Mark_Ward
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Chapter 21: Comeuppance Pt. 2
🕑 Added 2020-08-17 18:33:40 +0000 UTC
BANG, BANG, BANG!
The sound of someone banging against the door of 4 Privet Drive early on a Saturday morning echoed in the quiet, still neighborhood.
"Open up," a voice called out as they once again banged against the front door.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," a blustering voice answered as a big, beefy man with a large purple face, and a bushy black mustache made his way down the stairs in his pajamas.
Behind him was a thin, blonde-haired woman with long neck like that of a giraffe, and a long face, lantern jaw, and large teeth.
"Mom, what's going on," an extremely fat boy with watery blue eyes and thick blond hair asked as he pulled at his mother's nightgown.
"Don't worry, Popkin," the woman answered in a sweet voice as she rubbed her son's face. "Go back to sleep, it is still very early."
"But mom, d- do... do you think it is that scary m- man?"
Freezing up, the horse face woman quickly collected herself, and then bent down towards her son. "NO, Diddykins, I do not think so. Even if it is your father and I will protect you."
"But... but you didn't protect me the first time!" the fat boy shouted. "All you did was tremble in fear."
"Now Diddykins," the woman said in a stern voice, "Go to your room."
"I don't want to," the spoiled brat answered as he crossed his hands and stood his ground.
Sighing, the woman did not what else to do but walk away. Coming up behind her husband, she saw as he opened the door and was greeted to the sight of two men dressed in brown and black suits.
"Greetings," the man in the black suit said. He was a young man either in his late twenties or early thirties. His partner in the brown suit was a gruff looking man who said nothing but stared.
"Who are you people," the fat mustache man asked in his combustive tone. He looked around the neighborhood and already saw that a few people were looking outside their window to see what was going on in curiosity. "And why in god's name are you beating against our door this early in the morning."
Still keeping up with his pleasant smile, the young man answered, "My name is Alex, and this fine gentleman is my partner, Clark."
"I do not care about that," the overweight man shouted. "What are you doing at my home?"
"Oh," the young man said, "We are from the FTC - The Federal Trade Commission!"
"Oh," the abrasive man said as he seem to deflate a bit when he heard it was an authoritative figure.
"Yes," the young investigator said, "We are here looking for Vernon Dursley. Would that be you, sir?"
"Yes," Vernon answered, "What is the issue, officer?"
"Nothing, nothing at all. We just had a few questions for you, that all."
"My husband has done nothing wrong, agents! He is a fine upstanding citizen and member of the community." the horse face woman cut in.
"And you would be?" the investigators asked.
"Petunia Dursley," the woman answered, "I am his wife."
"Yes, well who said he has done anything wrong," the young man quizzed. "This is just a formal inquiry, you could say, Ma'am. Now if I could please continue,"
"Yes, of course."
"Now," the young man began with as he took out a small notepad and a pen from his pocket. "You are the Owner of a firm called Grunnings?"
"Yes," the whale-like man answered as he puffed himself up. "I have bought it off the old owner in 1980."
"With the help of your wife's brother-in-law money correct?" the investigator asked in a pleasant tone.
Pausing, the fat, meaty's man expression went through a dozen expression until he growled out, "Yes."
"Good, good," the young man said as he quickly scribbled something in his notepad. "And what does Grunnings do, if I may ask?"
"We make drills, very important stuff."
"I see," the investigator said. "Now did you know that there was some inconsistency in your firm's accounts?"
"What?" the man exclaimed, and his wife took in a sharp intake of breath at the news. "I... I did not know about that," he said as sweat poured down his face.
Looking up and facing him head on, the young investigator asked."I thought you were the owner? Shouldn't you know all that goes down in your own firm?"
"Well, not exactly everything per se. I only look out for our interest and try to expand. I hire other people to do that."
Snorting, the grum looking man spoke up for the first time and muttered, "Some owner you are, aye?"
Going red in the face, the fat man shouted, "Now look here, I will not stand for that kind of disrespect. If you want to speak to anyone, speak to my solicitor! I....."
Just then as Vernon was flapping his mouth about, three cars pulled into the driveway. Then a few men and women in black suits exited out of the cars and made their way over to the front door.
"Seems like you got a lot of guests, aye?" the young man joked, however, it fell on deaf ears as they were more worried about what was going on.
Walking in the lead was a woman with white short hair, and a badass vibe. She had on a black sunglasses which she took off when she walked up to them, showing her icy-blue eyes. "Is this the residence of the Dursley?"
"Yes," Petunia answered, "what can I do for you?" she asked as she was now getting very worried since all her neighbors were sticking their heads out of their houses and playing close attention to what was going on.
"Is Harry James Potter, here?"
Being rendered silent at that question, the woman nodded her head at her associates and pronounced. "Search the house."
With that, they all filed into the house and the Dursley's had no choice but to let them in.
"You can't do this," Petunia shouted, and already from inside, she could hear dishes crashing to the floor and shelves being upturned.
