Reality Check
~* This is my idea of a story if Harry Potter hadn't gone to Hogwarts. If his letters had stopped. If Hagrid hadn't come to rescue him from the Dursleys, and what if Harry Potter had a friend? This is Harry Potter's "Normal Life" - as normal as it gets when you're a boy with a destiny. *~
Chapter 1 ~ The First Letter
Caprice Jenkins was a nine year old girl, who had long, extremely straight, light brown hair, light blue eyes, and glasses. She was very skinny, and short. Her nose was small, and slightly turned up at the tip. Her skin was pale and spotless, and she was an all round nice girl.
Caprice had a real best friend, you know, one of those rare "always around, lovable, fun, loves you no matter what, best friend" friends. His name was Harry Potter. He was skinny, slightly taller than Caprice, with untameable jet black hair and green eyes. Harry also had glasses. Harry had a cousin, who was the same age as Caprice and Harry. His name was Dudley Dursley. Harry had gone to live with the Dursleys when his parents died in a car crash when Harry was just a baby.
Dudley ensured that Harry and Caprice had no friends but themselves. Harry's large bellied cousin was the leader of a tough gang, and anyone who defied that gang was badly beaten at lunch time. Dudley and his gang couldn't really bash a girl for hanging around Harry, so they made Caprice an outcast too.
Caprice had never been to Harry's Aunt and Uncle's house, and she didn't want to, but Harry was at her house all the time. He said that Vernon and Petunia didn't care where he was as long as he wasn't in their sight. Caprice thought this was very sad.
It was the beginning of Harry and Caprice's last term in their fourth and final year at Primary School, and Caprice supposed that this term would be very much alike to the previous terms: being bullied and isolated by Dudley and his gang. The teachers had never done anything before, Caprice strongly suspected they were also scared of Dudley and his gang, and the pair of friends had absolutely no reason to believe that this term would be any different.
Caprice was waiting in her normal spot sitting on the large, stone steps leading up to Princewald Elementary, waiting for Harry to arrive with the Dursleys. She didn't like waiting by herself for Harry in the morning, because she was tormented for her glasses, and no one ever came and stuck up for her. Caprice was only thankful that she had Harry, and didn't know what she'd so without him.
So there she sat, on the second stair from the top, awaiting for Harry's arrival. She knew he'd always he at school, without fail, because the Dursleys would never let him stay home in fear that he'd damage their house somehow. Caprice couldn't see how a small boy such as Harry would be able to do anything to damage a house, or things in it. He just wasn't that sort of person. Caprice was the only person who really knew Harry. She knew that he was kind, courageous, and fun to be around. It saddened her that no one else saw Harry the way she did.
Caprice watched the cars come and go, dropping off more students, who, in turn, taunted Caprice about her glasses, or that she had no friends. They liked to pretend that Harry didn't exist, and that she simply made him up. At last, the Dursley's car pulled up in front of Princewald Elementary. Dudley stepped out as elegantly as was possible for a boy of his size, while Harry was practically thrown out by Vernon Dursley. He fell onto the hard concrete, and jumped up before his beefy uncle could do anything else nasty to him.
Harry ran up the stone steps and grabbed Caprice by her arm.
'Come on Caprice, Dudley's in a beating up mood!' He said in a small voice, and Caprice ran into the large school, following Harry.
The two best friends ran through the first floor, up the stairs leading to the second floor, and into an empty, unused classroom which they had discovered the previous term. It had been locked, but somehow Harry had managed to unlock it, just by willing it to unlock, when they were being chased by Dudley and his gang.
Caprice particularly hated Piers Polkiss, as he was not worried about harming a girl. Piers would always give her noogies, and trip her over in the hall when possible. He also liked to push her into the walls, which were brick, and this would cause bruises to appear on her delicate skin.
Harry also hated Piers. He was a fast runner, and almost always caught up to Harry, and held him down while Dudley caught up, and beat him. Piers sometimes even dunked Harry's head in the toilet and flushed. This was particularly painful and embarrassing.
Harry and Caprice, panting and out of breath, sat down with their backs against the wall, and their legs straight against the cold floor.
'Hey Harry, look around.' Caprice said. She had noticed that some work had been done on their private classroom over the holidays. The walls had been cleaned up of their usual graffiti, there was a new blackboard, brand new desks, the old ones had all been broken and drawn over, the broken windows had been repaired, and so had the broken floorboards. There was a new teachers desk at the front of the classroom, and it looked as if the school was planning on using this classroom the upcoming term.
