Ch3. Visiting a Zoo? Sure, go on.
The following weeks quickly flowed into a mind-numbing routine for Harry. Making meals, doing chores, and trying to access his mindscape for starting occlumency. Surprisingly, it was going quite well. He certainly did have a talent for the craft. It will however take much more to stop even a novice Legilimencer, much less Dumbledore. In the end, it all boiled to time. The time he did not have.
He was also pleasantly surprised that Walrus Vernon and Giraffe Petunia were a lot less abusive than he initially thought. After that revelation, he chastised himself for still thinking of this as some elaborate fairy tale. Dursleys were but normal people. Well, granted. Normal is a very subjective term for hate-filled bastards as them. They were not outright abusive of Harry, instead choosing to be utterly dismissive of him, pretend he doesn't exist, and trying to drown him in chores. No wonder the little guy latched at Ron the first opportunity he got. Nobody really paid attention to him unless he made a blunder. Except for Dudley and his motley crew of bullies, of course. And for a kid, that can be pretty devastating.
Harry, of course, didn't do many blunders. After living with Dursleys for a few weeks, he knew exactly what to avoid. A drunk Vernon was on the top of his list.
Vernon was a worthless piece of garbage. Fat beyond belief, greasy almost on the level of Snape, violent towards people weaker than him, and butt-licking towards anyone who was his social better. But for all of his faults, he was not initiating any over the top violence against Harry. When he was sober, that is. One day, he came back drunk and Harry did not manage to hide in the cupboard fast enough to not be spotted. Needless to say, he did not enjoy the hours he had to spend resetting and healing bones or bruises. Since then, Harry learned to expect the 'unexpected' and always hid when he thought drunk Vernon was coming home. Vernon did not really seek Harry for a beating when he was drunk. No, he rather went upstairs to entertain Petunia. The occasional confidence boost alcohol provided was the best glue for their marriage.
Petunia was easy to figure out. She sneered. She glared. And she sniffed her nose in disdain. When that didn't work, she switched tactics and berated and berated and berated until Harry was tuning out most of her tripe quipping obedient answers off the top of his head. For a kid, her emotional abuse would probably create a mentally challenged person we all know under the name Harry Potter. Fortunately, the new Harry had enough years of living under his belt to not really mind her poor attempts at making his life harsher.
Dudley was a kid. Arrogant, cocky, and ultimately very easy to distract. If one has enough skill to persuade a man dead-set on jumping down from a skyscraper to actually jump head-first, one can easily enough direct ickle Duddikins' attention away from himself.
…
It was the day of Dudley's birthday. Harry still held a little hope for having more time but when he saw the entire screaming show because 36 gifts are apparently not enough…
On the bright side, at least he now understood exactly where in the timeline he now stood. Dursleys ate his painstakingly prepared breakfast as they hollered at each other where to go. Dudley was all excited in the vision of getting more gifts, completely ignoring the thirty-six he already got. Harry knew they planned to go into a Zoo next and he was not about to waste such a precious opportunity. He approached Vernon, trying to appear as timid and small as possible, looking at his feet.
"Uncle Vernon," He mumbled exactly loud enough to be heard but not sound overly confident. "could you leave me here when you leave for the Zoo?"
His mumbling alongside rubbing his palms together while fidgeting painted the perfect picture of a timid, obedient, and hesitant child. Just what Dursleys wanted. Oh, how Harry hated the smug looks they projected at him at the moment. Their faces were very punchable and he had a hard time not breaking the act.
"You want to stay here alone?" Vernon asked, amused. "What are you planning, freak?" He narrowed his eyes.
Harry visibly flinched. "Nothing, uncle Vernon!"
"I just thought you would like to enjoy the day without me." He continued.
Vernon pierced him with his beady eyes and intensely stared at him, trying to find a fault with his reasoning. After a minute, not able to find anything worthy berating the child, Vernon frowned in distaste.
"You can stay. But if even a speck of dust is misplaced when we return then!" He threatened Harry while waving his plump finger at him. Harry nodded and quickly left, retreating into the safety of his cupboard.
All went according to plan!
…
Harry was home alone and he could finally have his petty revenge upon Dursleys! He went through every place where it was possible to hide something. Unfortunately, no documents confirming that Vernon steals from Grunnings nor any other blackmail was found. It seemed, other than being a violent brute to those he hated, he was basically a perfect British citizen!
Harry had to be satisfied with the money he managed to 'confiscate'. He found seven hundred bucks in Dudley's room. The little pigling really just throws money he is given wherever he wants and later forgets about it. He is basically the perfect victim for a thief! Harry had serious doubts Dudley would even get an inkling that he missed some money.
Harry also managed to liberate five thousand from the Dursley family safe. When he opened it for the first time, his jaw basically dropped to the ground. There must have been at least fifty thousand altogether. Not a small sum considering Petunia is a housewife and Vernon is not earning all that much. The question was, where did they get so much money from? Harry's shoulders sagged in defeat. The answer was apparent. Dursleys surely receive a fat stipend for 'taking care' of him. The last Potter.
The revelation filled Harry with so much rage, things started to float around him. He quickly clamped down at his emotion and with gritted teeth and hands balled into fists he somehow miraculously calmed down. Taking deep breaths Harry realized how hypocritical he is. He, a transmigrator, was here, serving these pigs, for a little over a month whereas the original Harry had to bear with it until he was almost adult! How the guy didn't become the next Dark Lord is anyone's guess! That also showed how dangerous Dumbledore is. The amount of control he had over the original Harry's emotional state… shuddering thoughts.
In the end, he took only five thousand. Nobody will even spot the difference unless uncle Vernon starts counting. Which he really doesn't. Last time Harry saw him open the safe, he just threw the money there with a satisfied gleeful grin as he eyed Harry smugly. Now he knew why.
Harry didn't take anything else. For one, he didn't have anywhere to hide big objects, and then, he didn't need anything else. His newly acquired five thousand seven hundred bucks were safely hidden in a drawer located in his cupboard. Hah, no Dursley would ever willingly touch anything belonging to him, therefore there is no way they would go snooping around his drawers.
His vanity, small revenge, and material needs satisfied Harry's face split into a shit-eating grin. It was finally time to join the big boys and practice magic. And by that, he meant real magic. Not some wand-waving hocus-pocus!