Emma Potter

86: Escape

 Uncle Vernon laid aside his paper with a deep sniff of disapproval and looked down at his own grapefruit. 

"Is this it?" he said grumpily to Aunt Petunia.Aunt Petunia gave him a severe look, and then nodded pointedlyat Dudley, who had already finished his own grapefruit quarter andwas eyeing Harry's with a very sour look in his piggy little eyes.

 Uncle Vernon gave a great sigh, which ruffled his large, bushymustache, and picked up his spoon.The doorbell rang. Uncle Vernon heaved himself out of his chairand set off down the hall. Quick as a flash, while his mother was occupied with the kettle, Dudley stole the rest of Uncle Vernon'sgrapefruit.

 I heard talking at the door, and someone laughing, andUncle Vernon answering curtly. Then the front door closed, andthe sound of ripping paper came from the hall.Aunt Petunia set the teapot down on the table and looked curiously around to see where Uncle Vernon had got to. She didn't haveto wait long to find out; after about a minute, he was back. Helooked livid. 

"You both," he barked at Harry and me. "In the living room. Now." 

Bewildered, wondering what on earth we were supposed to havedone this time, Harry and I got up and followed Uncle Vernon out of thekitchen and into the next room. Uncle Vernon closed the doorsharply behind both of them."

So," he said, marching over to the fireplace and turning to faceHarry as though he were about to pronounce him under arrest."So."

 I would have dearly loved to have said, "So what?" but I didn't feel that Uncle Vernon's temper should be tested this early inthe morning, especially when it was already under severe strainfrom lack of food. So did Harry, He therefore settled for looking politely puzzled. I had to bite my tongue.

 "This just arrived," said Uncle Vernon. He brandished a piece ofpurple writing paper at Harry and me. "A letter. About you both." 

my confusion increased. Who would be writing to UncleVernon about us? Who did we know who sent letters by thepostman?Uncle Vernon glared at Harry and me, then looked down at the letterand began to read aloud:

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, 

We have never been introduced, but I am sure you haveheard a great deal from Harry and Emma about my son Ron. 

As Harry  and Emma might have told you, the final of the QuidditchWorld Cup takes place this Monday night, and my husband,Arthur, has just managed to get prime tickets through his connections at the Department of Magical Games and Sports.I do hope you will allow us to take Harry to the match, asthis really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity; Britain hasn'thosted the cup for thirty years, and tickets are extremely hardto come by. 

We would of course be glad to have Harry and Emma stay forthe remainder of the summer holidays, and to see them safelyonto the train back to school.It would be best for Harry and Emma to send us your answer as quicklyas possible in the normal way, because the Muggle postman hasnever delivered to our house, and I am not sure he even knowswhere it is. 

Hoping to see Harry and Emma soon,

 Yours sincerely,

Molly Weasly

 P.S. I do hope we've put enough stamps on. 

Uncle Vernon finished reading, put his hand back into his breastpocket, and drew out something else.

 "Look at this," he growled.He held up the envelope in which Mrs. Weasley's letter hadcome, and Harry and I had to fight down a laugh. 

Every bit of it wascovered in stamps except for a square inch on the front, into which Mrs. Weasley had squeezed the Dursleys' address in minutewriting.