The Potter Twins and the Goblet of Fire {4}

2. The Invitation

"No one is as lucky as us, we're not at the end yet, but we've already won" ~ Where the Lines Overlap, Paramore

By the time Harry and I arrive in the kitchen, the three Dursleys are already seated around the table. None of them acknowledge us as we enter. They just sit in silence, as Aunt Petunia tries to sneak a grapefruit onto Dudley's loaded plate of food.

His end of year report posed a whole lot of new questions for our aunt and uncle. They managed to wave away the remarks of Dudley's bullying habits, but they could not dismiss the comments from the school nurse, claiming that Dudley is insanely overweight.

So now, after many heated arguments, Dudley is following a strict diet plan, which, to make him feel better, we are all following now. Aunt Petunia passes me and Harry a grapefruit quarter each, which I silently note are smaller than Dudley's.

Uncle Vernon lays aside his paper with a deep sniff of disapproval and looks down at his own grapefruit quarter.

"Is this it?" he says grumpily.

Aunt Petunia sends him a severe look and nods pointedly at Dudley. Uncle Vernon gives a great sigh and picks up his spoon.

As I begin to eat my own grapefruit quarter, the doorbell rings. Uncle Vernon heaves himself from his chair and sets off down the hall. I hear voices at the door and someone laughter, while Uncle Vernon answers curtly. Then the front door closes and the sound of ripping paper comes from the hall.

We all stop what we're doing and look out to the door, waiting for him to return. And, about after a minute, he storms back into the room, livid.

"You two," he barks at Harry and I. "In the living room. Now."

Bewildered, wondering what on earth we've done, I get up and follow him into the next room, Harry right behind me.

Uncle Vernon closes the door so sharply behind us that I jump.

"So," he says marching over to the fireplace and turning to face us. "So."

I hold my tongue, stopping myself from saying 'so what?', I know that I shouldn't test his temper.

"This just arrived," Uncle Vernon says finally, brandishing a letter. "A letter. About you."

I get an immense sense of Deja vu, going all the way back to the time before first year began and Hogwarts 'struggled to reach us'.

Both of us stay silent, allowing him to read the letter aloud:

Dear Mr and Mrs Dursley,

We have never been introduced, but I am sure you have heard a great deal from Haylee and Harry about my son Ron.

As they might have told you, the final of the Quidditch World Cup takes place next Monday night, and my husband, Arthur, has just managed to get prime tickets through his connections at the Department of Magical Games and Sports.

I do hope you will allow us to take Haylee and Harry to the match, as this really is a once in a lifetime opportunity; Britain hasn't hosted the Cup for thirty years and tickets are extremely hard to come by. We would, of course, be glad to have Haylee and Harry stay for the remainder of the summer holidays, and to see them safely onto the train back to school.

It would be best for Haylee and Harry to send us your answer as quickly 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 Haylee and Harry soon,

Yours sincerely,

Molly Weasley