Focused

Chapter 2 - Living with the Dursleys

Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.

Harry Potter: Focused – Chapter 2 – Living With the Dursleys

Nervously, the trio disembarked the Hogwarts Express and slowly walked away while others ran into their family's arms. Each had an unnerving task. Ron had to tell his mother he was staying with Harry and not going home. Hermione had to do the same thing. Harry, however, had the most difficult task. He had to convince the Dursleys to let his friends stay with him. He did come up with a simple plan that he had yet to discuss with Hermione and Ron. He was waiting until they were alone.

"Er, guys," he articulately began. "Let's stop for a minute. We need to talk about the Dursleys."

"I suppose we do," replied Hermione. "We need to figure out how to get them to let us stay."

"We could just threaten to hex them."

"RON! We can't threaten muggles," chastised Hermione.

"Besides," Harry added, "I'd get arrested for underage magic."

"I meant if Hermione and I did it," explained Ron. "We don't have the trace anymore."

Shaking his head, Harry corrected him. "Dumbledore explained it to me when I asked how Tom Riddle wasn't arrested for underage magic when he murdered his dad and grandparents, framing his uncle for it.* The Ministry only detects where magic is cast, not who casts the spell."

Hermione's eyebrows came together as she was thinking that over. "Then how do kids who live with an adult magical get caught doing underage magic?"

"They don't," replied Harry.

"You know," responded Ron, "that explains why Fred and George never got caught doing underage magic. We heard explosions and the like coming out of their room long before they turned seventeen."

"That's TOTALLY UNFAIR!" shouted Hermione, causing many people at the platform to look at her for a moment, making her blush and whisper, "That means only muggle-raised children ever get caught – it's discrimination mostly against muggle-borns like me and special case half-bloods like Harry being raised by muggles. If they can't enforce it with purebloods, they shouldn't enforce it with anyone!"

"I know," agreed Harry. "That's also how Dobby got me in trouble." He took a deep breath. "Anyway, we can't worry about that now. We have to stay focused on our mission."

"Maybe after we win the war we'll be able to do something about that," suggested Hermione.

"Maybe," agreed Harry, "But I brought that up because you two can't use magic at my house."

"But we don't have to tell the Dursleys that," Ron pointed out.

"Maybe not," agreed Harry. "That is a good threat, but it won't be enough to get them to let you guys stay at the house." He paused for a moment. "We'll need to bribe them."

"What?" hissed Hermione, "after how they've treated you, giving them any money..."

"I don't like giving them money, either," interrupted Harry, "believe me. But I think that's the only way to do this peacefully." He then added with a grin, "Hermione, you'll have to promise them five thousand pounds at the end of the two weeks we're staying there."

"I can't..." she protested.

After briefly laughing, the Chosen One explained, "It'll be my money I'll get out of Gringotts, but I don't want them knowing I've got it, just in case Uncle Vernon gets the idea to try and steal it before my birthday."