'Oh no!' Harry said, looking around at the improvements on the classroom, which clearly meant that himself and Caprice would no longer be able to hide in this classroom to escape Dudley and his gang.
'Don't worry Harry, it's only for one more term.' Caprice said softly. 'Next year we're off to Stonewall High, and we'll be able to start a fresh. New people, and no Dudley.' She smiled, and punched Harry on the arm playfully.
'I thought you were going to St. Margaret's All Girls Boarding School next year?' Harry asked, surprised. Caprice blinked her large, blue eyes behind her small glasses a few times.
'Did you really think that I'd let you go to Stonewall High all by yourself with no one to keep you company? I'm just glad that the Dursleys aren't sending you to Smeltings.' Caprice said. 'That's an all boys school, and I wouldn't have been able to go with you there.' Harry smiled, he didn't want to go to Smeltings anyway, their uniform was terrible!
'You might have had to dress up like a boy!' Harry said, and jumped up before Caprice had time to hit him. She chased him around the room, until Harry knocked over a china vase, and it smashed. The two friends froze, and stared, wide eyed, at the broken vase lying on the floor. Caprice gulped.
'Oops.' She said meekly, in a tiny voice. Harry grabbed her by the arm and led her out of the classroom.
'Let's get out of here Caprice! We can't hide out in here anymore, they'll know it was us who broke the vase if we come back.' Harry said, in almost a brotherly way, and the two stepped outside the classroom
This is as good as it gets, Harry thought, and sighed. His life had been complete misery up until the day he had met Caprice. As they were walking throughout the second floor, Harry remembered the glorious day he had met his best friend.
It had been a Wednesday afternoon, the previous year, quite near to the start of the year actually. Wednesday afternoon at Princewald Elementary always meant sport, and to Harry, it always meant being chosen last for the teams, or not chosen at all.
That particular afternoon, Harry's grade were playing soccer, and the captains of the two teams were none other than Dudley and Piers. Seeing as the teams were mixed, all the boys were chosen first, except for Harry. He was left standing around with the girls, while Dudley and Piers argued over who got which girl. They were all duds in Dudley and Piers's opinions.
After most of the girls had finally been chosen, there were two people left over. One was Harry, and the other was Caprice. She had not been picked because of her small, scrawny physic, and glasses. Caprice had looked at Harry warmly, and she had actually smiled at him. The first person ever at the school to smile at Harry, or even acknowledge his existence. He remembered looking over his shoulder, and when he saw no one there, he smiled and waved at Caprice.
Harry remembered what Dudley had said at that very moment:
'Harry's got a girlfriend!' He had taunted, pointing and laughing at Harry. At that stage of their lives, boys didn't like going near girls, and the very thought of having a girlfriend was frowned apon in the playground. Everyone around them had pointed and laughed. Harry had felt himself go red, and he noticed that Caprice had gone the same shade of red.
Both of them had turned and ran at the exact same moment, heading in the exact same direction as each other. Neither of them had known that the other was going to run, and had both admitted to being embarrassed.
After that, they had been the best of friends, inseparable. Both social outcasts, frowned apon by the entire school for being friends. At that age boys and girls simply weren't allowed to be friends. It was a well known rule. But Harry and Caprice didn't care about what other people thought of them. If they were going to be social outcasts, they might as well be social outcasts together.
Caprice snapped Harry out of his thoughts at that moment.
'Harry, would you mind terribly if I came to your Aunt and Uncle's house this afternoon for a while? I mean, I haven't been there ever, and it would be nice if I visited.' Caprice said.
'Visited what? My Cupboard under the stairs? I don't even think it's properly mine, I think Vernon still claims it as his.' Harry grumbled, slightly embarrassed over his living situation.
'Oh come on Harry, don't be a sour lemon.' Caprice pouted, and she stopped in her tracks, folding her arms across her chest refusing to budge until Harry gave her a decent answer.
'I'm not being a sour lemon, Cap, but I really don't think that Vernon and Petunia would allow you in their house.' Harry said, trying to comfort his best friend.
'So? I'll just say I'm a friend of Dudley.' She shuddered slightly at the thought of being friends with a monstrous boy such as Dudley.
