Emma Potter; Going to War

90: Going, Going, Gone [Pt.3]

Harry and I ran back to our bedroom , arriving at thewindow just in time to see the Dursleys' car swingingout of the drive and off up the road. Dedalus's top hat was visiblebetween Aunt Petunia and Dudley in the backseat. The car turnedright at the end of Privet Drive, its windows burned scarlet for amoment in the now setting sun, and then it was gone.

 I picked up my rucksack Hedwig's cage, Harry his Firebolt, and his rucksack,gave our unnaturally tidy bedroom one last sweeping look, and thenmade our ungainly way back downstairs to the hall, where we deposited cage, broomstick, and bags near the foot of the stairs. 

The lightwas fading rapidly now, the hall full of shadows in the evening light.It felt most strange to stand here in the silence and know that we were about to leave the house for the last time. 

Long ago, when wehad been left alone while the Dursleys went out to enjoy themselves,the hours of solitude had been a rare treat: Pausing only to sneaksomething tasty from the fridge, we had rushed upstairs to play on Dudley's computer, or put on the television and flicked through thechannels to our heart's content. 

It gave me an odd, empty feeling toremember those times; it was like remembering a younger sister whom I had lost. 

"Don't you want to take a last look at the place?" Harry asked me and Hedwig, who was still sulking with her head under her wing. "We'llnever be here again. Don't you want to remember all the good times?I mean, look at this doormat. What memories . . . Dudley pukedon it after we saved him from the dementors. . . ." I laughed "Turns out he wasgrateful after all, can you believe it? . . . And last summer, Dumbledore walked through that front door. . . ." 

Harry lost the thread of his thoughts for a moment and Hedwigdid nothing to help him retrieve it, but continued to sit with herhead under her wing. I said nothing either, instead turned my back on the front door. 

"And under here" — I pulled open a door underthe stairs — "is where we used to sleep! You never knew us then, Hedwig —"

Harry ducked his head under my arm "Blimey, it's small, I'd forgotten. . . ." 

"How did the two of us even fit in here?" I said, laughing as Harry tried to squeeze himself in but failed "we must have been so small."

"Absolutely tiny, well, you still are" said Harry giving me a smirk. I scowled, My brother was 6 feet tall, me being 5'3 was relentlessly teased for not gaining the 9 inches needed. 

"Remember the day we moved?" I asked, chuckling as I remembered. 

"Yeah" laughed Harry "the letters from Hogwarts had started coming and Uncle Vernon had no clue how to make them stop. They were like; Harry Potter, Cupboard Under the Stairs, Number 4, Privet Drive--"

"Little Whining, Surrey" I finished with a smile.

"Yeah." said Harry, nodding at Hedwig "And to make it stop we moved and Tiny here said--"

"Don't call me that."

"And Tiny here--" said Harry, sticking his tongue out at me "said that she'd much rather be in the cupboard with the letters than up there without them."

"For the last fucking time" I said, rolling my eyes at him "I'm not tiny, you're just abnormally tall. With the rate your going, you'll be giving Hagrid some competition."

"Oh, Ha, ha. . hey, stop that!" I had leaned in to mess up his hair. Well, it was already messy so; mess it up more.

"What?" I asked innocently "You should presentable. I was fixing it up for you."

"I fell for that when we were 8" said Harry, pushing me away playfully "did you really expect me to fall for it again?"

"Well, yes, your lack of common sense hasn't decreased." I said, smirking.