Charmolypi

Chapter 129

It had been a couple of weeks since the incident with the telephone. Harry's homelife hadn't improved much, but he made it a point to stay out of the way of his aunt or uncle. One morning, he traveled down to the dining room, where he was met with the sight of the Dursleys sitting around the dining room table.

            Harry took a seat between Vernon and Dudley. The silence was not something unusual for them to experience during mealtime. Harry reached out and grabbed a piece of toast. He started munching on his breakfast as his attention was diverted to the television screen, where a reported was talking about an escaped convict.

            ". . . The public is warned that Black is armed and extremely dangerous. A special hot line has been set up, and any sighting of Black should be reported immediately."

All eyes turned to the Black family. No one understood why a Black would be on the loose in the muggle world, especially considering that they were notorious for their hate for muggles and everything muggle related.

"No need to tell us he's no good," snorted Uncle Vernon, staring over the top of his newspaper at the prisoner. "Look at the state of him, the filthy layabout! Look at his hair!" 

He shot a nasty look sideways at Harry, whose untidy hair had always been a source of great annoyance to Uncle Vernon. Compared to the man on the television, however, whose gaunt face was surrounded by a matted, elbow-length tangle, Harry felt very well groomed indeed.    The reporter had reappeared.

All eyes turned, shocked, to Sirius Black, who sat between his friends. Sirius' face fell as he saw himself in the future.

James and Remus started quietly reassuring their friend, but his shock didn't allow him to comprehend what was happening.

"How is it that Sirius got sent to prison," Bellatrix yelled offended. "He's the last person that would commit a crime, especially in the muggle world."

"Filthy disgrace," Walburga spat at her disowned son.

Regulus looked at his brother. As much as he hated him for turning his back on him and leaving to be with the Potters, he knew that his brother would not commit a crime that would get him imprisoned in the muggle world.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will announce today —"

"Hang on!" barked Uncle Vernon, staring furiously at the reporter. "You didn't tell us where that maniac's escaped from! What use is that? Lunatic could be coming up the street right now!"

Petunia, who was bony and horse-faced, whipped around and peered intently out of the kitchen window. Harry knew Aunt Petunia would simply love to be the one to call the hot line number. She was the nosiest woman in the world and spent most of her life spying on the boring, law-abiding neighbors.

"This is quite interesting," Petunia said under her breath.

"When will they learn," said Uncle Vernon, pounding the table with his large purple fist, "that hanging's the only way to deal with these people?"

There was a tense silence in the room when Vernon mentioned hanging.

"That's utterly disgusting!" Hermione exclaimed, whirling to the Potter siblings. "Is he always like that?"

"Pretty much," Thea said, while Harry just shrugged.

"Why do you think we pulled that prank on him?" Fred commented, which drew the attention of many of the students.

"He really had it coming," George added. The people who knew about the prank burst out laughing, remembering what it was like to see the reaction of the wizard-fearing muggle.