Harry's Twin - Book One // Complete // Editing

Odd Names

"Haven't I told you? They're not going!" Vernon refuses to back down against the great giant.

"If they want ter go, a great muggle like yehself won't stop them! They've been on the list for Hogwarts since they were born. Ter stop James and Lily Potter's children going ter Hogwarts - yeh'd be mad! They'll be with their own sort fer a change. An' they'll be under the best headmaster Hogwarts has ever had - Albus Dumbledore!"

"I'M NOT PAYING FOR SOME DRUGGED UP, WEIRD, OLD IDIOT TO TEACH THESE TWO SOME LITTLE MAGIC TRICKS!" Vernon yells, waving his arms wildly.

Hagrid raises from the couch, once again, faster than before. "Never," he whispers as quietly as he can, "insult Albus Dumbledore in front of me!" Hagrid's voice gets louder as he speaks, until it's at a volume that even Vernon could never imagine his voice going to. Hagrid is red in the face and if his eyes were daggers, Vernon would've bled out by now.

He brings the umbrella down with a swish. He points it directly at Dudley, who's never looked so scared. There's a flash of violet, a sound replicating a firecracker and a sharp squeal. Next second, Dudley's dancing around the spot, holding his hands over his bottom. He howls in pain, over and over. When he turns his back, I get a shock - there's a curly pig's tail, right in the centre!

Now Vernon gets really mad. He pulls his wife and child into the next room and slams the door. Harry and I are doubled over with laughter. Hagrid stands, facing the door they disappeared though, stroking his wild beard.

"Shouldn't have lost me temper. Spell didn't work anyway. Was meant ter turn him into a pig. I guess he was so much like one already, there wasn't much that needed to be done," Hagrid sighs, looking down at his pink umbrella. He casts us a sideways look. "Be grateful if yehs don't mention that ter anyone at Hogwarts. I'm not really supposed ter do magic. I was allowed to do a bit ter follow yehs and get yeh yer letters. One o' the reasons I was so keen to take on this task, actually."

"Why aren't you meant to do magic? Aren't you a wizard, too?" Harry asks.

"Well, yes," Hagrid says. "But when I went ter Hogwarts, I got . . . I got expelled in third year. They snapped me wand in half. But Dumbledore let me stay on as Gamekeeper. Great man, Dumbledore."

"But, Hagrid, why were you expelled?" I ask, curious.

Hagrid doesn't answer. Instead he loudly chirps, 'It's gettin' late. We've got a lot ter do tomorrow. Got to get up ter town and get the two of yehs yeh books and things.'

He takes off his coat and hands it to us. "Take this ter keep warm," he says. "An' don' mind if it wriggles. Think I still have a couple o' dormice in one o' the pockets."

I take it from him. I don't say a word, and neither does Harry, despite the odd look painted on both of our faces, mine casted towards one of the gigantic pockets.

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Harry wakes early the next morning. He wakes me up seconds after by muttering (accidentally) in my ear, "It was all a dream. I dreamed a giant man called Hagrid came to tell me I was going to a school for witches and wizards. And that I am a wizard. When I open my eyes, I'll be back in my cupboard."

I turn over to face Harry. I flick him in the forehead, earning a small "ouch!" I sit up. Harry sees the coat fall off us and Hagrid asleep on the couch.

"It wasn't a dream, Bolt. Hey, could you open the window? There's a . . . something tapping on it - oh, hey! The storms over!" I smile, pointing towards the sunlit glass.

"I was wondering what that tapping was. A owl," Harry muses, pushing himself up. "Wait - an owl?" He goes over to the window and opens it. In the owls beak is a newspaper. As soon as the bird sees the open window, it swoops, flies in and then drops the newspaper onto Hagrid. Hagrid didn't wake. I stand and walk over to my brother.