Harry Potter and the Gift of Memories [Harry Potter Fan Fiction]

Chapter IX: The Hardest Part is Saying Goodbye

It happened during my second week after speaking with Master Wei. I was angry, filled with black rage that caused my mind to became hazed with red. Dudley had been being his usual pesky self, annoying me with his spoiled attitude and generally unpleasant disposition.

“I wanna go to Disneyland! I wanna go to Disneyland!” He cried and shouted and screamed and raged. Petunia did everything she could to make him settle down. She promised they would go eventually, that he just needed to wait for Vernon's next paycheck, but it was no use. The boy continued whining. He wanted to go now!

I'd had enough.

“Shut up!”

Calling upon my magic, feeling it course through my body like a maelstrom, I wrenched Dudley out of his seat and slammed him against the wall.

“Dudley!” The scream tore from Petunia's throat. She turned her attention on me, her eyes filled with the rage of a protective mother. “Let go of him!”

As Petunia charged me, I directed some magic towards her. I watched apathetically as her body flew headfirst into the island in the dining room. From the way her limp body crumpled to the ground, I could tell she was unconscious.

I turned back to Dudley, still pinned to the wall, dazed but struggling. I stalked up to him, the fire of my rage burning ever hotter, fueling me with the dark desires even I had not thought myself capable of.

The boy became more cognizant. I watched as his eyes locked with mine. I saw the realization in them.

I saw the fear.

It made me pause.

I stared into those eyes, so familiar, so horrifyingly familiar. I knew those eyes. I knew that look. I recognized them. Those were the eyes I used to have every time Uncle Vernon was angry at me. Every time he threatened me with violence. Every time he locked me in the broom cupboard. Whenever I saw my reflection during those times, I had those eyes.

My body lurhced. I suddenly felt sick.

As my magic dispersed like a violent wind and Dudley dropped to the ground, I raised a hand to my mouth, trying not to vomit.

The need to run overpowered me. Without a backward glance I rushed out of the house as a horrible realization struck me far harder than Vernon's fist ever could. And so I ran. I ran far and hard. I ran to the one place, the one person, who might be able to offer me advice.

I could only hope he could help me. I could only prey I wasn't too late.

XoX

Harry woke up with rays of sunlight shining in his eyes. After blinking several times for his eyesight to adjust, the young 11-year old looked around and saw that, much like he had suspected, he was laying on the couch in Lisa's living room.

Also, much like he had expected, Lisa was still with him, curled up like a cat as she lay on his chest. Her arms were wound tightly around his torso, preventing him from moving much. Despite how the girl was a heavy sleeper, even the littlest of movements seemed to make her tighten her grip, as if she knew he was trying to escape.

Somehow, despite the fact that Harry had expected to find himself in this situation, he was still surprised. It had been a long time since he and Lisa had fallen asleep together. The last time it had happened was when they were nine. The Dursleys had gone on vacation to Italy and he had not been allowed to go with them.

In an act of incredible kindness, Anastasia Crawft had offered Harry a place to stay, since he would have otherwise been forced to stay with Mrs. Figg, a strange old lady who owned several dozen cats. The first night he had stayed over, Lisa had them staying up well into the night watching movies of all kinds—mostly Disney movies—and the two of them had fallen asleep on the couch together.