he’d never once before eagerly anticipated anything to do with the

Harry put a hand to his cheek, wincing at the deep bruising.

Hermione looked dubious.

He saw Hermione frowning at the abundance of pictures of Dudley adorning the walls and every spare bit of surface space in the parlor.

Harry was amused to notice that there was now a new picture perched on top of the table that only hours ago had sported the broken vase.

Ron grunted his displeasure, while Hermione’s brows knitted as she scowled.

Ron grunted his displeasure, while Hermione’s brows knitted as she scowled.

Harry was keen to get them out of the parlor and away from Aunt Petunia’s prying eyes before her nosiness might allow her to learn anything he didn’t want her to know.

I’ve got loads to tell you,” Harry said, trying to steer his friends toward the stairway.

“Nothing will please me more,” Harry said through clenched teeth.

“Give us a fortnight, and we’ll never have to see each other again.”

Aunt Petunia screeched.

You’ve always been jealous of Dudley, because you could never be like him.”

Under no circumstances are you to upset Dudley.”

Vernon snarled.

We wouldn’t even be able to see it, and it’s full of freakish things,” Aunt Petunia said with a shudder.

He enjoyed plotting it, nonetheless.

Hermione had scowled her disapproval and uttered something that sounded distinctly like coward.

“Yeah,” he replied, bracing himself in case Ron leaped upon him.

“Thanks, Ron,” he said, hating how gruff his voice sounded.