Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone Rewritten - A Harry Potter Fanfiction

Chapter 2: A Giant in Privet Drive

The exploding circus earned Harry his longest punishment ever; a little over a month. By the time he was let out again, the summer holidays had started. Harry did not mind that school was over. In the summer holidays, he always spent half the day doing cleaning or other chores for Aunt Petunia, and as a reward, he was allowed to spend the rest of the day outside. Harry much preferred the streets and the park on the next block to the Dursley house.

On the morning of his birthday, (which of course the Dursleys had completely forgotten) Harry's morning chore was helping with breakfast. He'd just cleared away the breakfast dishes and was bringing Uncle Vernon a cup of coffee in the sitting room when the doorbell rang.

"Give me the cup and get the door boy" ordered Uncle Vernon. Harry obediently handed Uncle Vernon his cup and then walked out into the hallway leading to the door. He opened the door and went slack-jawed at what he saw. There were a pair of feet on the ground, placed about four feet apart, wearing enormous brown boots. Through the doorway, Harry could only see the sides of either foot. The feet connected to giant legs, thick as tree trunks, wearing brown trousers. Past the legs, there was the bottom half of an enormous belly, covered by a hideous yellow coat, stretched so tight that the buttons looked ready to pop. The rest of the giant was not visible through the doorway.

With a gulp, Harry slammed the door shut. He turned around to go and get Uncle Vernon. Before he could move so much as inch, a loud booming knock sounded on the door. Or perhaps it had been a kick, given the giant's height. "What did yeh shut the door again fer?" demanded a thick, heavily accented voice. Harry didn't answer. Another booming knock sounded on the door. Harry took another large step back. The third time, there was no knock. Instead, the door was hit with a blow so powerful that the door came clean off the hinges. Harry leapt back as the door crashed onto the floor where he'd been standing.

The loud noises had brought uncle Vernon, aunt Petunia and Dudley to the hallways as well. They were standing a little behind Harry, staring in horror at what was visible of their visitor. "Dursley?" demanded the giant. "Dursley, are yeh there? Is anyone home?"

Dudley darted behind his bony mother and tried to hide his massive bulk behind her.

"The door's too small ter let me in, folks. So yeh'll have ter come out ter speak with me."

No one seemed interested in taking up the giant's offer.

"Harry? Harry, are yeh there? I've come to take yeh to buy yer new school things fer Hogwarts. Yer spell books and wand an' everythin'. Come out, Harry!"

Harry finally understood what was going on. Dudley was playing a prank on him. He'd moved on from getting Harry to believe in ghosts to getting Harry to believe in magic. Or maybe he'd remembered it was Harry's birthday and decided to terrify him with a giant of a man. A relived grin broke out on Harry's face. He turned to face his relatives.

"It's a trick. You're playing a prank on me for my birthday, aren't you, Dudley?" Harry asked. But Dudley gave a terrified shake of his head. "It's him. He' doing this. It's got to be him" Dudley mumbled to his parents, pointing at Harry. "I didn't do anything!" said Harry loudly and angrily.

"What do yeh mean yeh didn' do anythin' Harry? Are yeh talking about the door? Thas alright, yeh were probably a bit scared of me appearance. It's a bit shocking ter people, firs' time they see me."

Only a bit? wondered Harry.

"Er—who are you?" he asked.

The giant chuckled. "True, haven't introduced myself. Rubeus Hagrid, Groundskeeper of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Now come on, Harry. We need to get going."