“Dad.”Dudleylookedpained.“Don’t.”
“Well,wedid!”EvenAuntPetunialookedafraid,now.“Wefedhim,andwelothedhim,andwebroughthimupasoneofourown—”
Harryouldn’ttakeitanymore.ItfeltlikethatnightwithAuntMarge,whereitbeameonethingtoomany.Andhewasn’tgoingtopretendthatthishurtmorethanhethoughtitwould,beauseafterallthosenightswithDudleyandhowwelldinnerhadwent,hehadatuallyonvinedhimselfthattheymightstarttolikehim.Hewaswrong.
“Howyouraisedme?”Hisvoiewaslow,buteveryoneouldhearit.“Youdidn’traiseme.Him—”HejerkedhisheadtowardsDudley,whowaslingingtohiswinegssandlookinglikehewantedtosinkthroughthefloor.“Himyouraised.He’stheoneyoufed.He’stheoneyouboughtallthepresentsfor,andthrewbirthdaysfor,andgavehimarealbedroom.Theoneyouaredfor.Hewasyourson.AndwhatwasI?”
Noanswer.
Hewantedananswer,andhewasgoingtogetone.“WhatwasI,Vernon?”Ifhewasyounger,thislevelofangerwouldsendhismagispiralingoutofontrol,butasitwasheouldjustfeelhimselfshakingwiththeinjustieofitall.“SaywhatIwas.”Nothing.“Iwasthethingthatshoweduponyourdoorstepthatyouwantedtosendoutwiththeweek’sgarbage,wasn’tI?Astainonyourperfetfamilyimage.Iwasn’ttheoneyouraised.Iwastheoneyoustarved.Iwastheoneyouhated.Iwastheoneyoulokedinthelosetandliedto,foryears.”Noonemoved.OnlyDraotriedtomakeitbetter,reahingouttograbatHarry’shand,butheflunghimoff.“TellmeifI’mwrong.”
Mehanially,Harrysatdownthewinegss.“Youwanttoknowsomething?Afteralltheseyears,allthehorriblethingsI’veseen,allthepeopleIwatheddie,Istillfindmyselfthinkingthatwhathappenedinthishousewaswhatruinedme.”Hewassayingeverythinghehadneverhadbeenabletosaybefore,butsuddenly,hedidn’twanttobethereanymore,soheleft,yankingonhisjaketandturningtogo.
“Waitjustoneminute!”
UnleVernonseizedhimbythewrist,andHarrywasdone,wasgoingtoturnandhithimandneverstop,buthedidn’thaveto,beauseDraowasthere,thethreatlearevenwithoutthewand.VernonletgoandDraomovedbetweenthem.
“Don’ttouhhim.Youdon’tdeservetoyahandonhim,youuand?”Hewasspeakingsoftly,butinthewaythatmadeitlearhewasusedtobeinglistenedto.“Yousaidhewasawarhero,buthe’snot,hewasthewar.Hesavedthiswholedamnworldtentimesover,andnotevenoneofyourfilthyfingersshouldomelosetohimagainorI’llpersonallyseetoitthatyouloseahand.”
Draoletshimgo.UnleVernonstaggersbak,leavingAuntPetuniaandDudleystaringathim.Harrythinkshewouldratherdiethandealwiththefalloutofthis.
“Thankyoufordinner,Mrs.Dursley.”Draosaid,baktoperfetlypolite,buttoninguphisoatandsmoothingoutthewrinkles.“Itwaslovely.”
Thelooksontheirfaesalmostmadeitallworthit.
Drao
HeouldhearHarrytalkingonthephone,arryingonaoionwithDudley.
“Listen,no,I’msorry.”Pause.“Ishouldneverhaveome,IknewIwasgoingtolosemyool,itwasmybad.”Pause.“Ijustfeelhorrible,Iruinedyourbirthday.”