โ
Now come on, weโre off.โ
He marched out of the room. They heard the front door open, but Dudley did not move and after a few faltering steps Aunt Petunia stopped too.
โWhat now?โ barked Uncle Vernon, reappearing in the doorway.
It seemed that Dudley was struggling with concepts too difficult to put into words. After several moments of apparently painful internal struggle he said, โBut whereโs he going to go?โ
Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon looked at each other. It was clear that Dudley was frightening them. Hestia Jones broke the silence.
โButโฆsurely you know where your nephew is going?โ she asked, looking bewildered.
โCertainly we know,โ said Vernon Dursley. โHeโs off with some of your lot, isnโt he? Right, Dudley, letโs get in the car, you heard the man, weโre in a hurry.โ
Again, Vernon Dursley marched as far as the front door, but Dudley did not follow.
โOff with some of our lot?โ
Hestia looked outraged. Harry had met this attitude before: Witches and wizards seemed stunned that his closest living relatives took so little interest in the famous Harry Potter.
โItโs fine,โ Harry assured her. โIt doesnโt matter, honestly.โ
โDoesnโt matter?โ repeated Hestia, her voice rising ominously. โDonโt these people realize what youโve been through? What danger you are in? The unique position you hold in the hearts of the anti-Voldemort movement?โ
โEr--no, they donโt,โ said Harry. โThey think Iโm a waste of space, actually, but Iโm used to--โ
โI donโt think youโre a waste of space.โ
If Harry had not seen Dudleyโs lips move, he might not have believed it. As it was, he stared at Dudley for several seconds before accepting that it must have been his cousin who had spoken; for one thing, Dudley had turned red. Harry was embarrassed and astonished himself.
โWellโฆerโฆthanks, Dudley.โ
Again, Dudley appeared to grapple with thoughts too unwieldy for expression before mumbling, โYou saved my life.โ
โNot really,โ said Harry. โIt was your soul the dementor would have takenโฆโ
He looked curiously at his cousin. They had had virtually no contact during this summer or last, as Harry had come back to Privet Drive so briefly and kept to his room so much. It now dawned on Harry, however, that the cup of cold tea on which he had trodden that morning might not have been a booby trap at all. Although rather touched, he was nevertheless quite relieved that Dudley appeared to have exhausted his ability to express his feelings. After opening his mouth once or twice more, Dudley subsided into scarlet-faced silence.
Aunt Petunia burst into tears. Hestia Jones gave her an approving look that changed to outrage as Aunt Petunia ran forward and embraced Dudley rather than Harry.
โS-so sweet, Duddersโฆโ she sobbed into his massive chest. โS-such a lovely b-boyโฆs-saying thank youโฆโ
โBut he hasnโt said thank you at all!โ said Hestia indignantly. โHe only said he didnโt think Harry was a waste of space!โ
โYeah, but coming from Dudley thatโs like โI love you,โโ said Harry, torn between annoyance and a desire to laugh as Aunt Petunia continued to clutch at Dudley as if he had just saved Harry from a burning building.
โ
โ
J.K. Rowling (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Harry Potter, #7))