An Emergency Like No Other

"Oh, your whole family is so sweet, Mr. Dursley!" Diosa Puttidi shrieked. "Especially your son--he looks so adorable!"

Dudley grinned.

"Some people think he's overweight," Aunt Petunia said offhandedly.

"Well, don't listen to what they say," Mrs. Puttidi said, "Your son is absolutely perfect! I just have to ask why your nephew haven't said anything."

"He can't," Uncle Vernon answered quickly, "He's a mute."

Uncle Vernon silenced Harry with a look before he could say "WHAT?!" Harry quickly decided it would be best to remain silent.

"Oh, that's too bad," Mrs. Puttidi said, "Can he understand what we're saying?"

"They--they don't know," Uncle Vernon replied. "He seems to recognize our faces, but no word on whether he understands what we're saying."

"Oh, this is so sad!" Mrs. Puttidi said loudly.

"Isn't it," Aunt Petunia said offhandedly. Harry thought her tone sounded sarcastic, but Mrs. Puttidi didn't seem to notice.

"Can you understand me, boy?" Mrs. Puttidi asked Harry in a baby voice. "Can you? Can you? Huh? Huh?" Harry clenched his fists angrily.

"He looks dangerous," Mrs. Puttidi told Uncle Vernon seriously.

"He gets that look in his eyes every so often," Uncle Vernon answered as though Harry were some kind of animal. "The doctor says that's our best hope he understands anything about the outside world."

"Why is he living with you anyway?" Mrs. Puttidi asked. "Where are his parents?"

"They died in a car crash," Uncle Vernon said automatically.

"His father was a drunk," Aunt Petunia added quickly. "They were married just two months before Harry was born. Though I still miss my poor sister, I can't tell you how glad Harry ended up in our care instead of theirs."

"Oh, this is all so sad!" Mrs. Puttidi exclaimed, as tears rolled down her cheeks. "I suppose it must be hard to take care of this boy."

"Oh, yes," Uncle Vernon said heavily. "We can't even afford the proper treatment."

"I suppose it would help if I donated a few hundred pounds to be your business," Mrs. Puttidi said.

"Why I hadn't even thought of that!" Uncle Vernon said, a greedy smile spreading across his face. "Why, yes, I suppose it would."

Dr. Taylor, a tall man with black hair, arrived in Ginny's ward and begun questioning her.

"Okay," he said, "Name?"

"Ginny Miller," Ginny answered promptly.

"No," he complained, "I want your full name and middle initial. Isn't Ginny short for anything like, uh, Virginia?"

"Okay," Ginny said heavily, "My full name is Virginia, uh, M. Weas--Miller, uh, I mean Virginia M. Miller."

"Okay," he said, "Miller, Virginia M." Ginny nodded.

"What's your sex?"

Ginny stared.

"Isn't it kinda obvious?" she asked.

"Sex," he repeated as though he had not heard her. Ginny couldn't believe this.

"Male," she said sarcastically.

"Do you want me to write that down?" he asked her. Ginny sighed.

"No," she said eventually, "I'm, now I know this shocking, female. Try not to faint long enough to write it down."

"Do you want to get you in trouble, Miss Miller?"

"I have a choice?" she asked brightly.

"Don't get cheeky with me, girl!" Dr. Taylor said angrily. "Date of birth."

"11 August, 1981," she answered honestly.

"You're fifteen?"

"I'll be fifteen in August," Ginny corrected.

"You don't look fifteen," he said. Ginny just couldn't believe this. He wasn't allowed to observe she was female, but he could observe she didn't look her age. What was this?

"Well, I am almost fifteen," she said, trying to keep her temper under control, "I just look young for my age."

"Right," he said sarcastically, "How old are you really?" Ginny was getting quite fed up by now. If he didn't want her real age, what did he want?

"Twenty-one," she said sarcastically.

"You seem to think this is some kind of game," he told her angrily.

