Chronicles of Camelot

The winds of change

'Her real White Knight,' thought Dan, recalling the letter Hermione had sent when she had requested for Harry to join them for the summer.

"Well then," Emma smiled, "If you can follow us Harry, we'll take you to our place and I can get tea started: is spaghetti Bolognese all right for you?"

"Sounds perfect," Harry answered, before he turned and began to push his trunks towards the exit.

However, they had barely gotten to three feet from the door before Harry found his shoulder being grabbed by a strong, familiar grip, the muscles in his right arm straining with pain as Harry was whipped around, revealing the face of one Vernon Dursley, who looked both angry and humiliated.

"Where do you think you're going Boy?" he asked, not removing his hand from Harry's shoulder, the blood in Harry's right arm being cut off by the pressure.

"With my friends," Harry replied, "Didn't you get the letter?"

"You know full well that you do not use that freakishness to speak with us," Vernon growled, "Now, where are these friends?"

"Right here," Dan's voice replied, the rather built form of the Granger patriarch appearing next to Harry, "And you will let go of Harry or else."

"Who are you to tell me what I do to my property?" asked Vernon: that was the wrong thing to say.

Before his time as a dentist, Dan had trained with the police force and one of the many things he had learned was how to take down an enemy in greater mass than his own; taking Vernon's wrist, Dan squeezed two fingers into the flesh of the man's arm before he twisted round and flipped the large man over his head, Vernon not only flying over Dan, but taking Harry with him. Only Harry's two years of Quidditch reflexes saved him from a serious injury; as he followed the bulk of his uncle's body, Harry twisted round, landing on the gripped arm, the pain feeling like a numbing sensation that ran up his arm.

The impact on Vernon, however, was greater as he was forced to release Harry's arm, the young wizard gently rotating his shoulder and spinning his arm around as if to try and get the blood flowing again. However, Vernon wasn't going to let go of something that his monkey-shit mind believed was his by right.

Scrabbling to his feet, Vernon went to strike back at Dan…instead, he struck Harry, sending the young wizard flying through the air, the sound of trunks and Hedwig's cage clattering to the floor indicating where Harry had crashed, his ribs buckling against the rail of his trolley.

That was the last straw for Dan; seeing Harry grabbed by this man had enraged him; seeing Harry wounded while Dan had been trying to protect him had made him furious, but seeing Harry, with what could only be described as razor-sharp reflexes, jump in the way of this human locomotive of a man to stop him harming the male Granger…and then for Harry to be wounded with his ribs buckling and blood now pooling from his mouth was the last straw for Dan.

He wheeled round, putting all his speed into his strike as he caught Vernon with the front of his steel-capped shoes, the fat man sent sprawling across the floor as Dan walked across to him and, stepping on Vernon's chest, gave him one warning only, "Don't you ever call any child your property and don't you ever try and come near me or my family ever again and that includes Harry; if you do, I won't be held responsible for what happens."

Walking back across the platform, Dan found Harry staggering to his feet, his hand supporting his side as he looked to Dan, "Are…are you okay Dan?" he asked, fighting back a wave of pain as he went to gather his things together.

"I'm all right Harry," Dan replied, "But…what about…"

"Flesh wound," Harry replied, "He barely broke the skin, let alone the bone: he's either slacking or your toss of him was more effective than we thought."