A week after the incident at the zoo Harry was getting the mail and found a letter for himself. No one ever sent him anything so he was fully focused on the envelope in his hand, he barely registered it being ripped from him. He turned fast and glared at Dudley and Vernon.
"Harry's got a mail! Someone sent him a letter!" Dudley took the letter and gave it to his father, his shouting getting the households attention.
"Who'd be writing to you?" Vernon sneered. Solis, Dudley, and Petunia read the addressing over his shoulder. Solis' eyes widened and stayed lock onto the letter while the other three stared at Harry like he had two heads.
'Hogwarts. Harry is like me?!'
Vernon ripped the envelope up and threw it away before having everyone continue breakfast like nothing happened; they ate in a tense silence. The Dursleys continued on as always but the only thing Solis and Harry could think about was the letter. Solis because, 'OMG! Harry is a wizard like me!' And Harry because he wanted to know who would write him and what was in that letter. And, 'Why did Solis look like he recognized it?'
The next morning a stack of letters arrived for Harry, laying in front of the door, and Vernon took the liberty of burning them before Harry could even touch them and nailing the mail slot shut. The morning after that owls covered the yard, perching on the car, lampposts, and mail-boxes. Vernon banned them from going outside. The next day was Sunday, and several emotions filled the house.
"It is a wonderful day. Do you know why it's a wonderful day?" Vernon was, of course, relieved and happy.
Dudley shrugged. He was oblivious but confused.
"Because it's Sunday?" Harry was upset, curious, and the smallest bit hopeful.
"Yes! And why is Sunday a wonderful day?"
"There is no mail on Sundays." The brunette was curious about the letter. About Solis' recognition of it. And about Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's insistence to not let him read the letters.
"Yes again! Ah, a wonderful day indeed." Petunia was relieved too, but also fearful.
Solis though... Solis was bored and curious. And also wanted to make Vernon mad after his jab about "being happy with having food to eat cause he could just as easily be out on the streets instead of here with his orphan buddy." He hates the Dursleys. Solis can tell Vernon's still on edge about the letters, so what better time to disclose the he got one as well?
"Why can't Harry go to Hogwarts?" His question made everyone freeze and look at him as he sat as calm as can be, eating his pancakes. "Or is it that you just don't want us to know about magic? I have a feeling it's the latter given how you two," he points to Petunia and Vernon. "recognized the seal on the letters and Aunt Petunia still has a look of fear and disgust in her eyes."
Solis looked up from his plate to see Harry looking at him in curiosity, Aunt Petunia shaking in her seat, and Uncle Vernon turning red with anger. Dudley was ignoring them in favor of the Tv; Mary Poppins was playing this morning.
Saliva specks flew from Vernon's lips as he spoke, his words filled with his anger. Fists clenched around silverware, Vernon shouted. "There is no such thing as magic! Where did you learn such things?!"
Solis glanced at him before looking at Harry. 'He deserves to get out of here more than I do. Hogwarts only sends acceptance letters, Harry should know.'
"'We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' I also did a little thinking and Hogwarts only needs to send acceptance letters, what's the point of getting a letter if you don't have magic."
Solis took one more look at Vernon before returning to his breakfast. Vernon was absolutely furious, having forgotten his food he stood up and moved over to Solis. He grabbed black locks and yanked the boy out of his seat, dragging him down the hall and up the stairs to the boy's room, shoving him in and locking the door.
"There is no such thing as magic!" Vernon shouted, again, as he went back down stairs.
Solis had never been in trouble this serious before so he was caught off guard by his uncle's reaction. He wanted a reaction so he could confirm or deny if the letters were real or a prank, and what he saw wasn't what he expected.
He stood stock still looking at the door, shocked. In disbelief Solis whispered to no one but himself, "They're real."
Harry stood in the kitchen washing the dishes he cleared from the table. Vernon and Petunia took Dudley out to get the mention of magic out of their heads. Harry got lost in his thoughts as he moved on to wash the next plate.
'Solis recognized the letter when it first came, like he knew what it meant without having to open it. The what he said, he was reciting what he'd already read. If Solis didn't have a photographic memory I'd believe it was a joke but... he was reciting it!'
Harry's head shot up as he came to a realization. 'Solis got a letter too!'