'You would do that for me?' Harry asked, staring at his best friend in awe. He wondered why she desperately wanted to spend time at his Aunt and Uncle's house. All Harry had was a dirty cupboard under the stairs, which wasn't much to be proud of, mind you.
'Of corse I would do that for you Harry. I would do almost anything for you silly!' Caprice said playfully.
'I bet you wouldn't.' Harry said stubbornly.
'Oh yeah? What would you bet?' Caprice said, rising to the challenge.
'Ten pence.' Harry said smugly. Caprice's eyes widened.
'You're on buster!' She said daringly, and shook his outstretched hand.
'Okay, I bet you wouldn't kiss Dudley to get me out of being beaten up.' Harry said, thinking he had his best friend up against a wall, and she'd never agree to something as disgusting as to kiss that fat whale of a cousin he had. Caprice's mouth dropped open and her eyes bulged, however, she was smart, and quickly gathered herself.
'You're on.' She said proudly, wincing inside. Harry burst out laughing. 'What's so funny?' Caprice asked, and then added under her breath, 'Apart from the obvious.'
'You're going to give Dudley COOTIES!' Harry continued to laugh really hard, so hard that he clutched his sides to stop them from hurting too badly. Caprice stuck her nose in the air.
'I do not have cooties!' She said.
'Yes you do!' Harry laughed some more. 'There's one right there! Crawling on your nose.' He said, and tweaked Caprice's nose, before sprinting down the hall.
'You get back here Harry James Potter!' Caprice screeched down the hall after him, but she need not have wasted her voice, because at that moment, Harry came running back down the hall, closely followed by Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon, all of whom could run without breaking much of a sweat. Harry ran up to Caprice, and hid behind her, whispering,
'Remember what you just said.' Caprice got very worried. She shook slightly as Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon stopped in front of her. Caprice looked nervously over her shoulder, hoping that a teacher would come along, but no such luck. The four large boys just stood there, looking at Caprice.
A few minutes later, Caprice and Harry saw what the four boys were waiting for. Dudley came trumping around the corner. As he ran, well, put one foot in front of the other at a faster speed than usual, his large belly jumped up and down. Caprice began to shake badly at the mere thought of going anywhere near Dudley, let alone kissing him.
'Oh, Caprice, don't worry about kissing Dudley, that was just a joke! Come on, let's get out of here!' Harry said, tugging on Caprice's shirt. She nodded slightly, so that Dudley's four buddies wouldn't see her.
Harry put one finger lightly on her back. Two fingers, and just as Dudley was about to get to them, three fingers. Harry and Caprice turned and bolted around the corner, and down the stairs.
~***~
That afternoon, Harry and Caprice decided to walk home together, as they did most afternoons. Vernon and Petunia had no objection to this whatsoever. Vernon had actually been quite happy to let Harry walk home. 'Won't damage the car.' He had chuckled.
'Well Harry, are we going back to your place?' Caprice asked carelessly. Harry stopped and looked at her.
'Are you joking? After today? No way!' He said, refusing to let her go to his Aunt and Uncle's house.
'So? Just because Dudley got a few punches to you, and shoved me up against a wall, doesn't mean I'm afraid of him. Besides, from what you've told me about your aunt and uncle, he wouldn't dare do anything while he's around them.' Caprice said, putting her hands on her hips.
'Oh fine. But if Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kick you out of their house, you mustn't blame me, okay?' Harry said eventually, giving in to his best friend's puppy dog eyes.
'Yay! Thanks Harry, you're the best!' Caprice said, and skipped happily along beside Harry as he walked towards his aunt and uncle's house.
'I wouldn't have thought you would be so pleased to see my aunt and uncle's house. It's so boring and plain, most of the time I have nothing to do.' Harry said dully. Caprice put on a pouty face, and did an over exaggerated impersonation of Harry being a sour lemon. She slouched her shoulders over and walked like a frog, making sure her head bobbed out like a fish. Harry couldn't prevent himself from laughing, which made Caprice laugh as well.
'I want to see your famous cupboard, Harry.' Caprice said. 'Maybe I can give it a "Woman's Touch".' She said "Woman's Touch" in such an elegant voice. While saying it, she put one hand over her heart and looked aimlessly into the sky. Harry laughed again. He loved the way Caprice was always able to make her laugh.
