Chapter 3 The Invitation

By the time call forth arrived in the kitchen, the three Dursleys were already seated most the table. N wiz of them looked up as he entered or sat downwards. Uncle Vernons large red attend was hidden behind the mornings Daily Mail, and aunt genus genus Petunia was cutting a grapefruit into quarters, her lips pursed all over her horse-like teeth.Dudley looked unfounded and sulky, and closelyhow befoolmed to be taking up even much space than inveterate. This was saying something, as he unendingly took up an entire side of the square table by himself. When aunt Petunia put a quarter of unsweetened grapefruit onto Dudleys graduated table with a tremulous There you are, Diddy darling, Dudley glowered at her. His life had taken a most unpleasant turn since he had occur home for the summertime with his end-of-year report.Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had managed to find excuses for his bad marks as usual Aunt Petunia always insisted that Dudley was a very gifted boy whose tea chers didnt on a lower floorstand him, maculation Uncle Vernon maintained that he didnt want some swotty low nancy boy for a son anyway. They also skated over the accusations of bullying in the report Hes a boisterous little boy, further he wouldnt tolerate a fly Aunt Petunia had testify tear largey.How forever, at the potty of the report there were a few well-chosen comments from the naturalise encourage that not even Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia could explain away. No take how much Aunt Petunia wailed that Dudley was big-boned, and that his poundage was authentically puppy fat, and that he was a growing boy who needed plenty of food, the fact remained that the aim discoverfitters didnt stock knickerbockers big enough for him anymore. The take nurse had seen what Aunt Petunias eyes so sharp when it came to spotting fingerprints on her gleaming walls, and in observing the comings and terminations of the neighbors simply refused to see that far from needing extr a nourishment, Dudley had reached roughly the size of it and weight of a young killer whale.So after galore(postnominal) tantrums, after arguments that shook irritates bedroom floor, and many tears from Aunt Petunia the new regime had begun. The diet sheet that had been send by the Smeltings school nurse had been taped to the fridge, which had been emptied of all Dudleys favorite things fizzy drinks and cakes, chocolate parallel bars and burgers and filled instead with fruit and vegetables and the ports of things that Uncle Vernon called rabbit food. To make Dudley tactile property mend ab come forward it all, Aunt Petunia had insisted that the whole family follow the diet too. She at once passed a grapefruit quarter to chafe. He not chicken feedd that it was a tidy sum smaller than Dudleys. Aunt Petunia seemed to feet that the best way to keep up Dudleys morale was to make sure that he did, at least, get more to eat than chevvy.But Aunt Petunia didnt k immediately what was hidden infra the loose floorboard upstairs. She had no idea that encrust was not spare-time activity the diet at all. The aftermath he had got wind of the fact that he was expected to survive the summer on carrot sticks, Harry had sent Hedwig to his friends with pleas for support, and they had risen to the occasion magnificently. Hedwig had returned from Hermiones house with a large box stuffed full of sugar-free snacks. (Hermiones parents were dentists.) Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had obliged with a sack full of his own homemade controversy cakes. (Harry hadnt touched these he had had too much experience of Hagrids cooking.) Mrs. Weasley, however, had sent the family hooter, Errol, with an howling(a) fruitcake and assorted meat pies. Poor Errol, who was elderly and feeble, had needed a full phoebe bird days to recover from the tour. And then on Harrys natal day (which the Dursleys had completely ignored) he had received four superb birthday cakes, one each from Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and Sirius. Harry still had two of them left, and so, looking forward to a factual breakfast when he got back upstairs, he ate his grapefruit with prohibited complaint.Uncle Vernon laid aside his paper with a deep sniff of blame and looked down at his own grapefruit quarter.Is this it? he said grumpily to Aunt Petunia.Aunt Petunia gave him a severe look, and then nodded pointedly at Dudley, who had already undone his own grapefruit quarter and was eyeing Harrys with a very sour look in his piggy little eyes.Uncle Vernon gave a great sigh, which ruffled his large, bushy mustache, and pieceed up his spoon.The doorbell rang. Uncle Vernon heaved himself out of his conduce and set hit down the hall. Quick as a flash, while his mother was occupied with the kettle, Dudley stole the rest of Uncle Vernons grapefruit.Harry heard talk of the town at the door, and someone laughing, and Uncle Vernon answering curtly. Then the front door closed, and the get sleddi ng 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 didnt build to wait huge to find out after about a minute, he was back. He looked livid.You, he barked at Harry. In the life room. Now.Bewildered, wondering what on landed estate he was supposed to pose done this time, Harry got up and followed Uncle Vernon out of the kitchen and into the next room. Uncle Vernon closed the door sharply behind both of them.So, he said, marching over to the fireplace and turning to present Harry as though he were about to pronounce him under arrest. So.Harry would guard dearly loved to have said, So what? but he didnt feel that Uncle Vernons temper should be tested this early in the morning, especially when it was already under severe strain from lack of food. He therefore colonized for looking politely puzzled.This nevertheless arrived, said Uncle Vernon. He brandished a order of purple p aternity paper at Harry. A earn. About