Writing Club Character Appreciation - 6. (Location) Cupboard under the stairs
Book Club - Tiger Lily: Slightly: (action) eye rolling, (word) game, (dialogue) "You need to eat more, [Name]. You look like a ghost."
Showtime - Hamilton: Last Time - (dialogue) "I don't know what you heard, but whatever it is, [name] started it."
Count Your Buttons - (objects) Glasses, (dialogues) "I'm not here for you.", (words) Freedom
Emy's Emporium - Italy 1. (food) ice cream

Summer Season Challenges

Summer Prompts - (word) Stifling
Astronomy Prompts - July 27 2018 - Mars at Opposition. Prompt: (emotion) Anger

356 prompts challenge: 116. Era - Dumbledore

The Insane House Challenge - 477. Item - Cardigan

the Cupboard's Visitors

As much as Harry could figure, he had been living in the cupboard under the stairs ever since he had been too big to fit in Dudley's old cradle. As a small kid, he thought that the cupboard was a rather good resident. Not as good as Dudley's first and second bedroom, but enough for him to sleep and play in.

It started getting stuffy when he started primary school.

He remembered one time when he was in year two and Dudley opened the door of the cupboard, Harry suspected, by accident.

"Wha-" started Dudley as the small door creaked open. Dudley peered around the corner and made a disgusted face.

"What do you want, Dudley?" asked Harry.

Dudley sniffed looked around once more then fixed his eyes on the skinny kid sitting on the bed that really didn't look like a bed.

"Mummy and Daddy are gone, and I'm alone. Do you want to play a game with me?" Dudley asked, one of his meaty hands holding on to the cupboard posts.

Harry lifted his head in surprise. "Yeah," he said, taking the chance for a brief freedom away from his miserable life.

He followed Dudley out of the cupboard and to Dudley's second bedroom.

Dudley tossed Harry a video game controller, Harry caught it. They played for a while and in that time Harry almost forgot that Dudley liked to bully him. Until, of course, he won the game and Dudley threw the controller through the window in anger and knocked Harry's glasses off his nose with his fist.

The big kid stormed off to eat ice cream and scream a little more.

Harry didn't want to be there for his tantrum and quietly walked back to his cupboard. He was never invited to play with Dudley ever since, unless if being his and his friend's punching bag considered as playing with them.

Harry had also been locked into the cupboard many times. The first time it was because Dudley had broken one of uncle Vernon's flip phones (Harry had been very impressed, he had no idea before that it could be accomplished) and blamed Harry for it.

He had been in the living room, about to take out the trash when he heard Dudley say to his mother, "I don't know what you heard, but whatever it is, Harry started it."

Harry knew in an instant that he was in trouble.

As soon as he retired to his cupboard for the day, the door was kicked open and in the doorway stood the large figure of uncle Vernon, his face beet red, the same colour as his new cardigan.

"JUST STAY IN THERE AND NEVER COME OUT!" he roared, slamming the door closed after he had chewed Harry out for a crime he didn't commit.

So Harry had been locked in the small room, in the stifling summer heat for two weeks.

In the meantime, aunt Petunia would slide small pieces of food through the slit of the doorway.

Once she had opened to door to hand over the food. Harry looked confused. "Don't think too much, I'm not here for you," spat Petunia, rolling her eyes. Then she sat the tray down on Harry's bed.

Harry wanted to thank her but couldn't make the words come out.

The door closed silently behind Petunia as she walked out, right after she did so she opened the door suddenly and then said, "You need to eat more, Harry. You look like a ghost." She slammed the door.

Even years later, Harry remember those visits. They were bad memories, jarring in his mind.