~***~
When Harry and Caprice reached the Dursleys house, they were greeted with quite an unpleasant surprise; Petunia Dursley's high pitched scream, and they hadn't even walked in the door yet! Harry turned the door knob as quietly as possible, and the two friends slipped inside.
All three Dursleys were in the kitchen, crowded around what appeared to be a letter, in Vernon's hands. Harry's uncle had gone purple in the face, his aunt was shaking, and biting her nails, while Dudley simply looked confused, as he did most days.
'You'd better wait here.' Harry whispered to Caprice. 'You don't know their temper.' Caprice obeyed Harry, and sat on the staircase, hoping to hear every word uttered in the kitchen.
Harry walked into the kitchen, and almost immediately, his aunt and uncle froze, and gave him shaky looks. Dudley looked back and forth from his parents, to Harry.
'Dudley Diddykins, you'd better head up to your room sweetie, we don't want you involved in this.' Petunia said, in a shaky, but still sickly sweet voice. Dudley screwed up his face and started pretending to sob wildly.
'But - But I want to stay in here!' He wailed, pretending to cry. Vernon got quite annoyed at this, he obviously wasn't in any mood for one of Dudley's frequent tantrums.
'Now son, up to your room like a good boy.' He said sternly, and wouldn't speak another word until his large son was out of the picture.
Harry looked just as puzzled as Dudley had, and he silently hoped Dudley hadn't come across Caprice on his was up to his bedroom. Although, Harry suspected that Dudley was right outside the door, listening in to the conversation which was about to break loose. Harry wondered what the letter was about, but he had a feeling it wasn't good. Perhaps it was from the school?
'You, boy.' Vernon said from beyond his bushy, prickly moustache. Harry didn't like his tone of voice one little bit. 'What school are you planning on attending next school year?' He said finally. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, but only a small one.
'Um, Stonewall High I guess.' Harry replied nervously, hoping that he had said what Vernon wanted to hear.
'Good. You remember that.' Vernon said, seeming satisfied. He shooed Harry away with a beefy hand.
'What was that letter all about?' Harry asked before leaving. He immediately wished he hadn't said anything, because Vernon's face went a nice shade of purple.
'That, boy, is none of your business. Now get out of my sight before you have a week in your cupboard with no meals.' Harry's beefy uncle said, looking very much like he was a kettle and about to boil over. Harry quickly left the kitchen.
As he'd expected, Dudley was waiting outside the door of the kitchen. He pushed past Harry rudely, and stepped into the kitchen. Harry spotted Caprice sitting on the bottom stair. He was amazed that Dudley didn't see her, sitting right in plain view, but then, Dudley was pretty stupid.
'What was that all about?' Caprice asked Harry as he came over to her. Harry sat down on the step that his best friend was sitting on, and looked at her.
'I really don't know. I think I might have had an invitation to a school or something?' Harry wondered out loud. Caprice smiled slyly.
'Maybe it was your acceptance letter from St. Margaret's All Girls Boarding School!' She said cheekily, and Harry swatted her on the arm with his hand. They both laughed, causing the three Dursleys to come rushing out of the kitchen.
'What are you doing here?' Dudley said, immediately pounding one fist into his other hand, as if threatening Caprice to get off his turf.
'Who the devil are you?' Vernon said, looking at Caprice.
'I am Harry's friend, Caprice.' Caprice said, introducing herself. Petunia looked down at her like she had a mud gloop on her face or something like that.
'Don't you bring riff raff like that into our house ever again, do you hear me boy?' Vernon yelled angrily at Harry. 'Get in your cupboard.' He barked, pointing to Harry's cupboard. Caprice looked at the Dursleys wide eyed as Harry slouched into his cupboard.
'You don't need an invitation to leave, do you? There's the door.' Petunia said nastily to Caprice, and pointed at the Dursley's front door. Without a second thought, Caprice was out the door quicker than a flash.
Dudley banged on Harry's cupboard door.