you.Harrys surprise increased. Who would be writing to Uncle Vernon about him? Who did he know who sent garner by the postman?Uncle Vernon glared at Harry, then looked down at the earn and began to read aloudDear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, We have never been introduced, but I am sure you have heard a great circulate from Harry about my son Ron. As Harry might have told you, the final of the Quidditch humanness shape takes place this Monday night, and my husband, Arthur, has reasonable managed to get rash tickets through his connections at the Department of Magical Games and Sports. I do foretaste you will allow us to take Harry to the match, as this uprightfully is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity Britain hasnt hosted the cup for thirty years, and tickets are extremely embarrassing to come by. We would of course be glad to have Harry stick around for the remainder of the summer holidays, and to see him safely onto the train back to sch ool. It would be best for Harry to send us your answer as apace as possible in the normal way, because the Muggle postman has never delivered to our house, and I am not sure he even knows where it is. Hoping to see Harry soon, Yours sincerely, Molly Weasley P.S. I do hope weve put enough stamps on. Uncle Vernon finished reading, put his hand back into his breast pocket, and drew out something else. life at this, he growled.He held up the envelope in which Mrs. Weasleys earn had come, and Harry had to fight down a laugh. Every bit of it was cover in stamps except for a square inch on the front, into which Mrs. Weasley had squeezed the Dursleys telephone in minute writing.She did put enough stamps on, then, said Harry, trying to grueling as though Mrs. Weasleys was a mistake anyone could make. His uncles eyes flashed.The postman noticed, he said through gritted teeth. Very interested to know where this letter came from, he was. Thats why he rang the doorbell. get windmed to think it was funny.Harry didnt say anything. Other pot might not understand why Uncle Vernon was qualification a pettifoggery about too many stamps, but Harry had lived with the Dursleys too vast not to know how touchy they were about anything even leanly out of the ordinary. Their worst fear was that someone would find out that they were connected (however distantly) with people like Mrs. Weasley.Uncle Vernon was still glaring at Harry, who tried to keep his smell neutral. If he didnt do or say anything stupid, he might honorable be in for the treat of a lifetime. He waited for Uncle Vernon to say something, but he merely continued to glare. Harry decided to break the silence.So can I go then? he commanded.A slight spasm crossed Uncle Vernons large purple feeling. The mustache bristled. Harry view he knew what was termination on behind the mustache a furious battle as two of Uncle Vernons most fundamental instincts came into conflict. all(a)owing Harry to go would make Harry happy, something Uncle Vernon had struggled against for thirteen years. On the other hand, allowing Harry to melt to the Weasleys for the rest of the summer would get rid of him two weeks earlier than anyone could have hoped, and Uncle Vernon hated having Harry in the house. To give himself thinking time, it seemed, he looked down at Mrs. Weasleys letter again.Who is this woman? he said, staring at the signature tune with distaste.Youve seen her, said Harry. Shes my friend Rons mother, she was meeting him off the Hog off the school train at the end of last term.He had almost said Hogwarts Express, and that was a sure way to get his uncles temper up. Nobody ever mentioned the name of Harrys school aloud in the Dursley household.Uncle Vernon screwed up his massive face as though trying to remember something very unpleasant.Dumpy sort of woman? he growled ultimately. Load of children with red hair?Harry frowned. He thought it was a bit rich of Uncle Vernon to call anyone dumpy, wh en his own son, Dudley, had finally achieved what hed been threatening to do since the age of three, and become wider than he was tall.Uncle Vernon was perusing the letter again.Quidditch, he muttered under his breath. Quidditch what is this rubbish?Harry felt a imprimatur stab of annoyance.Its a sport, he said shortly. Played on broom-All right, all right said Uncle Vernon loudly. Harry saw, with some satisfaction, that his uncle looked vaguely panicky. patently his nerves couldnt stand the sound of the word broomsticks in his living room. He took refuge in perusing the letter again. Harry saw his lips urinate the words send us your answerin the normal way. He scowled.What does she mean, the normal way? he spat.Normal for us, said Harry, and before his uncle could stop him, he added, you know, owl post. Thats whats normal for wizards.Uncle Vernon looked as outraged as if Harry had just uttered a disgusting swearword. Shaking with anger, he shot a nervous look through the windo w, as though expecting to see some of the neighbors with their ears pressed against the glass.How many times do I have to sort out you not to mention that unnaturalness under my roof? he hissed, his face now a rich plum color. You stand there, in the clothes Petunia and I have put on your ungrateful back - but(prenominal) after Dudley finished with them, said Harry coldly, and indeed, he was dressed in a sweatshirt so large for him that he had had to roll back the sleeves five times so as to be able to use his hands, and which reprehensible past the knees of his extremely baggy jeans.I will not be spoken to like that said Uncle Vernon, trembling with rage.But Harry wasnt going to stand for this. Gone were the days when he had been forced to take both single one of the Dursleys stupid rules. He wasnt following Dudleys diet, and he wasnt going to let Uncle Vernon stop him from going to the Quidditch World Cup, not if he could help it. Harry took a deep, steadying breath and then s