The Girl Who Lived

Chapter 31

Part 3

"Uncle Vernon, me and Harry need you to sign something." Raven stuttered, eyes trained on her brother as he put away the guest's dripping umbrella. "What is it?"

"Nothing. Just school stuff." She replied, attempting to sound as casual as possible. "Maybe later, if you behave." the man didn't even look at her, brushing past the smaller girl and towards a heavy set woman and her pug. "Oh, you're still here are you?" the woman's voice could be heard from the living room. "Yes ma'am." Raven attempted a small smile, Harry's lips turned in a frown. "Don't say 'Yes' in that tone. If you were placed on my doorstep, I'd have taken you straight to the orphanage."

Biting the inside of her cheek, she just nodded meekly and grabbed Harry's arm. "We'll be getting out of your way, now. I hope you have a good time." she pulled Harry out of the living room and upstairs to their bedroom.

It wasn't long until the twins were called downstairs to clean up the table after dinner. Vernon tempted his sister Marge with alcohol while Raven gathered the dishes and Harry washed and put away leftovers. "-You mustn't blame yourself for how those two turned out, Vernon. It's all to do with blood, bad blood. What is it the twin's father did, Petunia?" Raven vaguely wondered if Marge was a lightweight. The woman took maybe two sips of whatever brandy her uncle had given her. "He didn't work. He w-was unemployed."

"He was probably a drunk too, no doubt."

Raven's throat closed and her eyes darted to Harry. "That's a lie." her brother never ceased to amaze her. He was either stupid, or he was brave enough to speak back towards their family. Most likely both, given their experience. "What did you say?" Marge frowned, Harry turning to glare at the woman. "My dad wasn't a drunk." There he went with the singular possessive context again. What was Raven? Chopped liver? The glass in Marge's hand broke, startling everyone and knocking Raven out of her thoughts. She quickly grabbed a hand towel, shuffling over to the woman to clean up the spill and remove the glass.

"I think it's time you went to bed." Vernon spoke, fixing her brother with a cold stare. Harry hesitated a moment, glancing towards Raven before heading upstairs. "Actually, it's nothing to do with the father. It's something to do with the mother. You see it all the time with dogs: if there's something wrong with the bitch, then there's something wrong with the pup." Raven had barely made it into the kitchen before her face was red with anger. The glass slipped from her hands, breaking into more pieces on the tile beneath her when she turned on the woman. "Shut up! Shut! Up!"

Aunt Marge turned towards Raven with a grin. "Let me tell you-" whatever the she-demon wanted to say was interrupted when she glanced at her swollen finger... next came a swollen hand... then came the rest of her body. It was as if she was turning into a huge balloon slowly filling up with helium. Stockings ripped, her shirt stretched, until she floated out of the open porch doors and into the air. Raven took that time to flee. She sprinted as fast as she could out of the kitchen and up the stairs, shouting for Harry along the way. He opened their bedroom door and she shoved him back inside, tears streaming down her face. "Pack up. We're leaving."

It wasn't long until Raven was storming down the stairs, Harry following behind with their suitcases. Vernon ran up to her, shaking her shoulders roughly. "Bring her back! Bring Marge bac-" Raven pulled out her wand, glaring at the man. "No. She got what she deserved." she growled, her uncle backing away slowly. "You're not allowed to do magic outside school." Vernon brought up, backing into the hall. "Yeah? Try me." she smirked, taking a few steps towards him. "They won't let you go there now. You've no attic here." he spoke again. "Anywhere is better than here." she replied, hearing the front door open and backed up into the cold air. She slammed the door shut, turning to her brother. "Well, let's go."