'If you ever bring that bitch here again I'll throw you off the top of the school.' Dudley said threateningly. Harry cowered in the corner of his cupboard. 'And you'll be the one to break her fall.' Dudley said, and walked up the stairs rather hardly, causing lots of dust to fall on top of Harry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
~* That's my attempt at chapter one. Don't worry, Harry does get some association with magical people. I have it all planned out, a hint: Dumbledore does come looking for Harry! What do you think? Do I have something going here? *~
~Gryffindor Gal~
~* This is my idea of a story if Harry Potter hadn't gone to Hogwarts. If his letters had stopped. If Hagrid hadn't come to rescue him from the Dursleys, and what if Harry Potter had a friend? This is Harry Potter's "Normal Life" - as normal as it gets when you're a boy with a destiny. *~
Chapter 1 ~ The First Letter
Caprice Jenkins was a nine year old girl, who had long, extremely straight, light brown hair, light blue eyes, and glasses. She was very skinny, and short. Her nose was small, and slightly turned up at the tip. Her skin was pale and spotless, and she was an all round nice girl.
Caprice had a real best friend, you know, one of those rare "always around, lovable, fun, loves you no matter what, best friend" friends. His name was Harry Potter. He was skinny, slightly taller than Caprice, with untameable jet black hair and green eyes. Harry also had glasses. Harry had a cousin, who was the same age as Caprice and Harry. His name was Dudley Dursley. Harry had gone to live with the Dursleys when his parents died in a car crash when Harry was just a baby.
Dudley ensured that Harry and Caprice had no friends but themselves. Harry's large bellied cousin was the leader of a tough gang, and anyone who defied that gang was badly beaten at lunch time. Dudley and his gang couldn't really bash a girl for hanging around Harry, so they made Caprice an outcast too.
Caprice had never been to Harry's Aunt and Uncle's house, and she didn't want to, but Harry was at her house all the time. He said that Vernon and Petunia didn't care where he was as long as he wasn't in their sight. Caprice thought this was very sad.
It was the beginning of Harry and Caprice's last term in their fourth and final year at Primary School, and Caprice supposed that this term would be very much alike to the previous terms: being bullied and isolated by Dudley and his gang. The teachers had never done anything before, Caprice strongly suspected they were also scared of Dudley and his gang, and the pair of friends had absolutely no reason to believe that this term would be any different.
Caprice was waiting in her normal spot sitting on the large, stone steps leading up to Princewald Elementary, waiting for Harry to arrive with the Dursleys. She didn't like waiting by herself for Harry in the morning, because she was tormented for her glasses, and no one ever came and stuck up for her. Caprice was only thankful that she had Harry, and didn't know what she'd so without him.
So there she sat, on the second stair from the top, awaiting for Harry's arrival. She knew he'd always he at school, without fail, because the Dursleys would never let him stay home in fear that he'd damage their house somehow. Caprice couldn't see how a small boy such as Harry would be able to do anything to damage a house, or things in it. He just wasn't that sort of person. Caprice was the only person who really knew Harry. She knew that he was kind, courageous, and fun to be around. It saddened her that no one else saw Harry the way she did.
Caprice watched the cars come and go, dropping off more students, who, in turn, taunted Caprice about her glasses, or that she had no friends. They liked to pretend that Harry didn't exist, and that she simply made him up. At last, the Dursley's car pulled up in front of Princewald Elementary. Dudley stepped out as elegantly as was possible for a boy of his size, while Harry was practically thrown out by Vernon Dursley. He fell onto the hard concrete, and jumped up before his beefy uncle could do anything else nasty to him.
Harry ran up the stone steps and grabbed Caprice by her arm.
'Come on Caprice, Dudley's in a beating up mood!' He said in a small voice, and Caprice ran into the large school, following Harry.
The two best friends ran through the first floor, up the stairs leading to the second floor, and into an empty, unused classroom which they had discovered the previous term. It had been locked, but somehow Harry had managed to unlock it, just by willing it to unlock, when they were being chased by Dudley and his gang.
Caprice particularly hated Piers Polkiss, as he was not worried about harming a girl. Piers would always give her noogies, and trip her over in the hall when possible. He also liked to push her into the walls, which were brick, and this would cause bruises to appear on her delicate skin.
Harry also hated Piers. He was a fast runner, and almost always caught up to Harry, and held him down while Dudley caught up, and beat him. Piers sometimes even dunked Harry's head in the toilet and flushed. This was particularly painful and embarrassing.
Harry and Caprice, panting and out of breath, sat down with their backs against the wall, and their legs straight against the cold floor.
'Hey Harry, look around.' Caprice said. She had noticed that some work had been done on their private classroom over the holidays. The walls had been cleaned up of their usual graffiti, there was a new blackboard, brand new desks, the old ones had all been broken and drawn over, the broken windows had been repaired, and so had the broken floorboards. There was a new teachers desk at the front of the classroom, and it looked as if the school was planning on using this classroom the upcoming term.
