Sea and Serpent (PJO/HP)

Chapter 5. You're a witch

A few days had gone by after they sent that letter with the owl.

And nothing.

Not a knock on the door, or a screech from another annoying owl that would most likely bite her if she got near it.

It was quiet. Except for her Uncle’s inconsistent gloating that he had stopped the letters from arriving since a single one hadn’t appeared since the day the owl flew off with the one they wrote. And Amaryllis hated that. She knew her Uncle had also done something, and wasn’t sure which scenario to believe. That their letter had arrived before Uncle Vernon’s or that they believed his ‘story’ over the one she had Harry write.

If that were the case, she didn’t need those people helping them. It astounded her the stories some of her classmates had from those in foster care who had horrid parents like her own, and no one batted an eye or said something against the mistreatment that even they received.

Harry stood up from his bed as the lock on their door clicked.

Their Uncle peaked his head in through the door. The same glare she knew was permanently stuck on his face there as he stared at them both. “Breakfast. Keep quiet, eat, and get your butt back to this room. Am I understood?”

“Crystal clear,” they responded in unison.

Uncle Vernon huffed, retreating from their door but left it open. A bit of a reprieve considering he would close it on them just for them to open it again.

Harry turned to her, shrugging his shoulders.

She returned the gesture, following him out of their room and down the stairs. Amaryllis peaked out the glass by the door, praying to whatever god would listen to let something come of the letter.

The kitchen grew louder as Dudley’s voice carried down the hall. She noticed Harry had left her by the door and entered the kitchen, piling a plate full of bacon and pancakes.

Pancakes were her favorite. Something about the fluffiness and warmth of them eased her worries while she ate them.

She chuckled to herself, remembering the time she slipped dye into the batter when her Aunt stepped away, changing the tan pancakes to a dull blue; which was a disappointment itself to her. She wanted blue, like the ocean she saw in pictures. But Dudley hated them and food coloring dye had been banned since that day.

Heading down the hallway, she made it to the threshold of the kitchen when a knock came to the door. Her gaze swept to her Uncle’s, waiting for him to say who their guest was and to get the door, but she was met with a confused look that turned to their Aunt’s.

“Vernon?” Her Aunt questioned.

Uncle Vernon shrugged and turned to her with an annoyed expression. “Go answer the door and tell them they have the wrong house.”

Amaryllis bit her tongue to stop the snide remark that threatened to make her Uncle even more angry with her than he already was.

Harry glanced at her and lifted the plate, letting her know he would save her some to which she smiled gratefully back at him.

Ignoring the banter behind her as she made her way back down the hall, she got closer to the door seeing a wide figure block most of the morning light that filtered through. Her hand hovered over the knob, hesitant to open it. She didn’t know who was behind it, but she also couldn’t help the feeling that overcame her. An impending feeling that made her want to turn and run.

Amaryllis took a deep breath, knowing she was overthinking everything, and opened the door. Although, she wished she hadn’t as she froze. The man was huge, standing taller than the door frame with a long dark brown beard that came down to his chest. His hair came down past his shoulders in rugged curls that hadn’t seemed to be brushed in… well, she couldn’t say how long, but it looked like it had been a while.