A Different Sister (Editing)

The Letters from No One

The incident of the vanishing glass earned Harry and Emma their longest punishment yet. By the time they were allowed out of their cupboard and basement, the summer holidays had started. They weren't exactly complaining, as they got to skip school for a long time, and Dudley wasn't able to bully them while they were in their prison. He had already broken a good portion of his birthday presents when they were let out ("Bloody pig," Emma had muttered when she saw Dudley knock down Mrs Figg on his racing bike, but Harry was secretly happy that Mrs Figg had fallen again, as they wouldn't have to go to her house for some time.)

They were glad that school was over, but Dudley's gang came over to the Dursley's house almost every day. They were all big and stupid, but as Dudley was the biggest and stupidest of them all, he was the leader. Dudley's gang always came to the Durlsey's house to play Dudley's favourite sport: Potter Hunting.

This was why Harry spent most of his days outside the house with Emma, where they could see a little ray of hope at the end of the holidays. When September came, Harry and Emma would be going to secondary school, and for the first time in their lives, they wouldn't be with Dudley. Dudley would be going to Smeltings, Uncle Vernon's old school, while they would be going to Stonewall High, the local comprehensive. Dudley thought this was very funny.

"They stuff peoples' heads down the toilet the first day at Stonewall," he told Harry and Emma. "Want to come upstairs and practise?"

"No thanks," said Harry. "The poor toilet's never had anything as horrible as your head down it - it might be sick." Then he ran away before Dudley could figure out what he said.

Fortunately, he didn't. Instead, Dudley turned to Emma and said "I'm afraid I won't fit in at Smeltings. Since you and Harry are not there anymore, I'm not going to be famous for hitting Harry and teasing you. Could you come with me? It would be better with you there."

Emma smiled and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, Dudley. You'll blend in fine with the pigs. I think you're just about the right size." Then she ran away to Harry's cupboard, and they both collapsed into fits of giggles.

One day in July, Aunt Petunia took Dudley to London to buy his Smeltings uniform. That evening after dinner, Dudley paraded in the living room in his brand new uniform. Smeltings boys wore maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers and boaters. They also carried knobbly sticks, which were used to hit the other boys when the teachers weren't looking. This was supposed to be good training for later life. Emma said it was supposed to knock some sense into Dudley, though she doubted if that would ever work. Aunt Petunia had burst into tears, and Harry was sure that two of his ribs had cracked from trying not to laugh.

The next morning, they went down for breakfast as usual. Actually, it was more of the Dursleys eating and the twins hoping for leftovers. Uncle Vernon was even meaner to them after the boa incident. He disappeared behind his newspaper and Dudley banged his Smeltings stick on the table. They heard the letter box click and the flop of letters on the doormat.

Uncle Vernon looked up from his newspaper. "Get the post, Dudley."

"Make Harry get it."

"Get the post, Harry."

"Make Dudley get it."

"I'm not going to get it, Dad, make Emma get it."

"How about I shove your head up the letter box, eh?"

"Poke them with your Smeltings stick, Dudley."

They both dodged the Smeltings stick and went to get the post. Emma actually got a hold on the Smeltings stick and pushed it, poking Dudley back hard. They snickered as they heard Dudley's howls from the kitchen as they walked down the corridor. Harry stooped down to get the mail while Emma started to sift through Uncle Vernon's wallet which was lying on the table. There was a postcard from Aunt Marge, a brown envelope that looked like a bill and - a letter for Harry and Emma. Harry's heart started beating very fast. Who would write to them? They had no friends and no other family. But here it was, addressed so plainly that there could be no mistake.