𝐈𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 - Harry Potter x Fem!Reader¹

2.. AUNT LARISA'S BIG MISTAKE

Y/N went downstairs the next morning to find the three Hudsons already sitting around the kitchen table. They were watching a brand-new television, a welcome-home-for-the-summer present for Cameron, who had been complaining loudly about the long walk between the fridge and the television in the living room. Cameron had spent most of the summer in the kitchen, his piggy little eyes fixed on the screen and his five chins wobbling as he ate continually.

Cameron was sitting next to Uncle Lucian, a large, beefy man with very little neck and a lot of mustache. Far from wishing Y/N a happy birthday, none of the Hudsons made any sign that they had noticed her enter, but she was far too used to this to care. As she collected the dirty dishes from the table that were used during breakfast, she looked up at the reporter on the television, who was halfway through a report on an escaped convict:

"...The public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Lucian, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!"

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today —"

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Lucian, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"

Aunt Eden, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around from her armchair and peered intently at Y/N through the kitchen window. Y/N knew Aunt Eden would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number. Aunt Eden was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbors.

"When will they learn," said Uncle Lucian, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"

"Very true," said Aunt Eden.

Uncle Lucian drained his teacup, glanced at his watch, and added, "I'd better be off in a minute, Eden. Larisa's train gets in at ten."

Y/N, who had gotten started on washing the dishes, was brought back to earth with an unpleasant bump.

"Aunt Larisa?" she blurted out. "She — she's not coming here, is she?"

Aunt Larisa was Uncle Lucian's sister. Even though she was not a blood relative of Y/N's (whose mother had been Aunt Eden's sister), Y/N had been forced to call her "Aunt" all her life. Aunt Larisa lived in the country, in a house with a large garden, where she bred bulldogs. She didn't often stay at Autumn Avenue, because she couldn't bear to leave her precious dogs, but each of her visits stood out horribly vividly in Y/N's mind.

At Cameron's fifth birthday party, Aunt Larisa had whacked Y/N painfully around the shins with her walking stick to stop her from beating Cameron at musical statues. Y/N wasn't even participating. A few years later, she had turned up at Christmas with a computerized robot for Cameron and a box of dog biscuits for Y/N. On her last visit, the year before Y/N started at Hogwarts, Y/N had accidentally tripped on Aunt Eden's feet and spilled wine on Aunt Larisa's favorite dog, Ripper. The dog had chased Y/N out into the garden and up a tree, and Aunt Larisa had refused to call him off until past midnight. The memory of this incident still brought tears of laughter to Cameron's eyes.

"Larisa'll be here for a week," Uncle Lucian snarled, "and while we're on the subject" — he pointed a fat finger threateningly at Y/N — "we need to get a few things straight before I go and collect her."

Cameron smirked and withdrew his gaze from the television. Watching Y/N being bullied by Uncle Lucian was Cameron's favorite form of entertainment. Y/N turned off the faucet nervously.