Summer in Little Whinging

Drivers passed one another in their cars while driving in the commuter belt. Some swore under their breath when cut off, other honked their horns, while a select few silently prayed to get to work without confrontation. Above the madness of the commuters, a silver car drove along the beaten road often taken by those on foot. The driver, a man in his mid-thirties ran his right hand through his black hair. The sleeves of his blue and white striped shirt are rolled up to his elbows and sunglasses are on his head. He looked to his left to see what his passenger was doing. The teenage passenger turned the page of the novel in her hand and placed a pretzel in her mouth. The driver stopped and placed the car in park. His passenger looked up and placed a bookmark on the page she was on.

The driver exited the car and leaned against the car. He watched the commuters below with his brown eyes and he kicked a pebble with his right foot. Then, he saw something that seemed out of the ordinary. A white owl flew by the car and headed left. Scratching his head, the driver looked inside his car. The teenage girl was not inside.

"You saw what I saw, right?" The driver was startled when he heard her.

"Yeah, I saw." He told her.

"How long is it going to take us to get there?" She asked. The wind blew strands of her black hair out of her face. She squinted her blue eyes when the sun rays hit her face. She placed her hand on her forehead and looked around. The driver entered the car and she followed after hearing the door close.

"Five or so minutes." He told her and buckled his seatbelt. He waited for to do the same before driving to the nearest neighborhood.

When they arrived, the girl noticed all of the houses look the same. The same brown roof, the same tan walls, and the small front yard. It really wasn't a yard, more like a driveway and a long patch of grass. The house on the end was larger than the rest on it's side of the street. The larger house did not have a car parked like the others.

"Is the bigger house ours?" The teenager asked. The driver nodded and pulled into the driveway. She exited the car, novel in hand and looked at her new house. The driver walked towards her and pointed at the single window on the right.

"What's the name of the house?" She asked. He told her and she looked to her right.

Next door, a woman with a rather large and sharp nose, or a beak, peered outside her window. Her left hand held the cream shade curtain, the right held a spoon. A few of her dark curls are in hair curlers and the rest fell behind her ear. She squinted her sharp eyes as she watched the driver and his passenger observe the house. When the passenger turned she ducked and fixed the shade curtain.

"What are you doing?" The sound of her husband startled her and she spun around to look at him. His booming stomach stretched his shirt and his shorts looked a bit small for his size. He squinted his eyes the same way his wife did and walked towards her.

"Looks like we have new neighbors." She placed her hands on her hips. "It's about time." She huffed. "That house has been vacant for weeks." She headed back to the window and watched the new neighbors. When she saw what the teenage girl was wearing she had a disgusted look on her face.

"Eurgh." She shook her head.

"What's wrong?"

"Look at what this slapper is wearing." She stepped aside and let him see.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"Those shorts are not appropriate for someone her age." Her face turned a bright pink.

"Are you going next door to try and persuade her not to wear them?" He asked.

"I should." She removed her apron with a floral pattern and placed the spoon near a bowl. When she headed for the door she was stopped by someone.

"Mum, where are you going?" Her son asked. He looked like a smaller version of his father, but with dark brown hair. He was sitting on the couch in front of the television with the remote in hand. Crumbs of potato chips are on his lips and a bottle of Coca-Cola sat on the coffee table. He placed the remote on the table and walked towards his mother.

"We have new neighbors and I want to say hello." She told him.

"Can I come too?" Her son asked.

"You're fine watching, whatever you're watching on telly." She told him.

"But I want to come with you!" Her large son yelled, his face turning beet red.

"Alright! Fine, come along." She said to make him calm down.

In the kitchen, her husband was going through the fridge looking for a snack. He yelled, "You might as well take the boy too." His wife had a bewildered look on her face. "Maybe I can get some quiet without you lot here." He whispered. His wife rolled her eyes and called down 'the boy'. The boy slowly walked downstairs and stood face to face with her.

"Come along." She told him with a snarl and headed outside as if a devil on her heels.

"Who are they?" The teenage girl asked and quickly pointed at three of her four neighbors.

"They are the-"

"Hello! I'm Petunia Dursley!" Petunia said as soon as she was in front of them. She motioned for Dudley to step forward and she presented him. "This is my son, Dudley. Say hello."

Dudley stared at the girl in front of him. He looked at her legs and progressed his way up to her face. A stupid look on his face appeared. Freaked out,t he girl slowly looked and walked away.

"Ellie, where are you going?" She quietly swore under her breath. The man made her stand in front of him and he placed his hands on her shoulders. "This is my daughter, Eleanor. I think she a bit shy. I'm Michael, nice to meet you Mrs. Dursley." He extended his hand and she reluctantly shook it.

"You can call me Petunia."

"Petunia? That's a lovely name." A smile crept on her face.

