“Ifyouarestillastudentatthatshool,thenyouannotdomagi—”
“Iannotdomagi?”Draoehoed,asifindisbelief.
“AndIwillnottolerateanyofyourstrangenessinmyhouse!”
HarrywonderedifhisunlewasreferringtoDraobeingawizardorDraobeinghisfiané,andthendeidedthathisunlewasprobablyreferringtoboth.
“Andhereiswhereourviewpointsdiffer,”Draodrawled.“YouseemtobeatingundertheideathatIamawizard,astudentatHogwarts.”DraoemphasizedthenamedeliberatelyastheDursleysflinhed.“Iamnowizard.Infat—”TherewasthesoundoffabririppingandDrao’swingsextendedoutwardfromhisbakinanupwardasadeofsharpbkfeathers.“—Iamnotevenhuman.AndIassureyou…”Drao’sheadtiltedinDudley’sdiretion.SomethingshiftedintheairandDudleyfoundhimselfsuddenlythrownintothewallbyaninvisiblefore.“Ianveryeasilydomagi.”
TheDursleysdidn’tadjusttoDraoandDraorefusedtoadjusttotheirstandards.AfterompiningthatHarry’sbedwastheworstpieeoffurniturehe’deverseen,DraosummonedasmallarmyofHouseElvestoompletelyredoHarry’sbedroom,thebathroom,thekithen,andanyotherommonroomsthat“thispoorexuseforahouse”mighthave.ThisthenstartedashoutingmathbetweenUnleVernonandDraoaboutwheretheinalfurniturehadgone.
VernonsaidthatDraohadstolenit,andDraorepliedthathewouldn’ttouhthefurnitureinthishouseifhislifedependeduponit,andthatthemugglewouldfindhisfurniturebakintheirpesoneDraoleft.
DraohadalsoturnedpartofthelivingroomintoapotionsboratorywhihHarry’sAuntPetuniaouldn’tstand.Thesmellwasdreadful,shesaidandinsistedthatDraogetridofitimmediately.TowhihDraoalmlyreplied,“Makeme,youpathetiexuseforamuggle.”
DudleylearnedveryquiklytoavoidDraoatallosts.OnehemadethemistakeofallingDraoa“fag”and,oneHarryexpinedwhatitmeantandthatitwasaninsult,DraohadsealedhismouthshutandlokedDudleyinhisbedroomforthreedays.
Yes,whenDraoandHarryfinallyleft,theDursleyswereveryhappytoberidofthemanddidnotbothertohideit.
Harrywoketoanemptybedthedayofthewedding,andaHouseElfnervouslystammering,“MasterHarrysir..the-ere’sguestshere,sir.”
“Whoarethey…Lilty?”Harrymutteredasheslidoutoftheooonofbedsheetshefoundhimselfin.
“AMr.RonaldWeasleyandaMissHermioneGranger,MasterHarrysir.”
Harrynodded.“LettheminandtellthemI’llbedowninaminute.”
HermionewasappalledwhenHarryappearedinpajamas.“Harry!It’snearlynoon!”
“Iknow,Hermione.Isleptin.”HarrythankedtheHouseElfthatbroughthimbreakfast.“Doyouwantanything?”
“No,”HermioneansweredforbothRonandherself.“Youhavetogetdressed,Harry!Guestswillstarttoarriveinthreehours!”
“LupinandSnapeshouldbehereanyminute,”Ronadded,swipingamuffinoffthetraythathadbeenbroughttoHarry.