Putting the last dish in the drying rack Harry checked the time. Dudley mentioned going to the museum before leaving, so they wont be back for a few hours. He dries off his hands before walking down the hall and heads up the stairs. Harry hesitates before knocking on the door to Solis' bedroom.
There is a slightly muffled, "Come in."
Harry enters, closing the door behind him. Solis is laying on the bed with closed book on his chest, it looks used and damaged but taken care of. Solis stares at Harry with a blank face as the brunette shuffles his feet and wrings his hands. He's nervous, but his eyes show determination.
"What do want, Harry?"
"Uh, the letter. What you said. You got one too, didn't you?"
The silver eyed boy sits up slowly and peers into the blue eyes of the boy in front of him. Harry's determination is obvious; he wont stop asking, or looking, till he gets his answer. But Solis isn't going to make it easy. They both want to leave and not look back but, there is always a price for freedom.
"Possibly, why?"
"Can I see it?"
Solis gave a slight look of contemplation before answering. "No."
"W-what, why? I'll give it back." Harry was dumbfounded.
The black haired boy turned to look out the window, his hands clutching to the book in his lap. The same book that contains his letter and only photo. He had thought about showing Harry his letter. He had even fantasized of them running away in the middle of the night to become wizards. The more he thought about it, the more crazy it sounds.
"Because, Harry. They've sent you letter after letter, owls have covered our lawn. They are trying to reach you, to get you out of here, and when you don't read the letters they sent, they'll probably send someone to hand deliver it to you and make sure you read it." Solis sighed and looked at the boy with rheumy eyes. "Hogwarts seems to want you there. You don't need to worry about it."
Taking the dismissal, Harry quietly left the room and went back down stairs. When he reached the bottom, he glanced over his shoulder solemnly to the room he just left, before returning to the kitchen to finish cleaning.
'Solis had tears in his eyes. I've never seen him cry before.'
Up in his room, laying on his bed, Solis stared at the picture of his father and him. His eyes glistening with unshed tears.
Solis thought he took after his mother when it came to looks; his thick black shoulder-length hair that was just wavy enough to not be straight, his olive skin that looks pale and tan at the same time. The only thing he had in common with his father were their eyes; both having grey iris', though Solis' are more 'steel silver' then 'moon dust' grey. But he doesn't know what his mother looks like, so it is hard to make the comparisons.
Some nights he dreams of being with his father and mother. Of them living together and being happy to have one another in an arms reach. But... then Solis wakes up, the dream of his happy family ends. And reality begins.
The next day Vernon snapped. Everyone was in the living/dinning room having just finished a late breakfast. Harry passing around a plate of cookies. Vernon spent the time tense muttering 'No mail today' every now and then and his eyes kept darting to the windows and doors. Then a letter came. It came out of the fire place and slid across the floor, stopping at Vernon's feet. Taunting him.
Again, he ripped it up.
But then more came falling out of the chimney, flying through the mail slot, and pouring from an open window. Solis stayed in his seat to watch the chaos unfold. Dudley and Petunia were huddled together in a corner, frightened. Harry's jumping around in glee and when he finally gets hold of a letter, he runs towards his room with Vernon chasing him. Vernon gets a hold of him before Harry can open it though. Unopened letters cover them and the floor, more are still flying in.
"That is it! We are moving far away! Were they'll never find us!"
"Daddy's gone mad hasn't he?!"
Solis was still in his seat, a satisfied grin on his face and a cookie in his mouth.
That evening everyone had packed up their important things and took a drive to the docks, where they then took a small boat to a rock. That had a cabin built on it. It was nightfall by the time they arrived, nearing midnight, so they went to bed when they got settled inside. Vernon and Petunia taking the only mattress in the loft, Dudley on the livingroom couch, and Harry and Solis on the floor by a dusty cobwebbed fireplace.
Harry's drawing a birthday cake in the sand on the floor while Solis lays on his back staring at the ceiling; the storm outside keeping him awake. Harry finishes the drawing just as Dudley's watch beeps, signaling 12 A.M. Solis give Harry a small smile. "Happy Birthday, Harry. Make a wish, nothing worse could happen."
The front door falls down waking the Dursleys up and getting Solis and Harry's attention. The storm seems to be louder as a giant man walks into the hut.
"Sorry 'bout that."
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