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…magical world of Privet Drive and the world beyond； Harry's two lives had somehow bee fused and everything had been turned upside…down； the Dursleys were asking for details about the magical world； and Mrs Figg knew Albus Dumbledore； Dementors were soaring around Little Whinging； and he might never return to Hogwarts。 Harry's head throbbed more painfully。
'Back？' whispered Aunt Petunia。
She was looking at Harry as she had never looked at him before。 And all of a sudden； for the very first time in his life； Harry fully appreciated that Aunt Petunia was his mother's sister。 He could not have said why this hit him so very powerfully at this moment。 All he knew was that he was not the only person in the room who had an inkling of what Lord Voldemort being back might mean。 Aunt Petunia had never in her life looked at him like that before。 Her large； pale eyes （so unlike her sister's） were not narrowed in dislike or anger； they were wide and fearful。 The furious pretence that Aunt Petunia had maintained all Harry's life … that there was no magic and no world other than the world she inhabited with Uncle Vernon … seemed to have fallen away。
'Yes；' Harry said； talking directly to Aunt Petunia now。 'He came back a month ago。 I saw him。'
Her hands found Dudley's massive leather…clad shoulders and clutched them。
'Hang on；' said Uncle Vernon； looking from his wife to Harry and back again； apparently dazed and confused by the unprece…dented understanding that seemed to have sprung up between them。 'Hang on。 This Lord Voldything's back； you say。'
'Yes。'
The one who murdered your parents。'
'Yes。'
'And now he's sending Dismembers after you？'
'Looks like it；' said Harry。
'I see；' said Uncle Vernon； looking from his white…faced wife to Harry and hitching up his trousers。 He seemed to be swelling； his great purple face stretching before Harry's eyes。 'Well； that settles it；' he said； his shirt front straining as he inflated himself； 'you can get out of this house； boy！'
'What？' said Harry。
'You heard me … OUT！' Uncle Vernon bellowed； and even Aunt Petunia and Dudley jumped。 'OUT！ OUT！ I should've done this years ago！ Owls treating the place like a rest home； puddings exploding； half the lounge destroyed； Dudley's tail； Marge bobbing around on the ceiling and that flying Ford Anglia … OUT！ OUT！ You've had it！ You're history！ You're not staying here if some loony's after you； you're not endangering my wife and son； you're not bringing trouble down on us。 If you're going the same way as your useless parents； I've had it！ OUT！'
Harry stood rooted to the spot。 The letters from the Ministry； Mr Weasley and Sirius were all crushed in his left hand。 Don't leave the house again； whatever you do。 DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE。
'You heard me！' said Uncle Vernon； bending forwards now； his massive purple face ing so close to Harry's； he actually felt flecks of spit hit his face。 'Get going！ You were all keen to leave half an hour ago！ I'm right behind you！ Get out and never darken our doorstep again！ Why we ever kept you in the first place； I don't know； Marge was right； it should have been the orphanage。 We were too damn soft for our own good； thought we could squash it out of you； thought we could turn you normal； but you've been rotten from the beginning and I've had enough … owls！'
The fifth owl zoomed down the chimney so fast it actually hit the floor before zooming into the air again with a loud screech。 Harry raised his hand to seize the letter； which was in a scarlet envelope； but it soared straight over his head； flying directly at Aunt Petunia； who let out a scream and ducked； her arms over her face。 The owl dropped the red envelope on her head； turned； and flew straight back up the chimney。
Harry darted forwards to pick up the letter； but Aunt Petunia beat him to it。
'You can open it if you like；' said Harry； 'but I'll hear what it says anyway。 That's a Howler。'
'Let go of it； Petunia！' roared Uncle Vernon。 'Don't touch it； it could be dangerous！'
'It's addressed to me；' said Aunt Petunia in a shaking voice。 'It's addressed to me； Vernon； look！ Mrs Petunia Dursley； The Kitchen； Number Four； Privet Drive …
She caught her breath； horrified。 The red envelope had begun to smoke。
'Open it！' Harry urged her。 'Get it over with！ It'll happen anyway。'
'No。'