"Yes," Vernon intoned along with his wife.
"Actually we can," the woman answered. "We are from child protective services and we received some startling news that put you, Dursley's, in a very bad light."
"Whatever that brat told you is not true," Petunia spat out. "We have raised him, shelters him, and fed him for over thirteen years."
"We will see about that," the woman said and just then a third visitor came over to visit. This time it was a police car that pulled up.
"It looks like the cavalry has arrived," the woman announced as two police officers stepped out of their vehicle.
"Ma'am," one of the people from the child protective services called out. "The boy is not here!"
"Of course he isn't," Vernon shouted, "he ran off with his criminal of a.... a ..."
"Mhmm," the woman said not listening to him anymore. "Officer's please take them away."
"Mind if we come," the investigators called out. "We are from FTC and we have several charges of Bribery, Fraud, Embezzlement, Money Laundering, and Tax Evasion against him."
Shrugging her shoulder's the policemen closed in on the Dursely family and under the watchful eyes of their neighbors they were arrested and taken away.
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"Mrs. and Mrs. Dursely, you have some visitors that would like to see you," an officer called from beyond the bars.
"Is it my solicitor?" Vernon asked as he got up from his bench, and his handcuffs and legging rattled as he did. Both the Dursley did not look in a good state with Petunia's hair all being in a mess and Vernon countlessly complaining about how hungry he was. All in all, they were very miserable and so dearly wanted an accounting for this.
Not answering the officer simply unlocked the door and stepped back, letting whoever came to visit come in.
"Hurry up, and move it along," a voice called out as two women were pushed into the prison cell. One was a batty old woman with grizzled grey fly away hair and the other woman was a near copy of Vernon himself. As she large, beefy, purple-faced, and even had a small mustache.
"Marjorie? What are you doing here?" Vernon asked.
"Is that you Ms. Figg," Petunia wondered out loud.
"Yes," the old woman answered as she sat down on the bench.
Looking around with her beady eyes, the fat woman that Vernon called out to broke into sobbing tears when she saw her brother and ran over to him. "Vernon, oh, Vernon, the injustices that I have suffered. They dragged me out of my bed early in the morning and look at me."
"It is going to be okay, sister," the fat man whispered as he made kissing faces for her to settle her down. "When my solicitor comes this will all be straightened out and they will pay dearly for the treatment they have given us."
"Good it seems like you are all here," a voice interpreted as the same young investigator, his partner, and the woman with the sunglasses walked into the prison cell.
"You!" every cell occupant shouted.
"Yes, me," the young investigator, "now be seated, we have important guests arriving."
However, it seems like everyone wanted to do the opposite as they all shouted at once.
"Where is my little Diddykins?" Petunia shouted.
"I want to speak to my solicitor, right now," Vernon intoned.
"You can not keep me here," Marjorie answered with her own screaming.
"I am an old lady, my bones will not allow me to stay here for long periods." Ms. Figgs began with.
"ENOUGH," the severe woman shouted which really did get everyone's silence. "Our guests are here."
With that, all three mysterious folks stepped back and from the deep recess of the prison walked into two gentlemen. Gentlemen really wouldn't be the correct turn to use for them since they were only 3.5 ft tall with green-pinkish skin, long pointy noses, and bat like ears. However they were well dressed and looked like people of good standing.
"Mr. Barnott, Mr. Gorkit," the peculiar individuals greeted respectfully as the two goblins came into the light.
Before the two goblins even got a word out, Marjorie started screaming, "AAAAAA, monsters, monsters."
"You are those goblins that my sister talked about," Petunia uttered with a shaky voice.
"What are you doing here," Vernon shouted as he went red in the face as if these magical being visit into his ordinary, mundane life was an insult to his personage.
"I thought that was very obvious," Gorkit answered in a savage grin. "You will be going away for a very, very long time."
"Yes," Barnott added, "Do you know how her Majesty felt when she found out a Lord of her realm was being so mistreated by you... animals?"
"But.. but I never mistreated young Harry Potter," Ms. Figgs voiced.
"Oh, we already know that," the gruff-looking investigator spoke up. "However, you knew perfectly well how young Harry Potter was being treated by them, and you did not even lift a finger. All you did was report to Dumbledore and keep it at that."
"You have been a spy for that old coot!" Petunia shouted as she turned her gaze upon the old woman.
Ignoring the horse face woman, the batty old woman still tried to defend herself, "I told Dumbledore how Harry was being treated by them, but... but he said do nothing."
"Mhm," Gorkit said as he contemplated what the old woman just said. "if you could attest to that one day when Dumbledore is brought before the Wizengamot, then we can see what we can do about your sentence. But for now, the desition still stands. You shall serve out your punishment."
"Yes," Barnott added," I told Dumbledore and he did not do anything does not stand. You could have gone to this muggle child's services. Reported it to the Ministry, reached out to the Daily Prophet, and so many other things. Yet you didn't so, this crime also rests on your shoulder."