'Too bad it goes with her ugly face.' Eleanor thought. Her father secretly tapped her on the back of her head.

"Excuse me but, who is he?" He asked and pointed at 'the boy'.

"He's my nephew." Petunia said as if mentioning Harry was a bother. "His name is Harry."

Harry, walked towards the group and said hello. Eleanor waved hello and the two smiled. Michael suggested going inside to have lunch. Petunia and Dudley, especially Dudley, agreed. Harry was hesitant but when he saw Eleanor walk inside the house, he followed.

Petunia noticed something odd and pointed it out.

"What is your last name?" She asked and walked around well decorated living room.

"Clarke." Michael and Eleanor told her. Eleanor entered the kitchen. Dudley followed, only to be pushed out.

"When did you move into this house?" Petunia asked.

"Last night, around midnight." This Petunia remembered, the loud sound a moving trunk entering the neighborhood.

"Well, how is your home fully furnished? It's noon right now." She crossed her arms against her chest.

"I had some help." Michael said with a smirk. He walked to the kitchen but abruptly stopped. "Harry," He called. Harry removed his focus from a picture of Eleanor and her father and turned around.

"Yes?" He answered.

"Why don't you come and get something to quick to eat. You look a little famished. Don't you eat at home?" Hearing that made color of Petunia's skin go away.

Harry and Michael entered the kitchen and the door closed behind them. Eleanor was placing lettuce in a sandwich on a counter when her father took it and began eating. He sat in the chair next to her and She looked at him, mouth agape and tried talking.

"Don't leave your mouth open, a fly might go inside." He told her and closed her mouth.

"Sandwich thief." She snapped.

"You have an accent." Harry blurted out and he quickly shut up.

"Yeah, my Mom influenced my accent. She's not from here." Eleanor told him.

"Really? Where is she from?" He asked.

"You can help yourself to the fridge, I can always run to the store and buy more groceries." Michael told Harry. The two teens ignored what he was saying.

"Eastern Hemisphere." Eleanor told him.

"Oh, that explains a lot." Eleanor smiled and he nervously laughed. "Um, where's you Mum?" Harry asked. He leaned against the counter, Michael raised an eyebrow and watched the two teens talk.

"She lives in London." When she saw Harry looked confused she stated, "They're separated."

"Oh, I didn't mean to-" Harry quickly apologized.

"It's okay."

Michael got up from his seat and placed the plate in the sink. He turned on the water and began washing. Eleanor asked if Harry can help himself to the fridge, Michael reminded them he already said it's okay and the two teens began foraging for food. Eleanor removed two ice-cream sandwiches and she sat down with Harry. When Eleanor quickly looked at him he laughed nervously. That nearly made him choke on the dessert. Eleanor pat him on the back.

"Harry," Michael said while drying the plate.

"Yes Mr. Clarke?"

"How is it like living with your aunt, uncle and cousin?" Michael asked.

"It's horrible. They're dreadful Muggles." He quickly realized he used a word only wizards know. Eleanor and Michael raised their eyebrows and looked at each other. Harry felt his ears get hot and he tried to fix his mistake. "I mean-"

"O-o-o-okay." Michael said and exited the kitchen. Eleanor looked like she was trying to figure out what Harry meant and then she said, "They're dreadful people?"

"Yeah! That's it!" Harry told her.

"I can see that. You're cousin is on his way to gastric bypass surgery and he's only 14."

"How do you know how old he is?"

"He told me before I pushed him out. 'Hi I'm Dudley and I'm 14.' " She mocked. Harry laughed and Eleanor finished her dessert. She got up from her seat and left, leaving Harry alone in the kitchen.

'Nice job Potter.' Harry thought.

Suddenly he heard yelling.

"Why is she wearing those?!" He recognized his aunt's shriek. "She's suppose to be dressed like a young lady, not some tart!" Harry was shocked at what he heard. He knows his aunt can be a bitch, but to people you just met? That's not making a good impression.

"Who the fu-"

"Ellie! Don't use that type of language when talking to an adult! Even though she a bitch and deserves it." Michael sounded calm.

Harry exited the kitchen, with ice-cream sandwich in hand, and watched the argument.

"I actually like them." Dudley said.

"Dudders!" Petunia gasped. Harry snorted.

Eleanor looked behind her and mouthed, "Dudders? You've got to be kidding me."

"Let's go Dudley. We can't be around these people." Petunia lifted her head high and walked out the door with Dudley behind her.

"What happened?" Harry asked.

"Your aunt was touching some of our things and tried rearranging them when I caught her. Then she started talking about what Eleanor was wearing and started calling her names." Michael told him.

"Dad?" Eleanor said.

"Yes?"

"She's a bitch."

"Here here." Harry raised his sandwich in the air and took a bite.