Kirra let out a small sigh and went up to her room and grabbed whiskers before going back downstairs and going through the front door. It was a brilliant, sunny day, which meant it was warm, which she was more than happy about.
She crossed the lawn, slumped down on the garden bench, and sang under her breath as she pets whiskers who had curled up on her lap: "Happy birthday to me . . . happy birthday to me . . ."
No cards, no presents, and she would be spending the evening pretending not to exist in a room with her twin brother who was currently mad at her even though he had been the one who had done the wrong thing.
She didn't care that she hadn't gotten any presents, though she had been upset not to hear from a single one of her friends. She gazed miserably into the hedge. She had never felt so lonely. More than anything else at Hogwarts, more even than playing Quidditch, Kirra missed her best friends, Maxine Mayfield, JJ Maybank and the Weasley twins.
They, however, didn't seem to be missing her at all. None of them had written to her all summer, even though the twins and Maxine had said they were going to ask Kirra to come and stay. Had her friends forgotten it was her birthday? Or did they just forget about her completely?
What wouldn't she give now for a message from Hogwarts? From any witch or wizard? She'd almost be glad of a sight of her archenemy, Mattheo Riddle, just to be sure it hadn't all been a dream and it only seemed to be worse than the person she thought she was closest to, her twin brother, could hardly stand the sight of her.
Kirra had been humming 'knee socks' by the Arctic Monkeys softly and had been staring absent-mindedly into the hedge — and the hedge was staring back.
Two enormous green eyes had appeared among the leaves causing Kirra's eyes to widen in shock. Kirra quickly grabbed whiskers and jumped to her feet just as a jeering voice floated across the lawn.
"I know what day it is," sang Dudley, waddling toward her. The huge eyes blinked and vanished.
"What?" said Kirra, not taking her eyes off the spot where they had been, not even bothering to pay attention to her cousin who had clearly only come outside to torment her and be the asshole she swore he was born to be.
"I know what day it is," Dudley repeated, coming right up to her, a big smirk on his face.
"Well done," said Kirra with a sarcastic tone. "So you've finally learned the days of the week."
"Today's your birthday," sneered Dudley. "How come you haven't got any cards? Haven't you even got friends at that freak place?"
"Look Duddykins, how about you just leave me alone for once and go waddle back into the kitchen and eat some more bacon," said Kirra coolly. Dudley hitched up his trousers, which were slipping down his fat bottom.
"Why're you staring at the hedge?" he said suspiciously, peeking over her shoulder to get a better look.
"I'm trying to decide what would be the best spell to set it on fire," said Kirra sarcastically, just wanting to be left alone and not reminded that her friends had forgotten about her. Dudley stumbled backward at once, a look of panic on his fat face.
"You c-can't — Dad told you you're not to do m-magic — he said he'll chuck you out of the house — and you haven't got anywhere else to go — you haven't got any friends to take you —"
"Jiggery pokery!" said Kirra in a fierce voice. "Hocus pocus — squiggly wiggly —"
"MUUUUUUM!" howled Dudley, tripping over his feet as he dashed back toward the house. "MUUUUM! She's doing you know what!" Kirra had paid dearly for her moment of fun. As neither Dudley nor the hedge was in any way hurt, Aunt Petunia knew she hadn't really done magic, but she still had to duck as she aimed a heavy blow at her head with the soapy frying pan, which had hit her harshly in the arm leaving a giant bruise.
Then she gave her work to do, with the promise she wouldn't eat again until she'd finished. While Dudley lolled around watching and eating ice cream, Kirra cleaned the windows, washed the car, mowed the lawn, trimmed the flower beds, pruned and watered the roses, and repainted the garden bench.
The sun blazed overhead, burning the back of her neck. Kirra knew she shouldn't have risen to Dudley's bait, but Dudley had said the very thing Kirra had been thinking herself . . . maybe she didn't have any friends at Hogwarts
It was half-past seven in the evening when at last, exhausted, she heard Aunt Petunia calling her. "Get in here! And walk on the newspaper!" Kirra moved gladly into the shade of the gleaming kitchen.