Aunt Petunia's hand was trembling。 She looked wildly around the kitchen as though looking for an escape route； but too late …the envelope burst into flames。 Aunt Petunia screamed and dropped it。
An awful voice filled the kitchen； echoing in the confined space； issuing from the burning letter on the table。
'Remember my last； Petunia。'
Aunt Petunia looked as though she might faint。 She sank into the chair beside Dudley； her face in her hands。 The remains of the envelope smouldered into ash in the silence。
'What is this？' Uncle Vernon said hoarsely。 'What … I don't …Petunia？'
Aunt Petunia said nothing。 Dudley was staring stupidly at his mother； his mouth hanging open。 The silence spiralled horribly。 Harry was watching his aunt； utterly bewildered； his head throbbing fit to burst。
'Petunia； dear？' said Uncle Vernon timidly。 'P…Petunia？'
She raised her head。 She was still trembling。 She swallowed。
'The boy … the boy will have to stay； Vernon；' she said weakly。
'W…what？'
'He stays；' she said。 She was not looking at Harry。 She got to her feet again。
'He： but Petunia：'
'If we throw him out； the neighbours will talk；' she said。 She was rapidly regaining her usual brisk； snappish manner； though she was still very pale。 They'll ask awkward questions； they'll want to know where he's gone。 We'll have to keep him。'
Uncle Vernon was deflating like an old tyre。
'But Petunia； dear …
Aunt Petunia ignored him。 She turned to Harry。 'You're to stay in your room；' she said。 'You're not to leave the house。 Now get to bed。' Harry didn't move。 'Who was that Howler from？'
'Don't ask questions；' Aunt Petunia snapped。 'Are you in touch with wizards？'
'I told you to get to bed！'
'What did it mean？ Remember the last what？'
'Go to bed！'
'How e …？'
'YOU HEARD YOUR AUNT； NOW GO UP TO BED！'
… CHAPTER THREE …
The Advance Guard
I've just been attacked by Dementors and I might be expelled from Hogwarts。 I want to know what's going on and when I'm going to get out of here。
Harry copied these words on to three separate pieces of parchment the moment he reached the desk in his dark bedroom。 He addressed the first to Sirius； the second to Ron and the third to Hermione。 His owl； Hedwig； was off hunting； her cage stood empty on the desk。 Harry paced the bedroom waiting for her to e back； his head pounding； his brain too busy for sleep even though his eyes stung and itched with tiredness。 His back ached from hauling Dudley home； and the two lumps on his head where the window and Dudley had hit him were throbbing painfully。
Up and down he paced； consumed with anger and frustration； grinding his teeth and clenching his fists； casting angry looks out at the empty； star…strewn sky every time he passed the window。 Dementors sent to get him； Mrs Figg and Mundungus Fletcher tailing him in secret； then suspension fromHogwarts and a hearing at the Ministry of Magic … and still no one was telling him what was going on。
And what； what； had that Howler been about？ Whose voice had echoed so horribly； so menacingly； through the kitchen？
Why was he still trapped here without information？ Why was everyone treating him like some naughty kid？ Don't do any more magic； stay in the house：
He kicked his school trunk as he passed it； but far from relieving his anger he felt worse； as he now had a sharp pain in his toe to deal with in addition to the pain in the rest of his body。
Just as he limped past the window； Hedwig soared through it with a soft rustle of wings like a small ghost。
'About time！' Harry snarled； as she landed lightly on top of her cage。 'You can put that down； I've got work for you！'
Hedwig's large； round； amber eyes gazed at him reproachfully over the dead frog clamped in her beak。
'e here；' said Harry； picking up the three small rolls of parchment and a leather thong and tying the scrolls to her scaly leg。 Take these straight to Sirius； Ron and Hermione and don't e back here without good long replies。 Keep pecking them till they've written decent…length answers if you've got to。 Understand？'
Hedwig gave a muffled hooting noise； her beak still full of frog。
'Get going； then；' said Harry。
She took off immediately。 The moment she'd gone； Harry threw himself down on his bed without undressing and stared at the dark ceiling。 In addition to every other miserable feeling； he now felt guilty that he'd been irritable with Hedwig； she was the only friend he had at number four； Privet Drive。 But he'd make it up to her when she came back with the answers from Sirius； Ron and Hermione。
They were bound to write back quickly；