the new arrival
Chapter 1 - The new arrival
June 2nd 1983 harry is 3 years old (almost 4 years old)
Harry woke up to yelling. Assuming he was being yelled at for waking up late and not making breakfast for Aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon and Dudley, still in his sleep haze he fumbled around for his glasses, sliding them up the bridge of his nose. He reached for the light switch, the bulb flickered on overhead, he pulled on some of Dudley's hand me downs because a freak like him doesn't deserve new clothes. For young three year old Harry this was just another normal day, he tried to ignore his stomach growling for food as he hadn't eaten in 5 days as he hadn't been allowed out of his cupboard except for chores and making the families meals. He hoped he would be allowed some food today. He chastised himself, he'd learnt a long time ago it does no use to hope because then you only get disappointed, he used to hope that some mysterious relative would come and save him.
Harry's pov
Not yelling, screaming.
Screaming coming from Aunt Petunia. She was lying on the living room floor legs open screaming in pain whilst Uncle Vernon was kneeling in front of her. My mouth dropped open in shock as I stumbled into the living room, Uncle Vernon's head snapped up to mine and looked me dead in the eye, my green eyes suddenly finding the carpet increasingly interesting.
"What do you think you're doing in here you nasty little freak" Uncle Vernon yelled at me. "gEt OUT! and don't burn breakfast"
"y-yes si-ir" I replied, trying to keep my voice steady.
I walked into the kitchen and pulled out the bacon and eggs and a spatula. I went and got the frying pan and dragged my stool over to the hob, so I could reach it. I started frying the bacon when I heard Dudley thundering down the stairs and he came and sat in his usual seat. "huwwy up fweak i’m hungy" said dudley in a whiny voice. Everything was almost finished so i dragged the stool over to the cupboards where they kept the plates and got out three and put them on the side. the bacon was sizzling and I tried to get there in time but it was burning, hopefully they wouldn't notice. I plated up there food and placed it on the table and got out the cutlery. I called out breakfast ready. I could hear vernon panting probably from getting up off the floor he and Aunt Petunia came in sweat gracing their foreheads. Petunia sat in a chair and started eating.
"you've burnt the bacon boy!" Uncle Vernon snarled in my face. A large fist came flying at me before I had time to react, knocking me backwards onto the floor. I kept all my tears in. Crying shows weakness and will only make it worse. "Get up boy." I obeyed.
"I know duddikins it is a bit burnt" Aunt Petunia sent a hard glare my way "but the freaks incompetence is showing again"
"okay mummy, stupid fweak" Dudley said
"here's your chores for the day" uncle said
scribbled on a scrap piece of paper it said
weed the garden
water the roses
wash stains out of living room carpet
hoover the whole house
clean the kitchen
make dinner and clean up after
clean both Dudley’s bedrooms
dust the whole house
I started with the living room. I grabbed a cloth, a bucket of water and some stain removal. What stains could have shown up over night.
when I went in there there was a red stain the middle of the floor, getting down on my hands and knees I started to furiously scrub at the stain, after an hour it was finally gone, I looked around the room there were no other stains so I went back to the kitchen to rinse out the rag and empty the bucket of water, uncle said not to waste the water and to wash myself with it in the garden later so I put it to one side. Uncle left for work and Aunt Petunia left with Dudley for a play group.
"you better be done with all this work by the time i get back or there will be consequences"
I cleared up all the plates, washed,dried and away. I went out into the garden and started weeding, this task was always my favourite as it was silent, I watered the roses with the water from the bucket and turned on the hose to wash myself with the clean water I then waited in the sun to dry it was rarely this sunny out but it was summer so. Once I was dry I went and cleaned Dudley's rooms as he would be back soon from the play group, I tidied dusted and hoovered and was done just as I was heading downstairs the door clicked open and Aunt Petunia came in holding a giggling Dudley. She went straight upstairs with the order to bring a cup of tea to her room. I put the kettle on and hoovered the whole downstairs whilst I was down there. I noticed a small bundle moving around on the sofa. I went and looked and it was a teeny little baby. Maybe that's what was happening this morning, maybe I have another cousin, but I can't ask questions. I brought Aunt Petunia her tea, burning my hands a bit as it sloshed around the cup. I was just finishing dusting when the front door slammed open with a red faced Uncle Vernon standing in the doorway. when he noticed me he somehow went even redder.
"you're not finished you nasty freak" uncle ground out. "i a-most done i jus haf to f'nish dustink dese pichures, evefing else is done" i stuttered out.
"How dare you talk back to me you whelp, go make dinner then you can be punished" uncle roared in my face.
"y-yes sir-r, w-what w-would you l-l-like" i tried to keep my stutter under control, i failed. I'm a failure. I can't even talk right.
"make bangers and mash and don't eat any of it and no peas" uncle ordered "well GO!"
I stumbled into the kitchen and got the potatoes, butter, oil and sausages out. I also get a knife, a peeler, a masher, a chopping board, a pot and a tray out. I started to peel and chop the potatoes and boil the kettle, the potatoes were boiling in the pan. The sausages were in the oven so I turned down the hob and emptied out the water then put a massive clump of butter in and started to mash them, it was very difficult as I'm still little, the timer for the sausages went off just as i finished with the mash. sweat dripping down my face. I plated up the food and called out that dinner's ready.
"Go to your cupboard i'll deal with you when we are finished eating" I walked to my cupboard and in order to not fall asleep i recited the rules.
Rule 1: i am a freak and my aunt and uncle took me in out of the kindness in their hearts
Rule 2: there is no such thing as magic
Rule 3: don't ask questions
Rule 4: don't talk back
Rule 5: don't complain
Rule 6: don't leave my cupboard unless told to
Rule 7: don't touch any of Dudley's things
Rule 8: don't be ungrateful
Rule 9: don't ask for food or clothes, you are taking food out of our mouths and clothes off our backs
Rule 10: don't waste water, you can use the cleaning water to wash and drink
Rule 11: don't watch the television
Rule 12: don't say no
Rule 13: only call us sir and ma'am
Rule 14: no crying
Rule 15: i am not allowed to be curious
Rule 16: don't look people in eye its rude
there was a bang on the cupboard door. my eyes snapped open and I cautiously opened the door. Uncle stood there, towering over me.
He started to unbuckle his belt and gave me three lacerations one on my shoulder, stomach and back. He clipped the back of my head and I think my nose is bleeding. I walked back to my cupboard and fell asleep.