On top of the fridge stood tonight's pudding: a huge mound of whipped cream and sugared violets. A loin of roast pork was sizzling in the oven. "Eat quickly! The Masons will be here soon and your brother is already up in the room!" snapped Aunt Petunia, pointing to two slices of bread and a lump of cheese on the kitchen table. She was already wearing a salmon-pink cocktail dress.
Kirra washed her hands and bolted down her pitiful supper. The moment she had finished, Aunt Petunia whisked away her plate. "Upstairs! Hurry!" As she passed the door to the living room, Kirra caught a glimpse of Uncle Vernon and Dudley in bow ties and dinner jackets.
She had only just reached the upstairs landing when the doorbell rang and Uncle Vernon's furious face appeared at the foot of the stairs.
"Remember, girl — one sound —" Kirra just rolled her eyes at the man and crossed to her shared bedroom on tiptoe, slipped inside, closed the door, she looked at her brother who didn't even spare her one glance instead he continued to read the book in his hand, she let out a sigh and turned to collapse on her bed. The trouble was, there was already someone sitting on it.
Kirra managed not to shout out, but it was a close thing. The little creature on the bed had large, bat-like ears and bulging green eyes the size of tennis balls. Kirra knew instantly that this was what had been watching her out of the garden hedge that morning.
"Who the hell is this?" Kirra asked her brother who was now sitting bolt upright with wide eyes looking at it in fear
"I don't know" Harry quickly whisper shouted at her as if she were crazy
"what the hell do you mean you don't know, it was in here with you this whole time," Kirra whisper shouted back, rolling her eyes at her brother as she looked between him and whatever the hell the creature on her bed was
"well I didn't see it" Harry whisper shouted back once again.
"What? were you too caught up in being an asshole to notice the magical creature on the bed a few meters from your own?" Kirra turned to look down at whatever it was and as they stared at each other, Kirra heard Dudley's voice from the hall.
"May I take your coats, Mr. and Mrs. Mason?" The creature slipped off the bed and bowed so low that the end of its long, thin nose touched the carpet.
Kirra noticed that it was wearing what looked like an old pillowcase, with rips for arm- and leg-holes. "Er — hello," said Harry and Kirra nervously.
"Kirra Potter!" said the creature in a high-pitched voice Kirra was sure would carry down the stairs. "and Harry Potter, So long has Dobby wanted to meet you, sir and my lady . . . Such an honor it is. . . ."
"Th-thank you," said Harry and Kirra, Kirra began edging along the wall and sinking onto Harry's bed next to him. The twins wanted to ask, "What are you?" but thought it would sound too rude, so instead Kirra decided to speak up and ask, "Who are you?"
"Dobby, my lady. Just Dobby. Dobby the house-elf," said the creature.
"Well Dobby, it is nice to meet y-" Kirra was rudely cut off by Harry
"Oh — really?" said Harry. "Er — I don't want to be rude or anything, but — this isn't a great time for me to have a house-elf in my bedroom." Aunt Petunia's high, false laugh sounded from the living room. The elf hung his head. "Not that I'm not pleased to meet you," said Harry quickly, "but, er, is there any particular reason you're here?"
"Oh, yes, sir," said Dobby earnestly. "Dobby has come to tell you, sir . . . and my lady too, it is difficult, . . . Dobby wonders where to begin. . . ."
"Sit down," said Kirra politely, pointing at her bed where the elf had been originally. To her horror, the elf burst into tears — very noisy tears. "S-sit down!" he wailed. "Never . . . never ever . . ."
The twins thought they heard the voices downstairs falter and shared a worried look. "I'm sorry," she whispered feeling horrible for upsetting the house-elf, she was annoyed with herself that she somehow hadn't read about house elves and now she was offending him, which was something that she desperately didn't want to do, "I'm so so sorry. I didn't mean to offend you or anything —"
"Offend Dobby!" choked the elf. "Dobby has never been asked to sit down by a witch — like an equal —"