22 Chapter 22: “Two Years later”

Oct 30, 1983

Two years had slipped by since Harry Potter had been left at the Dursleys' doorstep at Number 4, Privet Drive. The world beyond those narrow confines had become a blur to him, a realm of possibilities too remote to even dream about.

Each day for Harry began with the jarring sound of banging on his cupboard door, his cramped space beneath the stairs serving as a stark reminder of his place in the Dursley household. Struggling to recall anything from before he was four brought a throbbing pain to his head, a pain Aunt Petunia dismissed with claims of an injury erasing his memories.

This morning, like every other, began with Petunia's shrill voice. "Up now, boy! Don't dawdle, we're hungry!" Her commands had shaped Harry's mornings since his arrival. Every household chore fell upon his young shoulders, with harsh punishments for mistakes and a complete absence of praise.

Hurrying to the bathroom to freshen up, and then rushing to the kitchen, Harry embarked on his daily routine. Today's breakfast menu demanded bacon, sausages, and toast. He worked meticulously, fearing Uncle Vernon's wrath for any culinary misstep. His heightened senses became his guardians against error.

In the dining room, the Dursleys sat awaiting their meal. Dudley, who was three, was talking about his birthday which was months away. "Dad, I want more presents this year. One for each year I'm old!"

Uncle Vernon, half listening, agreed just to keep Dudley quiet. "Fine, fine, as many as you are old. Now eat."

Dudley's face lit up at the idea, already daydreaming about a future filled with ever-increasing piles of gifts.

Harry served the breakfast quietly, his presence barely acknowledged by the family. As they ate, he stood at the corner, waiting to clear the table and have his own meal of leftovers.

Then it was time for school. The Dursleys didn't really want to send Harry to school, but they had to because everyone else did. They had no interest in providing for Harry's education, but begrudgingly bowing to societal norms, had enrolled him in the most affordable, least prestigious school they could find.

The school offered no respite from Harry's dreary life. Each day, Harry made the long, 45-minute walk to the school since the school they found was far away and the Dursleys could not care to arrange daily transportation for him. 

The school stood as a drab, uninviting structure at the end of his trek. Its corridors echoed with the laughter and chatter of children, sounds that seemed alien to Harry. He walked through these halls like a ghost, unnoticed and overlooked, except when trouble found him, which it often did.

Harry's school life was a replica of his world at the Dursleys'. In the classroom, he occupied a small, inconspicuous corner, his desk a shield against the curious eyes of his classmates.

The teachers, influenced by Uncle Vernon's preemptive declarations of Harry's 'troublesome' nature on the very first day, treated him with a blend of indifference and suspicion. This treatment only cemented his isolation, building an invisible wall between him and the rest of the class.

Academically, Harry had learned to navigate a precarious path. His early days at school had shown promise. He had a natural aptitude for learning, his sharp mind grasping concepts with ease. However, his first glowing performance on a test had brought accusations of cheating, a bitter lesson about the dangers of standing out. Since then, he had deliberately kept his grades average, avoiding both the bottom and the top of the class.

The playground was no better. It was a battlefield where Harry was often the unwitting target. The bullies, sensing an easy victim in the solitary, quiet boy, found ways to pin their mischief on him. Harry bore the brunt of their actions, his protests falling on deaf ears.

The teachers, conditioned to see him as a troublemaker, seldom believed his side of the story. This injustice stung, but Harry learned to endure it, his resilience growing with each unfair punishment.

Lunchtime was a lonely affair. While other children grouped together, sharing food and stories, Harry sat alone, his lunch often nothing more than a sandwich or a small apple. He would watch the others, their laughter a distant melody, a reminder of a camaraderie he was barred from. Even attempts to join in were met with scorn or indifference, reinforcing his solitary existence.

In the classroom, he was often the target of snide remarks or the butt of jokes. His silence and lack of response only encouraged more of the same. Harry had long since learned that defending himself only led to more trouble. He had become adept at wearing a mask of indifference, a shield against the constant barrage of negativity.

As the school day drew to a close, Harry would prepare for his journey home. His heart, heavy with the day's burdens, longed for a reprieve, but he knew none awaited him. The walk back was a mirror of his morning trek, filled with the same solitude and introspection. The prospect of returning to the Dursleys to face an evening of chores did little to lift his spirits.

Harry's reputation in the neighbourhood, tarnished by Aunt Petunia's rumours, ensured his isolation. No friends awaited him, no playdates, only the looming chores at home.

Back at Privet Drive, his afternoons were spent tending the lawn and garden, a task he did with mechanical precision. Preparing tea for Uncle Vernon followed, then the cleaning of the house. Every chore was a race against time, a sprint towards the temporary respite of dinner preparation.

Exhausted, Harry would eat his meal alone, often a meager serving of whatever leftovers remained from the Dursleys' dinner. The day would end as it began, in the confines of his cupboard. There, in that small, dark space, he would finally close his eyes, succumbing to a night of dreamless sleep, a brief escape from the unyielding reality of his life.

In this life of shadows and silence, Harry Potter's spirit was tested daily. Yet, within him, a spark of resilience flickered, refusing to be extinguished. It was this resilience that carried him through each day, each challenge, each moment of despair.