Beyond the Darkness

38. Something He Didn't Have Last Time

It took Sasha and Harry a little over ten minutes to get back to Number 4 Privet Drive.  Harry opened the Dursley's front door and then he and Sasha carried Dudley in.

"Petunia is in the living room," Harry grunted.  "Dudley is killing my shoulder and back."

"I hear ya," Sasha appeased.

They opened the door to the living room and hauled Dudley in.  Petunia greeted her son at first without looking.  Her eyes widened in horror when she saw Sasha and Harry lower him onto the couch.

"Vernon!" she shouted.  "Hurry!  Come quick!  Duddy-"

Sasha put her hands up.  "He's fine, Petunia."

"He doesn't look fine!" she said haughtily.  "You!"  She pointed at Harry.  "What have you done to him?"

Harry's eyes widened.  "I haven't done anything."

Vernon walked in and moved his son over to a chair.  Sasha moved over to stand beside Harry, putting her hand on his shoulder.  This could get ugly.  He examined him thoroughly.  Dudley was sitting there with a blank stare on his face.  Vernon whirled around, a spoon in his hand.  Apparently he had been in the process of eating something.  No surprise there.

"Our boy has gone yompie!" he bellowed.  He pointed the spoon at Harry.  "I've reached my limit, you hear?  I've had enough of you and your nonsense!"

Vernon started toward him, but Sasha stepped in between them.  He stopped.

"Harry's 'nonsense' as you call it had nothing to do with this.  These boys were attacked and if I hadn't stepped in, he wouldn't be here right now.  He'd be dead," she said flatly.  "So if anything, you should be thanking me and Harry because we just saved your boy's miserable life."

Petunia's eyes filled with tears.  She threw her arms around Dudley dramatically.  Vernon stared at Sasha, his beady eyes narrowed.

"I don't believe you."

"It's the truth," Harry chimed in.  "The Dementors would have killed us.  Sucked our souls right out of our bodies."

Petunia shuddered and covered her ears.  Sasha studied her curiously.  She acted like she knew what the creatures were.  When she caught her looking though she acted normal again.

"I don't want to hear it!  You get out of my house, the both of you!"

"Vernon-" Petunia said.

He turned around.  "What?" he snapped.

"Harry stays.  You know he has to stay."

Sasha raised her eyebrows.  That was strange.  Maybe she did have a heart after all.  "Harry is coming with me," she spoke up.  "We just wanted to make sure your son was safe."

"Thank you," Petunia said quietly.

"You're welcome.  There's just one more thing I want to do."

Vernon was eyeing her suspiciously.  "What's that?"

Sasha took a deep breath.  Harry was looking at her strangely as well.  "I just want to see if I can help him.  Dudley."

"You're not touching my son!"

Harry's hands balled into fists.  "You've got to be kidding me!" he yelled.  "She can help him!"

Sasha turned to Harry, surprised by another wave of rage emanating from him.  He stared at her blankly like he'd done nothing wrong.  She frowned.  Something was up with him.  She turned back to face Petunia, ignoring Vernon.