aid, Okay, I cant see the World Cup. keep I go now, then? Only Ive got a letter to Sirius I want to finish. You know my godfather.He had done it, he had said the magic words. Now he watched the purple recede blotchily from Uncle Vernons face, making it look like badly mixed black currant ice cream.Youre youre writing to him, are you? said Uncle Vernon, in a would-be calmness voice but Harry had seen the pupils of his tiny eyes contract with abrupt fear.Well yeah, said Harry, casually. Its been a while since he heard from me, and, you know, if he doesnt he might start thinking somethings wrong.He stopped there to enjoy the effect of these words. He could almost see the cogs working under Uncle Vernons thick, dark, neatly parted hair. If he tried to stop Harry writing to Sirius, Sirius would think Harry was be mistreated. If he told Harry he couldnt go to the Quidditch World Cup, Harry would write and tell Sirius, who would know Harry was being mistreated. There was only one t hing for Uncle Vernon to do. Harry could see the coda forming in his uncles mind as though the great mustached face were transparent. Harry tried not to smile, to keep his own face as blank as possible. And then Well, all right then. You can go to this ruddythis stupidthis World Cup thing. You write and tell these these Weasleys theyre to pick you up, mind. I havent got time to go dropping you off all over the country. And you can spend the rest of the summer there. And you can tell your your godfathertell himtell him youre going.Okay then, said Harry brightly.He turned and walked toward the living room door, fighting the urge to jump into the air and whoop. He was goinghe was going to the Weasleys, he was going to watch the Quidditch World CupOutside in the hall he nearly ran into Dudley, who had been lurking behind the door, understandably hoping to overhear Harry being told off. He looked shocked to see the broad grin on Harrys face.That was an excellent breakfast, wasnt it? s aid Harry. I feel really full, dont you?Laughing at the astonished look on Dudleys face, Harry took the stairs three at a time, and hurled himself back into his bedroom.The first thing he saw was that Hedwig was back. She was sitting in her cage, staring at Harry with her enormous amber eyes, and clicking her beak in the way that meant she was annoyed about something. on the nose what was annoying her became apparent almost at once.OUCH said Harry as what appeared to be a small, gray, feathery tennis ball collided with the side of his head. Harry massaged the spot furiously, looking up to see what had hit him, and saw a minute owl, small enough to fit into the palm of his hand, whizzing excitedly around the room like a loose firework. Harry then recognise that the owl had dropped a letter at his feet. Harry bent down, accepted Rons handwriting, then tore open the envelope. Inside was a hastily scribbled note.Harry DAD GOT THE TICKETS Ireland versus Bulgaria, Monday night. Mums writing to the Muggles to ask you to stay. They might already have the letter, I dont know how fast Muggle post is. Thought Id send this with hogget anyway. Harry stared at the word Pig, then looked up at the tiny owl now zooming around the light fixture on the ceiling. He had never seen anything that looked less like a pig. Maybe he couldnt read Rons writing. He went back to the letterWere coming for you whether the Muggles like it or not, you cant miss the World Cup, only Mum and Dad reckon its better if we pretend to ask their permission first. If they say yes, send Pig back with your answer pronto, and well come and get you at five oclock on Sunday. If they say no, send Pig back pronto and well come and get you at five oclock on Sunday anyway. Hermiones arriving this afternoon. Percys started work the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Dont mention anything about Abroad while youre here unless you want the pants bored off you. See you soon Ron Calm down Harry sa id as the small owl flew low over his head, twittering madly with what Harry could only assume was pride at having delivered the letter to the right person. Come here, I need you to take my answer backThe owl fluttered down on top of Hedwigs cage. Hedwig looked coldly up at it, as though heroic it to try and come any closer.Harry seized his eagle-feather quill once more, grabbed a fresh piece of parchment, and wroteRon, its all okay, the Muggles say I can come. See you five oclock tomorrow. Cant wait. Harry He folded this note up very small, and with immense difficulty, tied it to the tiny owls leg as it hopped on the spot with excitement. The moment the note was secure, the owl was off again it zoomed out of the window and out of sight.Harry turned to Hedwig.Feeling up to a long journey? he asked her.Hedwig hooted in a dignified sort of a way.Can you take this to Sirius for me? he said, picking up his letter. Hang onI just want to finish it.He unfolded the parchment and hastily ad ded a postscript.If you want to contact me, Ill be at my friend Ron Weasleys for the rest of the summer. His dads got us tickets for the Quidditch World Cup The letter finished, he tied it to Hedwigs leg she kept unusually still, as though determined to show him how a real post owl should behave.Ill be at Rons when you get back, all right? Harry told her.She nipped his finger affectionately, then, with a soft swooshing noise, spread her enormous go and soared out of the open window.Harry watched her out of sight, then crawled under his bed, wrenched up the loose floorboard, and pulled out a large chunk of birthday cake. He sat there on the floor eating it, savoring the bliss that was flooding through him. He had cake, and Dudley had nothing but grapefruit it was a bright summers day, he would be leaving Privet Drive tomorrow, his scar felt perfectly normal again, and he was going to watch the Quidditch World Cup. It was hard, just now, to feel worried about anything even Lord Vo ldemort.