The Boy Who Couldn't See: Year 3

Owl Post

TW: i mention and hint at past abuse a few times

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Harry sighs quietly, turning the page of his book.

It's late, probably nearing midnight, and he's lying on his stomach in his bed and doing homework. And he's happy about it. Ron would be disappointed in him.

His essay is supposed to be about why witch burning was pointless and he's trying to find some information about it in A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot.

He pauses when he finds a paragraph talking about wizards and witches just using a Flame-Freezing charm if they were caught. Slowly and quietly, he reaches under his pillow and grabs his ink bottle and a roll of parchment. He unscrews the lid on the ink bottle and dips his quill in it, beginning to write his essay. Usually, he has Hermione on his left side, telling him when his lines aren't straight anymore or if he's writing words inside of other words, but he doesn't have that currently, so he'll have to find time for her to look his homework over and help him make it look pretty.

He's just happy to be able to do his homework. Of course, Uncle Vernon had locked all of his things up in the cupboard under the stairs, but Harry managed to pick the lock and get his school books while Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley had been outside admiring Uncle Vernon's new company car. And as long as he doesn't leave ink blots on the sheets (not that he would even know if he did), the Dursleys should never find out about his little adventure.

At the moment, his relatives finding out that he's doing magic homework is quite high on his list of worries. They're already in a bad mood with him, he couldn't imagine what might happen if they found out about his homework. And they're only mad because Ron, Harry's amazing, spectacular, pureblood best friend, had called him a week into summer vacation. The summer before, Harry had taught Mr. Weasley how to use a phone, but he supposes Mr. Weasley forgot to mention one small detail, which is that you don't have to yell. Harry, now that he isn't in any immediate danger of death, thinks the entire situation was quite hilarious, if only because it was his uncle who happened to answer the phone and not him, getting the fright of his life in doing so.

Harry had been in the living room when Uncle Vernon had picked up the phone. He was vacuuming.

"Vernon Dursley speaking."

Harry had frozen on the spot, the vacuum whirring away, when he heard Ron's voice.

"HELLO? HELLO? CAN YOU HEAR ME? I — WANT — TO — TALK — TO — HARRY — POTTER!"

Harry couldn't have been more delighted with Ron's inferior knowledge about Muggles but Uncle Vernon shouting back just as loudly had put a slight damper in his amusement.

"WHO IS THIS?" he had roared. "WHO ARE YOU?"

"RON — WEASLEY!" Ron yelled back. Harry had switched off the vacuum and covered his face with his hands. "I'M — A — FRIEND — OF — HARRY'S — FROM — SCHOOL —"

"THERE IS NO HARRY POTTER HERE!" Uncle Vernon roared. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT SCHOOL YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT! NEVER CONTACT ME AGAIN! DON'T YOU COME NEAR MY FAMILY!"

The fight that followed the phone call had to be one of the worst fights Harry has had with his relatives.

"HOW DARE YOU GIVE THIS NUMBER TO PEOPLE LIKE — PEOPLE LIKE YOU!"

It's been a few weeks since then and Harry has recovered from his panic, thankfully. Ron had obviously realized that he made a mistake, because he didn't call again. Hermione also hasn't called him yet and Harry suspects that Ron might've warned her not to, which is nice but also a pity, because Hermione should know how to properly speak to someone on the phone, being a muggleborn and all.