All is well - A Hinny fanfiction

Chapter 28

Wordcount: 3624

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After his rather impressive discovery during the Christmas holidays, Harry spent a lot of his free time polishing his abilities and making sure he could be able to use them in a time of need. He had gotten adept at transforming rapidly into a phoenix, and he had found he could probably lift the entire Weasley clan if he so desired while in that form.

Only a few days after New Years, he received a letter from his cousin, begging him to meet him at Surrey Memorial Hospital. Gulping in anticipation and bidding his wife goodbye, he Apparated to an alley half a block away from the address Dudley had given him. Exiting, he looked around and saw a rather distraught-looking Dudley pacing back and forth in from of the hospital doors. Harry approached him and shook his cousin's hand.

"Hey, I came as soon as I got your letter, what's up?" Harry said, following him into the hospital.

"It's Dad,' said Dudley, "He's bad, Harry, I don't know what to do."

Harry furrowed his brow as they traversed the halls in search of his uncle's room. Again, a big part of his brain was telling him that the fat whale deserved it for all the years of neglect and abuse. He thought of Ginny's reaction to Dudley's initial invitation two years ago, and a small burst of anger swelled in him. Nonetheless, he forced himself to endure this, for he had made a promise to himself of trying as hard as he could to keep these ties to his mother.

A rather awkward three minutes later, they converged on a set of double doors, which led to Vernon's private room. Of course, he wouldn't want the company of other sick people, Harry thought bitterly. Upon entering, he saw a very dishevelled-looking Vernon with his eyes closed, hooked to a machine by various tubes and wires that seemed to barely be keeping him alive. To his right was Petunia, her blond hair barely scraping her shoulders and eyes closed as she tried hard not to cry.

Harry was startled to see the third person in the room staring directly at him. In a corner to Vernon's left was Cho Chang, smiling awkwardly at Harry. Harry recovered quickly and extended his hand.

"Cho, good to see you after so long," he said, smiling despite himself.

At the sound of his voice, Vernon's eyes flew open and landed on the black-haired wizard standing at the door. His eyes were bloodshot, he noticed. Half his head was devoid of hair, what little he had left hanging by a thread to his scalp.

"What are you doing here, boy?" he grumbled, though it was clear it was costing him dearly to utter more than two words.

Harry turned reluctantly to face his aunt and uncle, adopting a stoic demeanour. Both Vernon and Petunia stared at him suspiciously before the beefy man spoke, albeit slowly.

"I asked you... a question," he said menacingly. If it had been meant to scare Harry, he had failed miserably. In Harry's youth, those words had meant at least a week in the cupboard, but now they had no effect on the wizard.

"Dudley told me to come," he said simply. He tried to keep his tone civil, though every bone in his body urged him to hex the man who had made his childhood a living hell.

"Have you come to gloat?" replied Vernon, relaxing a bit before lying back on his bed.

"I wouldn't do that, don't need to," answered Harry, crossing his arms nonchalantly. Dudley and Cho were watching the exchange from the corner without saying a word.

"Ah, came to get into my good graces so you'll get into my will, then? Not happening, boy," growled Vernon, coughing with the effort of maintaining a steady conversation. At this, Harry had to laugh at his uncle's stupidity. "What's so funny?" demanded his uncle.