Invisible

THE KEEPER OF THE KEYS

HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
CHAPTER 4

-

"But why don't I have a scar if I survived the spell as well? Why am I unmarked?"

-

{ CHAPTER 3 }

GREEN FLASH

-

BOOM.

Dudley and Lily jerk awake.

"Where's the cannon?" Dudley asks stupidly while Lily stares at the door in horror.

They don't prepare them for this in school.

There's a crash behind them and Uncle Vernon comes skidding into the room. He's holding a rifle in his hands - now Lily knows what was in the long, thin package he brought with them.

"Who's there?" he shouts.

"I warn you - I'm armed!"

There's a pause. And then -

SMASH!

The door is hit with such force that it swings clean off its hinges and with a deafening crash lands flat on the floor.

A giant of a man stands in the doorway. His face is almost completely hidden by a long, shaggy mane of hair and a wild, tangled beard, but you can make out his eyes, glinting like black beetles under all the hair. Lily notices that he looks very similar to the shadow she had seen in her dream with the flying motorbike.

The giant squeezes his way into the hut, stooping so that his head just brushes the ceiling. He bends down, picks up the door, and fits it easily back into its frame. The noise of the storm outside drops a little. He turns to look at them all.

"Couldn't make us a cup o' tea, could yeh? It's not been an easy journey..." he says with a thick accent.

He strides over to the sofa where Dudley sits frozen with fear.

"Budge up, yeh great lump," the stranger says.

Dudley squeaks and runs to hide behind his mother, who is crouching, terrified, behind Uncle Vernon.

"An' here's Harry an' Bella!" the giant says.

Lily visibly cringes at the nickname.

"Uh, sorry, sir, but I prefer Lily."

His gaze softens and he smiles.

"Well, o' course, yeh do."

Harry and Lily look at each other still in shock before looking up into the fierce, wild, shadowy face and seeing that the beetle eyes are crinkled in a smile.

"Las' time I saw you, you were only babies," the giant speaks.

"Yeh look a lot like yer dad, Harry, and yeh more like yer mum, Lily, but yeh both have got yer mum's eyes."

Harry and Lily look at each other with hope and curiosity. Maybe this stranger can finally help them.

Uncle Vernon makes a funny rasping noise. Lily jumps. She forgot that he was there.

"I demand that you leave at once, sir!" he says, making Lily turn her head around to look at him with a sceptical face.

Like that giant is going to listen to him.

"You are breaking and entering!"

Lily snorts at that. That door is as useless as Dudley.

"Ah, shut up, Dursley, yeh great prune," the giant says.