"If it is, then it isn't a very fun one," she answered.

"Can't you just tell me the truth, little girl?" I already did!

"How old do you think I am?" she asked angrily.

"About twelve--maybe thirteen," he answered.

"Fine!" Ginny said. "I'm twelve then."

"What day were you born?"

"June thirty-first," she quickly invented.

"What's your medical history?"

"Just this month, I broke my leg breaking into a secret chamber hidden below London," Ginny answered. "When I was eleven, an evil wizard possessed my body and caused me to attack several people."

"I suppose you think you're being funny," he snapped at her. Ginny pretended to think for a moment.

"Um, yeah, I actually do," she answered.

Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia invented tragic stories about Harry to tell Mrs. Puttidi, but all Harry could do was sit in silence.

"They said he wouldn't live to his tenth birthday," Aunt Petunia said as crocodile tears welled up in her eyes. "N-now that we've r-r-reached his tenth birthday it could be--be any day now." Suddenly the door bell rang.

"Harry, you--I-I mean, I'll get that," Uncle Vernon faltered. Harry tried to hold back a grin. He heard his uncle open the door and then close it again immediately. Harry's hopes flew up as his uncle rushed back in the room.

"Petunia," he said, "It's them." Aunt Petunia gasped.

"Who?" Mrs. Puttidi asked.

"The people from Harry's school," Uncle Vernon said, "Uh, Harry, come with me."

"I thought you said the doctors weren't sure he could understand you," Mrs. Puttidi said.

"Well, uh, he recognizes our voices and he comes when we call him," Uncle Vernon quickly invented, "Come here, Harry. Come here, come on," he said as though Harry were a puppy. Harry angrily got up and followed his uncle into the hallway. Uncle Vernon rounded and Harry as soon as they were out of sight and earshot of Mrs. Puttidi.

"It's those Weasleys," he whispered menacingly. "They've come for you."

"Can I go then?" Harry asked brightly. Uncle Vernon stared at him.

"Yes, but make sure they leave before Mrs. Puttidi can see them," he said eventually. Harry dashed out the door, where he saw Mr. Weasley, Ron and the twins. The Knight Bus was parked just behind them on Privet Drive.

"Hi, Mr. Weasley," he said brightly, "Let's go now."

"Wait, I wanted another word with your uncle," Mr. Weasley said, walking back towards the Dursleys' house.

"No!" Harry said quickly. "I-I think we should leave immediately."

"Y'know, we can' stay ‘ere all night," Stan Shunpike said suddenly, "We've got stops to make."

"Yeah, I agree with him and Harry," Ron said quickly, "Let's go." Harry nodded vigorously.

"This'll only take a minute," Mr. Weasley said as he casually walked into the front door. Harry dashed in after him.

"Mr. Dursley, I'd like a word with you," Mr. Weasley said. Uncle Vernon dropped a glass dish in shock and turned around to stare maliciously at Mr. Weasley and Harry, apparently at a complete loss for words.

"I want to apologize for what I did to your living room the last time we were here," Mr. Weasley said calmly, "To make amends, I've decided to give you chocolates." Dudley reached for one of the chocolates, but Aunt Petunia screamed.

"Don't touch them!" she shrieked. Meanwhile, Uncle Vernon got back his voice.

"Potter!" he shouted. "I thought I told you to keep them out of the house!"

"Why are you shouting at him?" Mrs. Puttidi asked in astonishment.

"Because he feels like it," said Harry, who was tired of his mute act, in a very dull voice. Mrs. Puttidi shrieked louder then Aunt Petunia.

"HE TALKED!!!" she shouted, pointing at Harry as though he were the most fascinating thing in the entire universe. "DID YOU HEAR HIM? HE TALKED!!!" Suddenly, Mrs. Puttidi fainted and Uncle Vernon turned to stare at Mr. Weasley and Harry with the utmost loathing.

"I'll also modify her memory," Mr. Weasley added brightly.