Invisible

THE LETTERS FROM NO ONE

HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
CHAPTER 3

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"Oh God, we're gonna die."

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{ CHAPTER 2 }

ONE TRIP

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THE ESCAPE OF THE BRAZILIAN boa constrictor earned Harry his longest-ever punishment. By the time he's allowed out of his cupboard again, the summer holidays have started and Lily has broken a window with her mind during an outburst because of their cousin.

Dudley has already broken his new cine-camera, crashed his remote-control aeroplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. It was a sad sight and Lily had rushed over to help her and assisted her until she was back in the safety of her home.

Lily is glad school is over, but there's no escaping Dudley's gang, who visit the house every single day. Piers, Dennis, Malcolm, and Gordon are all big and stupid, but as Dudley is the biggest and stupidest of the lot, he's the leader. The rest of them are all quite happy to join Dudley's favourite sport: Harry-hunting.

Although, sometimes the roles will switch and they'll be running from Lily who'll be carrying a stick with dog poop or Poison Ivy. Still one of her favourite things to do.

Harry and Lily spend as much time as possible out of the house, wandering around and thinking about the end of the holidays, where they can see a tiny ray of hope.

When September comes they'll be going off to secondary school and, for the first time in their lives, they won't be with Dudley. Dudley has a place at Uncle Vernon's old school, Smeltings. Piers is going there, too. The twins, on the other hand, are going to Stonewall High, the local comprehensive. Dudley finds it very funny.

"They stuff people's heads down the toilet first day at Stonewall," he tells them.

"Want to come upstairs and practice?"

Lily is about to say 'yes' and trick Dudley by pushing his head into the toilet first, but Harry beats her to speaking.

"No, thanks," he says.

"The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick."

Then he runs, with Lily on his tail (she's laughing hysterically), before Dudley could work out what he said.

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One day in July, Aunt Petunia takes Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform, leaving the twins at Mrs Figg's.

Mrs Figg isn't as bad as usual. It turns out she broke her leg tripping over one of her cats and she doesn't seem quite as fond of them as before. She lets the twins watch television and gives them a bit of chocolate cake that tastes as though she's had it for several years. But it's cake, something Lily enjoys eating but doesn't have often, so she doesn't complain.

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That evening, Dudley parades around the living room for the family in his brand-new uniform. Smeltings boys wear maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers, and flat straw hats called boaters. They also carry knobbly sticks, used for hitting each other while the teachers aren't looking. This is supposed to be good training for later life.

As he looks at Dudley in his new knickerbockers, Uncle Vernon says gruffly that it's the proudest moment of his life. Lily rolls her eyes. Aunt Petunia bursts into tears and says she can't believe it's her Ickle Dudleykins, he looks so handsome and grown-up.