The house gets attacked by letters.

7.3K 206 33
                                    

By the time Harriet was let out of her closet and deemed 'safe enough' to walk around the house without being watched like a hawk, the summer holidays had already started.

Dudley, of course, had already broken his new video camera, crashed his remote control airplane, and, first time out on his racing bike, knocked down old Mrs. Figg as she crossed Privet Drive on her crutches. Mrs. Figg usually took care of Harriet when the Dursleys were away.

Harriet spent as much time out of the house as she could, getting up extremely early to do her chores and hoping to be able to avoid the Dursleys for a couple of hours. She also spent a lot of time up trees. Dudley and his goons of idiocy had taken to their favourite game again. Harriet hunting. As a result, Harriet could climb practically any tree in the neighborhood.

She couldn't wait for the holidays to be over. Not because she didn't like free time, but rather because secondary school was starting after summer and it would be the first time she wasn't in the same class as Dudley. She wouldn't even be in the same school! This meant she could finally make some friends and get the grades she knew she could!

Harriet had always held back with her school work. If she had been better than Dudley, she had gotten lots of trouble.

Dudley had been accepted at Uncle Vernon's old private school, Smeltings. Piers Polkiss was going there too. Harriet, on the other hand, was going to Stonewall High, the local public school. Something Dudley seemingly found endlessly funny.

"They stuff people's heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harriet grinning. "Want to come upstairs and practice?"

"No, thanks," said Harriet dryly. "The poor toilet's never had anything as ugly as your head down it. Poor thing might throw up!" Then she slipped away before Dudley could figure out what she had said.

Harriet didn't mind going to Stonewall. The uniform was far nicer than that of Smeltings. Harriet had thought she was going to bust a lung holding back laughter on the evening where Dudley paraded around the living room wearing it.

One morning changed everything.

They heard the click of the mail slot and flop of letters on the doormat.

"Get the mail, Dudley," said Uncle Vernon from behind his paper.

"Make Harriet get it," Dudley complained.

"Get the mail, Harriet." Uncle Vernon grumbled.

Harriet rolled her eyes and made her way to the doormat. Three things lay on it: a postcard from Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, a brown envelope that looked like a bill, and a letter... for Harriet!

She didn't know what to think. She was certain that it was a mistake but somehow, she couldn't help but think it really was for her. It had her cupboard written on it!

She handed Vernon the bills and the postcard and sat down with the letter, which was almost immediately snatched away from her by Dudley.

"Dad, Harriet's got a letter!" he yelled.

" Give it back. That's mine!" She snapped, making a grab for it. Vernon got there first.

"Who'd be writing to you?" sneered Uncle Vernon, shaking the letter open with one hand and glancing at it. His face went from red to green faster than a set of traffic lights. And it didn't stop there. Within seconds it was the grayish white of old porridge.

"P-P-Petunia!" he gasped. Petunia hurried over and looked at the piece of, what appeared to be, parchment.
For a moment it looked as though she might faint. She clutched her throat and made a choking noise.

"Cupboard..."Vernon gasped,"Go to your Cupboard, Harriet! Dudley, go to your room!"

" But - " both Harriet and Dudley attempted to protest.

" NOW! " Vernon bellowed. That did the trick. Both pre teens raced out of the room to safety. Once inside her closet Harriet slumped to the ground sighing.

The next day 4 letters arrived. Aunt Petunia shredded them in the blender. Then Harriet was moved to Dudleys second bedroom as an apparent precaution.
The day after that 12 letters were burnt in the fireplace and the day after that 23 of those letters were torn apart by Vernon, personally. On Sunday, Uncle Vernon was in a very good mood. He even hummed to himself as he read the paper!

" Lovely day, Sunday. No post." He said. "And wonderful weather too!"
He picked up a digestive and made to take a bite.
Something shot past his face knocking the biscuit from his hand.

It had come from the fireplace. The Dursleys stared at it in shock. It was one of those letters.
"Who on earth wants to talk to you this badly?" Dudley asked Harry in amazement.

The fireplace started to ruble and the living room started to shake. Dust started coming off of the ceiling. The Dursleys backed away from the fireplace looking terrified.
The fireplace exploded! Letter after letter shot into the room.

"Out! OUT!" Vernon bellowed louder than any drill sergent.

He seized Harriet by the collar and threw her into the hall. When Aunt Petunia and Dudley had run out with their arms over their faces, Uncle Vernon slammed the door shut.

"Pack your bags!"He ordered,"We're going away. Far away. Where they can't find us."

" Dad's gone mad, hasn't he? " Dudley asked clutching onto his mother.

Five minutes later, they all piled into the car. Uncle Vernon stomped down on the gas pedal and drove down the lane way faster than legally allowed. Only after putting a considerable distance between them and the house did he slow down.
Raindrops started hitting the window as they drove on in silence.

Their first stop was outside a run down shop. Vernon barked at them to stay in the car and went inside. He returned with a longish package which he dumped in the trunk.

The next stop was at a hotel. As it turned out they were to receive 107 of the peculiar letters via the front desk. Uncle Vernon checked them out immediately and drove away from the hotel as quickly as possible.

A few hours later, with much begging he would never admit to, Vernon had found a new accommodation for them. A hut somewhere near the coast.
Afer a short boat ride during which Dudley lost his breakfast, they arrived. It was dark and dusty.
Petunia complained about it looking like a haunted house and being too dusty. Harriet quite liked it. It seemed like the kind of place that held secrets.

Petunia and Vernon took the bedroom upstairs, Dudley got the old couch and Harriet got the floor. The Dursleys fell asleep first. Harriet however stayed awake. The sound of the storm outside was calming and she couldn't miss the start of her birthday. Drawing herself a cake in the dusty floor, she watched as Dudleys digital watch turned to 00:00:00.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday Harriet, happy birthday to you." She whisper-sang. It was impossible to be heard over Dudleys snoring anyway.
"Make a wish Harriet," she whispered to herself before smiling sadly. Closing her eyes for a second she thought of what she would wish for. Opening them, she took a deep breath and blew out the dust candles on the dust cake.

Then, Harriet laid down and closed her eyes.

BOOM!

The entire shack shook. Everyone started awake.

I May have helped an Evil Wizard. (rewrite)Where stories live. Discover now