Disclaimer: It’s not mine, and it’ll never be mine. It’s all J.K. Rowling’s. Go glomp her instead.
A/N: I’m truly truly sorry about the long wait. My job became absolutely insane roundabouts May-I was pulling 40+ hours every week. Then I went on a three week vacation, with NO internet. And just recently, a friend of mine got into a horrible car accident and didn’t survive the crash. So…this just got put on the backburner for a while. I’ll try to update sooner this time though. Enjoy the chapter!
It’s Been…A Year?
Lily smiled at the spot where her parents had been a moment before. James gave her a squeeze.
“Better goodbye than last time?”
“Yeah,”she murmmered.
“Let’s check on Harry, shall we?” suggested James. He led her to the side of the road.
“Why did a lily cross the road?” he joked.
“So she could push her husband on the other side,” she said shoving James who emitted a small “Oof!”
Lily settled down on the grass next to James.
“Alright, James; do your thing.”
“Fenestra,” The blank screen appeared.
“James,” said Lily quietly, “how long do you think it’s been?”
“Only one way to find out,” he said bracingly. “Harry Potter.”
A picture of the Dursley’s kitchen swam into view; apparently it was nearing dinner time for Petunia was cooking something over the stove. Baby Harry came toddling into view, occasionally stumbling over the oversize t-shirt he had on. Once he fell flat on his face, right in front of his aunt’s feet. Petunia didn’t even look down.
“That is hard tile floor!” cried Lily indignantly. “How can she ignore him like that?!”
“Seems as though it’s a common occurrence,” said James grimly. “But look, he’s just getting right back up, he’s used to it. That’s my little man Harry, keep trying.”
Harry was indeed getting back up, and he was using his aunt’s stockinged leg to do it. His aunt gave her leg a little shake, but Harry held tightly on and scooted up a little higher. He was trying to reach the food in the pot, and he was making small moaning noises”Petunia just watched as Harry stretched out his hand to the boiling pot.
“Oh, don’t, Harry! It’s hot!” Lily wailed.
But Harry had already touched it, and with a cry, he fell to a heap on the ground. Petunia towered over him.
“Hungry, are you? Well you would have gotten lunch if you were a good boy like Dudley.”
Harry made a distinct face of disgust. Petunia’s face turned white, and she pulled her hand back…
Harry ran out the kitchen as fast as his stubby legs could carry him. Lily and James watched him enter the living room where Dudley was watching a tv show in which some policemen were giving chase to a band of robbers. Harry stood and watched for a few moments, head cocked to one side, before turning to toddle toward the window. The show ended, and Dudley finally noticed Harry. Dudley jumped up and pointed his finger at Harry like a gun.
“BANG! You dead!”
Harry looked at him, puzzled. He stuck out a tiny hand and pointed it at Dudley and jerked it, but didn’t say anything.
“James,” said Lily concernedly, “why isn’t Harry talking?”
“I can only guess…” he said, with an uncharacteristically grim look on his face.
Dudley did not like this turn of events at all. He scowled at Harry.
“NO! Harry DEAD! BANG! Play dead! Now!”
Harry stood his ground as Dudley made to push him to the floor. Harry raised his hand once more, pointed it at Dudley, and jerked it.
BANG!
Dudley was blasted off his feet halfway across the living room; he gave one startled look at Harry and ran off into the kitchen.
“That’s my boy! You show him Harry!” James cheered. “He’ll be a fine wizard,” he said to Lily, “showing that much magic at his age!”
“So long as he learns to talk,” replied Lily gloomily.
“Cheer up, he’ll talk in good time.”
The Dursleys and Harry were now at dinner with Dudley in a high chair and Harry sitting on a normal chair, his bright green eyes barely over the table. The Dursleys had absolutely refused to by double baby necessities to accommodate their “burden” of a nephew.
“James, look at Harry’s plate!” cried Lily. For Harry had the smallest portions she had ever seen…and his meat, which was really nothing but grizzle and fat, was cut haphazardly. Many of the pieces were too large for any baby’s mouth, even Dudley’s.
“This”this is child neglect!” Lily sputtered angrily.
“If I had that Dursley, I’d blow him up like a balloon, and pop him!” growled James.
Vernon and Petunia were now discussing some conflict or another.
“Vernon, the Beach Party for Dudley’s nursery school is in two days time, August the second…”
“It’s going to be August the second in two days!” Lily cried, “James, it’s been almost a year!”
“Lily, if August second is in two days, then today is…”
“HARRY’S BIRTHDAY?!”
“Shhh!” said James, but Lily continued to mutter things under her breath like “…treating him like that on his birthday.” and “How could she?”
“Anyway Vernon, we’ll have to take”have to take him.”
Vernon sprayed coffee across the table. “What! Someone must be able to take him! What about Miss Figg?”
“The flu.”
“Mrs. Polkiss?”
“Having her second child; she tried to burden me with Piers, but I absolutely refused to take on another unwanted child. The nerve of some people…”
“Oh, yes, I just wanted to up and die and leave my baby with you! You”you monster!” cried Lily quite hysterically.
Uncle Vernon was running out of people to suggest. “Marge?”
“Dog show.”
“Blast!” Uncle Vernon ejaculated in frustration.
Harry unfortunately took this inoppourtune moment to choke on a piece of his “meat.”
“You, boy, will not stay at this table with your disgusting mannerisms. Go to your closet!”
“Closet?” wondered Lily.
Harry’s face was turning purple.
“James! We’ve got to do something! He could choke to death and they would just sit there and watch!”
SPLAT! Harry coughed and the meat shot across the table at Uncle Vernon.
“That does it boy!” he growled as he grabbed Harry and shoved him into the closet under the stairs and locked the door.
Inside the dark closet, Harry curled into a ball on the dusty floor and placed his thumb in his mouth. A single tear rolled down his small thin cheek.
That however, couldn’t compare with the amount of tears streaming from his mother’s eyes.
Moments of His Life by LilMissGranger
Chapter Notes: Warning: Abuse