Basilisk Eyes

Chapter 27: Navigant train station

At dinner that night, Harry worked up the nerve to ask Aunt Petunia about how he was going to get to his training the next day. He had tried to ask quietly while it seemed that both Uncle Vernon and Dudley were engrossed in an episode of the East Enders, though he realized as he tried to get her attention, that she was also ensnared.

"Aunt Petunia?" he asked softly, his face turned in her direction, his expression as neutral as he was able to manage.

She didn't answer, but groaned in response to something happening on the telly.

"Aunt Petunia?" he asked again, reaching out with his hand—wanting to verify she was where he thought she was.

"What?" her tone was suddenly sharp. He snapped his hand back.

"Tomorrow my Adaptation course starts in London, registration is at 9 am. It's at 56 Charing Cross Road. Are you and Uncle Vernon going to take me there?" he said it before he lost the nerve.

"What-? No. Of course not," she was shocked, then adamant.

"Will you take me to the train station so that I can get there on my own, then?" he asked bravely, though a tremble in his voice revealed his apprehension.

"How are you going to do that? You can't even see. And we're not paying for it," she spat out.

"I'll manage," Harry brushed it aside, though a prickly sweat broke out under his arms. "The course goes until July 30th" he reminded her.

"What do you mean 'he can't see'?" Dudley cut in loudly.

"The useless boy went and got himself blinded at school!" Uncle Vernon interjected.

"What? But how?" Dudley stammered, and Harry felt Dudley leaning toward him and then felt a breeze. His cousin was waving his hand in front of his face.

Nice, thought Harry, really nice.

And then Dudley started laughing like it was the funniest thing on earth.

Angry and wanting to flee, Harry got up abruptly, caught his foot on the table leg and stumbled away which made Dudley laugh even harder and he heard Uncle Vernon joining in. He was surprised that Aunt Petunia wasn't laughing, too, but then again, she wasn't shushing them either. And she didn't call him back, insisting that he do the dishes. She let him go.

He went up to his room and closed the door on their guffawing and sat heavily on his bed.

The cool night air was making the curtains flutter.

I hope Hedwig comes soon.

His eyes pricked with angry tears.

This is rubbish. I have to get out of here.

He was tempted to leave Number 4 Privet Drive and just walk to London. He had everything packed in his staff already except for Hedwig's cage and some food.

I really need some food and water to take with me.

But a voice in his head (which sounded a lot like Hermione) counseled him to stay until at least early morning... to give Hermione a chance to respond. He really needed the muggle money and he had no idea where he could convert the few galleons he had left besides Gringotts and he guessed that they weren't open now at any rate.

How did Madam Pomfrey summon that Knight Bus anyway?

After a bit, Harry heard the telly go on in the living room and decided that he could probably take a shower without being harassed. He summoned his pajamas and bag of toiletries from the staff storage compartment once he was in the toilet and took as long of a shower as he dared.

Back in his room and feeling a little better, Harry pulled his A History of Magic book out of his staff and the anagnóstis and settled in to read more of his summer homework. He figured it was the only way he was going to get his brain to stop running laps around all these obstacles... and maybe he'd be able to fall asleep eventually. Every little noise outside made him pause and listen while holding his breath, hopeful for Hedwig.

[break]

Harry woke up to a strange stuttering sound with a crick in his neck and realized that his face was pressed into his A History of Magic book, the anagnóstis still clutched in his hand and pressed against one word which it was repeating in a continuous loop, "goblin, goblin, goblin."

I guess that explains my dreams.

He found his staff on the table by his bed and cast the time spell to find out that it was half past five. The sun hadn't come up yet, it was still dark. He listened, hoping to hear signs of Hedwig, but her cage was still empty. He double-checked by going over to it and reaching his hand inside. It was clean and waiting for her, with fresh water and the food scraps he'd managed to save for her ... though they were getting hard.

He sat on his bed for a while, trying to decide what to do. After a bit, he quietly dressed. He put his history book in his staff. Next, he put in Hedwig's cage after he dumped the water out his window. It was a funny feeling to hold the metal cage up to the tiny window that opened in the staff and feel it be sucked into the compartment like it was made out of licorice whips. He decided to put his anagnóstis in his pocket in case he needed to read something while he was traveling and summoned his money bag to put a couple galleons, sickles and knuts in his pocket for easy access. He returned the rest of his money bag to the staff.

Harry closed his window—he didn't want Hedwig to think he was there after he left and quietly made his way to his door in his stocking feet, carrying his shoes. He was using his staff at its full length, but not letting it tap the floor.

At his door, Harry listened to make sure that the Dursleys were still asleep. He seemed to be in luck and made his way down the stairs, careful not to make any noise.

He thought about putting his trunk in his staff, but decided to leave it not wanting to have to mess with getting the key back in the closet.

In the kitchen, he made himself a couple of sandwiches and put a few apples in the staff along with a bottle filled with water. He was tempted to leave a mess, but then remembered he'd probably have to come back at the end of July and grudgingly cleaned up after himself.

He left out the back door, figuring the Dursleys would be less likely to hear him leave. In the backyard, he whispered for Nio, hopeful, but not expecting the snake to be up before the sun warmed the rocks in the garden. He waited for a bit while he summoned his jumper from his staff—he was shivering in the damp early morning air—and put on his trainers. When he didn't get a response, he cast the Navigant spell, asking his staff to guide him to the train station.

In the front, he paused again by the Agapanthus and whispered for Nio just in case he had a chance to say one last good-bye to his little friend before setting off on his journey.