The Forgotten Twin

Chapter 1 - Year 5 Begins

"OWLS!" bellowed Uncle Vernon, the well-worn vein in his temple pulsing angrily as he slammed the kitchen window shut. "OWLS AGAIN! I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE OWLS IN MY HOUSE!"

But Harry ignored him and opened his letter.

Uncle Vernon continued to rant until Delilah covered her ears.

"SHUT IT!" she yelled, immediately regretting the words as he turned on her, glaring.

"This has nothing to do with you. Go upstairs," Uncle Vernon said, grinding his teeth and glaring.

Delilah glared back and moved to Harry's side, reading over his shoulder.

It was an official letter from the Ministry, basically just saying that Harry had broken the law by producing a Patronus Charm and that Ministry officials were on the way to snap his wand.

Before Delilah could say something to calm him down, trancelike, he moved to leave the kitchen.

"Where d'you think you're going?" yelled Uncle Vernon. When Harry didn't reply, he pounded across the kitchen to block the doorway into the hall. "I haven't finished with you, boy!"

"Get out of the way," said Harry quietly.

"You're going to stay here and explain how my son —"

"If you don't get out of the way I'm going to jinx you," said Harry, raising the wand.

"You can't pull that one on me!" snarled Uncle Vernon. "I know you're not allowed to use it outside that madhouse you call a school!"

"The madhouse has chucked me out," said Harry. "So I can do whatever I like. You've got three seconds. One — two —"

A resounding CRACK filled the kitchen; Aunt Petunia screamed, Uncle Vernon yelled and ducked, but Delilah looked around for the source, as Harry wouldn't have done it, no matter how angry he was.

A dazed and ruffled-looking barn owl was sitting outside on the kitchen sill, having just collided with the closed window.

Ignoring Uncle Vernon's yell of "OWLS!" Delilah crossed and grabbed the letter, handing it to Harry. It was from Mr. Weasley.

Again she read over his shoulder, but it was just telling Harry not to do anything stupid and to stay where he was. Apparently Dumbledore was trying to sort everything out.

"Right," Harry said after a moment, "I've changed my mind, I'm staying."

He flung himself down at the kitchen and faced Dudley and Aunt Petunia. The Dursleys, and Delilah, were taken aback at his abruptness. Aunt Petunia glanced despairingly at Uncle Vernon. The vein in Uncle Vernon's purple temple was throbbing worse than ever.

"Who are all these ruddy owls from?" he growled.

"The first one was from the Ministry of Magic, expelling me," said Harry calmly. "The second one was from my friend Ron's dad, he works at the Ministry."

Delilah strained, listening for Ministry representatives approaching.

"Ministry of Magic?" bellowed Uncle Vernon. "People like you in government? Oh, this explains everything, everything, no wonder the country's going to the dogs...." Harry didn't respond, and Delilah didn't butt in. "And why have you been expelled?"

"Because I did magic."

"AHA!" roared Uncle Vernon, slamming his fist down on the top of the fridge, which sprang open; several of Dudley's low-fat snacks toppled out and burst on the floor. "So you admit it! What did you do to Dudley?"