'Oh no!' Harry said, looking around at the improvements on the classroom, which clearly meant that himself and Caprice would no longer be able to hide in this classroom to escape Dudley and his gang.
'Don't worry Harry, it's only for one more term.' Caprice said softly. 'Next year we're off to Stonewall High, and we'll be able to start a fresh. New people, and no Dudley.' She smiled, and punched Harry on the arm playfully.
'I thought you were going to St. Margaret's All Girls Boarding School next year?' Harry asked, surprised. Caprice blinked her large, blue eyes behind her small glasses a few times.
'Did you really think that I'd let you go to Stonewall High all by yourself with no one to keep you company? I'm just glad that the Dursleys aren't sending you to Smeltings.' Caprice said. 'That's an all boys school, and I wouldn't have been able to go with you there.' Harry smiled, he didn't want to go to Smeltings anyway, their uniform was terrible!
'You might have had to dress up like a boy!' Harry said, and jumped up before Caprice had time to hit him. She chased him around the room, until Harry knocked over a china vase, and it smashed. The two friends froze, and stared, wide eyed, at the broken vase lying on the floor. Caprice gulped.
'Oops.' She said meekly, in a tiny voice. Harry grabbed her by the arm and led her out of the classroom.
'Let's get out of here Caprice! We can't hide out in here anymore, they'll know it was us who broke the vase if we come back.' Harry said, in almost a brotherly way, and the two stepped outside the classroom
This is as good as it gets, Harry thought, and sighed. His life had been complete misery up until the day he had met Caprice. As they were walking throughout the second floor, Harry remembered the glorious day he had met his best friend.
It had been a Wednesday afternoon, the previous year, quite near to the start of the year actually. Wednesday afternoon at Princewald Elementary always meant sport, and to Harry, it always meant being chosen last for the teams, or not chosen at all.
That particular afternoon, Harry's grade were playing soccer, and the captains of the two teams were none other than Dudley and Piers. Seeing as the teams were mixed, all the boys were chosen first, except for Harry. He was left standing around with the girls, while Dudley and Piers argued over who got which girl. They were all duds in Dudley and Piers's opinions.
After most of the girls had finally been chosen, there were two people left over. One was Harry, and the other was Caprice. She had not been picked because of her small, scrawny physic, and glasses. Caprice had looked at Harry warmly, and she had actually smiled at him. The first person ever at the school to smile at Harry, or even acknowledge his existence. He remembered looking over his shoulder, and when he saw no one there, he smiled and waved at Caprice.
Harry remembered what Dudley had said at that very moment:
'Harry's got a girlfriend!' He had taunted, pointing and laughing at Harry. At that stage of their lives, boys didn't like going near girls, and the very thought of having a girlfriend was frowned apon in the playground. Everyone around them had pointed and laughed. Harry had felt himself go red, and he noticed that Caprice had gone the same shade of red.
Both of them had turned and ran at the exact same moment, heading in the exact same direction as each other. Neither of them had known that the other was going to run, and had both admitted to being embarrassed.
After that, they had been the best of friends, inseparable. Both social outcasts, frowned apon by the entire school for being friends. At that age boys and girls simply weren't allowed to be friends. It was a well known rule. But Harry and Caprice didn't care about what other people thought of them. If they were going to be social outcasts, they might as well be social outcasts together.
Caprice snapped Harry out of his thoughts at that moment.
'Harry, would you mind terribly if I came to your Aunt and Uncle's house this afternoon for a while? I mean, I haven't been there ever, and it would be nice if I visited.' Caprice said.
'Visited what? My Cupboard under the stairs? I don't even think it's properly mine, I think Vernon still claims it as his.' Harry grumbled, slightly embarrassed over his living situation.
'Oh come on Harry, don't be a sour lemon.' Caprice pouted, and she stopped in her tracks, folding her arms across her chest refusing to budge until Harry gave her a decent answer.
'I'm not being a sour lemon, Cap, but I really don't think that Vernon and Petunia would allow you in their house.' Harry said, trying to comfort his best friend.
'So? I'll just say I'm a friend of Dudley.' She shuddered slightly at the thought of being friends with a monstrous boy such as Dudley.
