'Tell Me Pretty Lies,' by moongirlel

Chapter 79: Happee Birthdaee!

[Ride - Lana Del Rey]

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Before Hogwarts
Thur. 31st August 1990 - 2:17pm...

Professor McGonagall.

That unusual name ran loops throughout my mind for weeks. I didn't find myself bringing it up to Harry.

Not even when those Hogwarts' letters came crashing in through the letter box; showing up in egg shells; and multiple owls of all shapes and sizes, carrying them in their beaks. I pretended to stay naive.

The Dursley's were tortured.

"What a sudden change of events." I had said to my brother one evening.

Eventually, Vernon lost it. He had booked a bed and breakfast cottage, far from Little Whinging — Far from London. The furthest their current money savings allowed us to go. I'm surprised they even dragged me and my brother along with them.

Us? All on a small holiday-like break together? Touché.

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1:11am...

Tick. Tick. Tick.

Laying wide awake on the dusty wooden floor, I stared at the cobwebs overhead of the living room area.

Harry was too busy drawing wizards, dragons and a massive cake on the floor beside me to notice the tiny spider lower itself down onto Dudley's arm whilst he slept.

"Make a late birthday wish, Jane." My brother whispered to me, gently nudging my elbow.

A birthday wish?

"I wish we could make it far away from this place..." I mumbled. "...To a better home, with a father or mother figure who actually appreciates us."

Harry sighed, blowing out his drawing once he saw I wasn't budging to blow them out myself.

The ocean crashed outside of the weak door; mirroring the sounds of hail and thunder. Almost as though the Gods, Zeus and Poseidon, fought for whomever got the loudest voice tonight.

However, the next sound wasn't the weather. It wasn't the wooden boat rocking against the rock formations we had arrived in. It was heavy boots.

Soon the door caved in.

Dudley's screams were heard over the crashing water, as the door was broke down.

Petunia and Vernon hastily dashed down the stairs, fumbling with a half-loaded shotgun.

Harry grabbed my arm, dragging me off the floor and into the corner behind the stone fireplace.

"...sorry 'bout that." The large man laughed wholeheartedly, fixing the door poorly back into the hinges.

"Dad! Dad! He's here to kill us! Who is he?" Dudley cried. Petunia was quick to cradle him.

"Sir! I ask that you leave this instant! You are breaking and entering." Vernon coughed up, holding the gun towards the giant man.

He tapped his pink umbrella against the door, "Ya don't have a very sturdy door 'ere. Best find a better builder ta secure this place—"