Memory of a Wolf

Chapter 10 - Punishment

Petunia Dursley was not pleased at all. She had come home earlier and found that Harry had disappeared. The little brat had finished his chore before he left, though. If he thinks that he'd not be punished, then he's totally mistaken, Petunia thought with a nasty glint in her eyes. She knew her nephew would become a freak, just like her sister and brother-in-law. She wouldn't tolerate a freak inside her house. She swore that she would grind the abnormal power out of the boy. Punishing her nephew would lower the brat's self-esteem. Hopefully the boy would not become aware of his abnormality. Watching the boy become quiet and submissive satisfied her. The boy seemed to be happier recently, and Petunia was determined to make him become miserable again.

The front door creaked and a messy-haired boy slipped into the house warily. He was sneaking back to his cupboard when a stern voice froze him.

"Where have you been, boy?" Mrs. Dursley asked her nephew coldly. She saw the boy flinched like a frightened animal. She couldn't help feeling very smug.

Harry didn't know his aunt would come home this early. He knew he was in big trouble now. He should have checked the time when he was playing in Remus' house. The tone of his aunt's query made his blood run cold. He couldn't gather up his courage to look into the woman's eyes.

"The woodland," Harry mumbled inaudibly. Although he was staring at his very worn-out shoes, he could still feel the woman scowling at him.

"Who gave you the permission to leave the house? Huh?" Petunia sneered. She should punish the boy for his insolence.

"B-but I've finished weeding the garden. So I think-" Harry stuttered. He was gripping his jeans very tightly.

"Freaks don't deserve to go out." Mrs. Dursley interrupted the boy and narrowed her eyes. She was about to say something more damaging when the door rang.

"You stay here… Don't move!" She snapped and turned away to answer the door.

Harry silently prayed that it wasn't his uncle and cousin. His fragile hope was shuttered as his aunt came into the living room with her husband.

"What have you gotten yourself into this time, boy?" Uncle Vernon asked in annoyance as he noticed the grim expression on his wife's face.

"He sneaked into the woodland without my permission." Mrs. Dursley said.

The fat man's face immediately turned purple. A sudden thought came to the man's irrational mind. What if someone met the boy and knew about the brat's freakishness? What if the boy had bad-mouthed his family? He marched towards the boy and grabbed Harry's small shoulder, pulling the child to face him painfully.

"What do you think you're doing? Remember what I've told you? You are not allowed to wander off without our permission!" Mr. Dursley ranted, spitting at the child's face. Harry shut his eyes tightly, so that he wouldn't face the scary expression on his ugly, fat uncle's face.

"LOOK AT ME WHEN I'M SPEAKING TO YOU!" Uncle Vernon roared. Harry jerked his eyes open. He struggled weakly to get away from his uncle, but Vernon gripped the small boy's shoulders even more tightly. Harry had to bite his lip to prevent from crying out in pain. He could feel a bruise forming.

Petunia stood beside her husband, folding her arms across her chest and watched the exchange silently. Well, her excuse of a nephew really deserved it. She could still remember how her parents praised Lily when the idiot received the Hogwarts' letter. She must have used her abnormal power to steal her parents' love and attention. Lily snatched Petunia's friends away. Everyone adored the red-haired girl after Lily was born. No one paid attention to Petunia again. Lily was only a freak! Why couldn't people see how evil she was? She was only using her abnormality to gain other people's love and admiration.

Petunia hated Lily and her magic. The witched was dead, but Petunia could still seek revenge on her sister's child. Oh how she loved to see Harry's anguished face when she snapped at him. She could almost see Lily's downcast face, begging her to stop. She had to force the happiness out of those emerald orbs.

Harry was now shaking like a leaf, but his uncle hadn't finished with him yet. Vernon Dursley was scared that someone would find that an abnormal child was living in his property. It was surely a disgrace to his family.

"HAVE YOU MET ANYONE? HAVE YOU DONE ANYTHING FREAKISH IN FRONT OF THEM?" Vernon asked the questions again and again.

"N-No! I'm sorry!" Harry cried. He was so scared that he didn't dare to admit that he had had tea in Remus' house.

Satisfied with the boy's answer, Mr. Dursley released the child. Harry's shaking legs gave away and he fell onto the floor. The child tried to scramble back to his feet weakly. The Dursley couple just stared at their nephew in distaste. No one thought of helping the boy.

At this time, Harry's cousin, Dudley, finally showed his presence. He poked his meaty face into the living room. The fat boy looked at Harry and wrinkled his nose.

"Mum, Harry stinks!" Dudley whined and pretended to be sick.

His words caught Mrs. Dursley's attention. She noticed Harry's muddy jeans. She sniffed and discovered that the boy smelled like a bird.

"Don't worry, sweetheart. Mummy won't let the smelly thing go around the house." Petunia assured her son. Then she turned to the distressed boy and said coldly, "Take off your jeans and wash them yourself."

When Harry made no move to do what she said, Petunia snapped, "Now!"

Harry took off his jeans reluctantly. Petunia knew that the boy didn't have another pair for change. All his other clothing was inside the washing machine. Luckily his worn-out T-shirt was large enough to cover his boxers. Yet he couldn't help bowing his head in shame.

When the boy made his way to the washroom, he heard Dudley teased, "Aw, smelly Harry only has his boxers on!"

Harry could feel his eyes tearing up. No, he wouldn't cry in front of his nasty relatives. The boy rubbed his jeans in the water even harder. His sensitive skin became red as he washed the rough fabric. The boy didn't feel any pain. He only felt sadness and embarrassment.

The little confidence and self-esteem he built up in Remus' house was crushed. Harry had withdrawn to himself once again.

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Sorry for the delay...I hope you'll enjoy this chapter.

Thanks to all reviewers:

Kemenran, Cassiopeia Stargazer, Joulez, wolfawaken, enb2004, blah, Gia, Japonica, corinnetkn24, magicgirl10, samyjoc, hydraspit, Lady Phoenix Slytherin, k00lgirl1808, Crissy Potter, Queen-of-Gondor, Amber, Moonmage, TheDreamerLady, steveperrysgirl, Padfoot-Dog1234, Eizoku, Japonica, corinnetkn24 and aerinoutlander