'You would do that for me?' Harry asked, staring at his best friend in awe. He wondered why she desperately wanted to spend time at his Aunt and Uncle's house. All Harry had was a dirty cupboard under the stairs, which wasn't much to be proud of, mind you.
'Of corse I would do that for you Harry. I would do almost anything for you silly!' Caprice said playfully.
'I bet you wouldn't.' Harry said stubbornly.
'Oh yeah? What would you bet?' Caprice said, rising to the challenge.
'Ten pence.' Harry said smugly. Caprice's eyes widened.
'You're on buster!' She said daringly, and shook his outstretched hand.
'Okay, I bet you wouldn't kiss Dudley to get me out of being beaten up.' Harry said, thinking he had his best friend up against a wall, and she'd never agree to something as disgusting as to kiss that fat whale of a cousin he had. Caprice's mouth dropped open and her eyes bulged, however, she was smart, and quickly gathered herself.
'You're on.' She said proudly, wincing inside. Harry burst out laughing. 'What's so funny?' Caprice asked, and then added under her breath, 'Apart from the obvious.'
'You're going to give Dudley COOTIES!' Harry continued to laugh really hard, so hard that he clutched his sides to stop them from hurting too badly. Caprice stuck her nose in the air.
'I do not have cooties!' She said.
'Yes you do!' Harry laughed some more. 'There's one right there! Crawling on your nose.' He said, and tweaked Caprice's nose, before sprinting down the hall.
'You get back here Harry James Potter!' Caprice screeched down the hall after him, but she need not have wasted her voice, because at that moment, Harry came running back down the hall, closely followed by Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon, all of whom could run without breaking much of a sweat. Harry ran up to Caprice, and hid behind her, whispering,
'Remember what you just said.' Caprice got very worried. She shook slightly as Piers, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon stopped in front of her. Caprice looked nervously over her shoulder, hoping that a teacher would come along, but no such luck. The four large boys just stood there, looking at Caprice.
A few minutes later, Caprice and Harry saw what the four boys were waiting for. Dudley came trumping around the corner. As he ran, well, put one foot in front of the other at a faster speed than usual, his large belly jumped up and down. Caprice began to shake badly at the mere thought of going anywhere near Dudley, let alone kissing him.
'Oh, Caprice, don't worry about kissing Dudley, that was just a joke! Come on, let's get out of here!' Harry said, tugging on Caprice's shirt. She nodded slightly, so that Dudley's four buddies wouldn't see her.
Harry put one finger lightly on her back. Two fingers, and just as Dudley was about to get to them, three fingers. Harry and Caprice turned and bolted around the corner, and down the stairs.
~***~
That afternoon, Harry and Caprice decided to walk home together, as they did most afternoons. Vernon and Petunia had no objection to this whatsoever. Vernon had actually been quite happy to let Harry walk home. 'Won't damage the car.' He had chuckled.
'Well Harry, are we going back to your place?' Caprice asked carelessly. Harry stopped and looked at her.
'Are you joking? After today? No way!' He said, refusing to let her go to his Aunt and Uncle's house.
'So? Just because Dudley got a few punches to you, and shoved me up against a wall, doesn't mean I'm afraid of him. Besides, from what you've told me about your aunt and uncle, he wouldn't dare do anything while he's around them.' Caprice said, putting her hands on her hips.
'Oh fine. But if Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia kick you out of their house, you mustn't blame me, okay?' Harry said eventually, giving in to his best friend's puppy dog eyes.
'Yay! Thanks Harry, you're the best!' Caprice said, and skipped happily along beside Harry as he walked towards his aunt and uncle's house.
'I wouldn't have thought you would be so pleased to see my aunt and uncle's house. It's so boring and plain, most of the time I have nothing to do.' Harry said dully. Caprice put on a pouty face, and did an over exaggerated impersonation of Harry being a sour lemon. She slouched her shoulders over and walked like a frog, making sure her head bobbed out like a fish. Harry couldn't prevent himself from laughing, which made Caprice laugh as well.
'I want to see your famous cupboard, Harry.' Caprice said. 'Maybe I can give it a "Woman's Touch".' She said "Woman's Touch" in such an elegant voice. While saying it, she put one hand over her heart and looked aimlessly into the sky. Harry laughed again. He loved the way Caprice was always able to make her laugh.
