Harry Potter and the Portkey of Time

CHAPTER 1

Aunt Petunia's voice came from outside the small door.

"Up! Get up! Now!" She rapped a wooden spoon on the door.

"Up!" She screeched before walking back to the kitchen. Soon after footsteps pounded on the roof above him, causing dust to fall onto his face. It was Dudley and he was stomping his way down the stairs, making sure to step extra hard on the ones directly above Harry.

How was this possible? Harry slid his glasses on after feeling around the small ledge on the wall for them and realised his body was much smaller than it used to be. His legs were swamped in clothes many sizes too big for him. And he couldn't see his hands without rolling the sleeves of his sweatshirt up at least 5 times. Slowly, he climbed out of the cupboard and was met with the greatest surprise yet. A seemingly ten-year-old Dudley, surrounded by a mountain of gifts.

"I want you to look after the bacon, and don't you dare let it burn. I want everything to be perfect for Dudley's birthday" Aunt Petunia snapped, a look crossing her face as she stared at Harry, it was as if she was staring at an unwanted speck of dirt.

10 minutes later when Harry was placing bacon and eggs on the table, Dudley's voice echoed from the lounge room.

"Thirty-six? But that's two less than last year!"

It must be Dudley's 11th birthday, thought Harry confused. He vaguely remember the day but had no idea how he was back to this moment in time. The last thing he could recall before strange things started occurring was touching that strangely placed time-turner. There was no indication Harry could be looking at a memory because he could interact with everything out of his own will. Questions kept circling his mind; how long will he be stuck here? Who did this? And how does he get back? He would probably have to wait until a later date to have those questions answered. The best thing he could do in his current predicament is to try to stay calm and fit in. If it's Dudley's birthday... he wouldn't find out he is a wizard for roughly 5 weeks, on his, Harry's, 11th birthday. He could try and find some proper answers during that time.

Just as Harry zoned back in, he caught Petunia whispering to Vernon quietly, trying not to let Dudley hear.

"Bad news, Vernon. Mrs Figg's broken her leg. She can't take him." She jerked her head in Harry's direction. "What do we do now?"

"We could phone Marge?" Uncle Vernon responded hopefully.

"Don't be silly, she hates the boy."

Harry stood and listened. He didn't remember how, but somehow last time he convinced them to let him come. It was at the zoo where Harry talked to a snake for the first time without knowing he was a parselmouth.

"You could leave me here?" He asked, trying not to push his luck. Hopefully, Petunia would hate that idea and be forced to take him with them.

"And come home to find the house in ruins?" She snarled.

"I won't ruin the house."

Aunt Petunia didn't seem to believe that.

"We could always take him with us... and leave him in the car." Uncle Vernon looked distraught, as did Dudley.

"The car's new. He is not sitting in it alone." Vernon said. Dudley scrunched up his face and started to 'wail'. The one thing Harry missed the least about his cousin was the constant fake crying.

"I d-don't want him t-to come. H-he always ru-uins everything!" Dudley complained through fat, fake tears.

This continued for a while. Petunia and Vernon tried their best to calm Dudley down but he wouldn't budge. The very idea that Harry was going to come to the zoo with Dudley made him very upset. That was until the doorbell rang. The waterworks stopped almost immediately as Dudley's friend arrived. After what felt like years, everyone was in the car.

'This is going to be a long 5 weeks,' Harry thought to himself, staring out the window and thinking of his life before he got transported to the past. He missed Ron, Hermione and Ginny already. Ginny especially. He hadn't seen her in 7 months and now he won't see her for merlin knows how long. What if he never found his way back? Despair washed over him. The reality of the situation only just settling in. He truly wished this was a very bad dream and that he would wake up any moment to eagerly await Ginny's arrival, but he knew it was unlikely. He would have to go through 7 hectic years of school once more and fight Voldemort 7 times again. That meant dying for the umpteenth time in his 7th year. At least this time... he tried to think of a silver lining for this dreadful situation, he might be able to save more lives. Fred, Dobby, Sirius... This was a second chance. He wasn't going to waste it.

~✦~

After a painstakingly long drive, stuck in the back with Dudley and his friend, Harry was almost ready to jump out of the car. He had no idea how he had stood by this for years on end, but it was all he could do to not pull out some kind of magic and shut Dudley up.

Once they had finally arrived at the zoo, Harry gloomily followed Dudley around. The zoo might have been entertaining for a real 10-year-old who didn't know about wizards, but it was hard to get excited about normal muggle creatures when he knew much more exciting ones existed. Everything was so boring, that was until they arrived at the reptile house.

Harry glanced around at the lizards and snakes, enjoying themselves in the cool, dark room. Then he saw it. The Boa Constrictor. Thinking of all the possibilities now he knew why he could talk to it. Harry watched and he waited.

Dudley ran up to the snake and Harry watched as the scene yet again unfolded in front of him.

"Make it move," He demanded. His father tapped the glass but the snake didn't budge.

"Do it again," Dudley complained. Harry rolled his eyes. How could Dudley be so brainless?

"This is boring." He said as he walked off, joining his friend in the 'fun' act of terrorising little kids.

Harry walked over to the snake and peered at it intently. It must be so boring in there - nothing to do all day but watch people stare at you and demand you entertain them.

Slowly, as though reading Harry's thoughts, the snake raised its head and winked at him.

Harry smiled and he winked back.

"Sorry 'bout him," Harry hissed.

"It's fine I get that all the time," The snake responded, its tongue flicking out of its mouth as it nodded its head towards Dudley and Vernon.

"Where do you come from?"

The snake jabbed its tail at the little sign that read:

Boa Constrictor, Brazil

"Oh, was it nice there?"

It jabbed its tail at the sign once more

Raised in captivity

"So you've never been to Brazil?"

The snake shook its head.

"DUDLEY!" A voice came from behind Harry, "COME HERE! YOU WON'T BELIEVE WHAT THIS SNAKE IS DOING!" Dudley's friend was beckoning him, Dudley, over.

"Out of my way," he said, attempting to punch Harry but he jumped out of the way just in time. Harry stifled a laugh, slowly remembering what was going to happen next.

One minute Dudley and his friend were peering into the glass, leaning right up against it. The next Harry was whispering and howls of horror echoed through the room. The glass had vanished and Dudley had fallen in. Harry tried to hide his laughter but it was impossible. The situation was too hilarious not to laugh. In between fits of giggles, he hissed to the snake:

"Have fun, and enjoy Brazil!"