~***~
When Harry and Caprice reached the Dursleys house, they were greeted with quite an unpleasant surprise; Petunia Dursley's high pitched scream, and they hadn't even walked in the door yet! Harry turned the door knob as quietly as possible, and the two friends slipped inside.
All three Dursleys were in the kitchen, crowded around what appeared to be a letter, in Vernon's hands. Harry's uncle had gone purple in the face, his aunt was shaking, and biting her nails, while Dudley simply looked confused, as he did most days.
'You'd better wait here.' Harry whispered to Caprice. 'You don't know their temper.' Caprice obeyed Harry, and sat on the staircase, hoping to hear every word uttered in the kitchen.
Harry walked into the kitchen, and almost immediately, his aunt and uncle froze, and gave him shaky looks. Dudley looked back and forth from his parents, to Harry.
'Dudley Diddykins, you'd better head up to your room sweetie, we don't want you involved in this.' Petunia said, in a shaky, but still sickly sweet voice. Dudley screwed up his face and started pretending to sob wildly.
'But - But I want to stay in here!' He wailed, pretending to cry. Vernon got quite annoyed at this, he obviously wasn't in any mood for one of Dudley's frequent tantrums.
'Now son, up to your room like a good boy.' He said sternly, and wouldn't speak another word until his large son was out of the picture.
Harry looked just as puzzled as Dudley had, and he silently hoped Dudley hadn't come across Caprice on his was up to his bedroom. Although, Harry suspected that Dudley was right outside the door, listening in to the conversation which was about to break loose. Harry wondered what the letter was about, but he had a feeling it wasn't good. Perhaps it was from the school?
'You, boy.' Vernon said from beyond his bushy, prickly moustache. Harry didn't like his tone of voice one little bit. 'What school are you planning on attending next school year?' He said finally. Harry breathed a sigh of relief, but only a small one.
'Um, Stonewall High I guess.' Harry replied nervously, hoping that he had said what Vernon wanted to hear.
'Good. You remember that.' Vernon said, seeming satisfied. He shooed Harry away with a beefy hand.
'What was that letter all about?' Harry asked before leaving. He immediately wished he hadn't said anything, because Vernon's face went a nice shade of purple.
'That, boy, is none of your business. Now get out of my sight before you have a week in your cupboard with no meals.' Harry's beefy uncle said, looking very much like he was a kettle and about to boil over. Harry quickly left the kitchen.
As he'd expected, Dudley was waiting outside the door of the kitchen. He pushed past Harry rudely, and stepped into the kitchen. Harry spotted Caprice sitting on the bottom stair. He was amazed that Dudley didn't see her, sitting right in plain view, but then, Dudley was pretty stupid.
'What was that all about?' Caprice asked Harry as he came over to her. Harry sat down on the step that his best friend was sitting on, and looked at her.
'I really don't know. I think I might have had an invitation to a school or something?' Harry wondered out loud. Caprice smiled slyly.
'Maybe it was your acceptance letter from St. Margaret's All Girls Boarding School!' She said cheekily, and Harry swatted her on the arm with his hand. They both laughed, causing the three Dursleys to come rushing out of the kitchen.
'What are you doing here?' Dudley said, immediately pounding one fist into his other hand, as if threatening Caprice to get off his turf.
'Who the devil are you?' Vernon said, looking at Caprice.
'I am Harry's friend, Caprice.' Caprice said, introducing herself. Petunia looked down at her like she had a mud gloop on her face or something like that.
'Don't you bring riff raff like that into our house ever again, do you hear me boy?' Vernon yelled angrily at Harry. 'Get in your cupboard.' He barked, pointing to Harry's cupboard. Caprice looked at the Dursleys wide eyed as Harry slouched into his cupboard.
'You don't need an invitation to leave, do you? There's the door.' Petunia said nastily to Caprice, and pointed at the Dursley's front door. Without a second thought, Caprice was out the door quicker than a flash.
Dudley banged on Harry's cupboard door.
'If you ever bring that bitch here again I'll throw you off the top of the school.' Dudley said threateningly. Harry cowered in the corner of his cupboard. 'And you'll be the one to break her fall.' Dudley said, and walked up the stairs rather hardly, causing lots of dust to fall on top of Harry.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~*
~* That's my attempt at chapter one. Don't worry, Harry does get some association with magical people. I have it all planned out, a hint: Dumbledore does come looking for Harry! What do you think? Do I have something going here? *~
~Gryffindor Gal~