Being silenced with no argument left, the old woman seem to roll into herself as she now had time to really realize her past actions.
"We have done nothing but treat that brat with respect he deserves," Vernon interpreted.
"Yes," Marjorie intoned as she seem to collect herself, "My brother took in that brat and raised him. How can you do this to him."
"You are both a lost cause," Barnott uttered as he looked on at them in pure disgust. "You will be facing numerous charges of child neglect, child abuse, child extortion, embezzlement, and numerous other charges."
"Where is my little Diddykins," Petunia uttered again.
"He will be taken into child protective services," the woman answered.
"Let's hope that the next home he finds will be a good one unlike your home," Gorkit uttered with a chuckle.
"You," Vernon shouted as he jumped up from his seat with swiftness that did not equate to his large size and bull rushed the goblin. However before he could make it anywhere, the young investigator took out a stick from his coat pocket and uttered a few words and made some gestures and the fat man was floating in the air.
"Behave yourself, please, it is unbecoming of someone your age."
"You're a wizard... but how?" Petunia studdered.
Snorting out loud, the old woman spoke up, "You think with a little magic we can not take over your paltry government. HA!"
"You're one of them?"
"Ha, if I was do you think I will be held back by these chains?"
"Now," Barnott said, "I wish you luck for all to come. You will absolutely need it."
With that, the small group of goblins and wizards walked out of the police station and into a waiting crowd of news reporters.
The goblins quickly cast a notice-me-not charm on to themselves and passed by the line of police officers blocking the police precinct and wade through the roiling mass.
Already they could hear reporters shouting their many questions which were all about the young orphan lord living in an abusive home.
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"So could I go," Harry asked his godfather as he looked over the invitation again.
"Sure," Sirius replied with a shrug, "though I will be coming with."
"Really?" Harry asked as that was the best news he heard alongside this invitation to the Quidditch World Cup. Sirius was a big fan of quidditch just like him and he used to play back in his glory days at Hogwarts along side his father.
"Yeah," Sirius said as he grinned at his godson.
"No way," Mrs. Tonks said, "that is absolutely out of the question."
"Come on I will go in disguise as that Yanky, and his profile is already established."
"No," Andromeda said more firmly this time. "There is still the chance someone might see through it."
"Come on," Sirius said as he waved off her concern, "you worry too much cousin. Live a little, be more free, you will thank me later."
"No, my decision stand!"
"Alright," Sirius said, and for a moment Harry thought he would listen to reason, but come on this is Sirius we are talking about. "Let's put it to a vote then. Tonks, do you want to come with," he blatantly bribed.
"Sure," Tonks replied through a mouthful of food. Then swallowing she added, "Do you know I used to play as Beater for my House!"
"Really?" Harry asked as he was already imagining her flying about in some skimpy dress as she fought valiantly against a bludger, but the ball just kept on tearing off more and more of her clothing.
"Yep," Tonks answered, "but I quite since I had my NEWTS coming up then that was it."
"What about you, Lupin?" Sirius asked.
All that Remus gave in answer was "100,000 Galleons."
"Well that is two votes," Sirius said, "what about you, Harry?"
Looking at Mrs. Tonks who had a disapproving look on her face, Harry gulp at what his answer was going to be. "Y- yes..."
"There we go," Sirius said, "three to one. It seems like I will be going after all."
Sighing, Mrs. Tonks just shook her head and said nothing.
"Sorry, Aunt Dromeda," Harry whispered.
"It's alright, deary," the older witch replied as he messed around with his hair. "When your godfather gets thrown back in Azkaban. He has no one to blame but himself."
"Yeah, yeah," Sirius said, seeming to not care any less. "Now," he said as he turned to face Harry, "We got important things to do today, before we head to the World Cup tomorrow."
"Like what?' Harry asked, he knew his schedule down to the heart and barely left the house to do anything, so he wondered what awaited him today.
Flicking him on the forehead, Sirius replied like it was the most obvious thing, "Well dah, we need to visit all your properties and have a closer look at them."
"Oh, that," Harry replied with false foreknowledge.
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"You called for me, your Majesty," a man dressed in a fine, elegant suit bowed his head.
"Yes, I did Albert," a woman reaching into her elderly years who looked kindly yet stern at the same time responded. She was the reigning monarch of Great Britain, Queen Elizabeth II.
"Walk with me would you," she said as she stepped through a warm, pleasant garden.
"You are my close confidant when it comes to all things magical are you not Albert."
"Yes, your Majesty, what is it that you need of assistance in the magical world?"
"You heard what happen to the next Earl of Powys in the newspaper, did you not?"
"Yes, it was a most shocking revelation indeed," the man replied, but from his blank expression, you wouldn't even know it. "And if you are wondering, my counterpart will not know about it since they do not keep track of what goes on the normal world."
"Yes, if I recall correctly he is some sort of hero in the magical world."
"Yes, your Majesty, he is the one who some how defeated the Dark Lord when he was only a year and a half."
"Mhm. Well, that brings me to my request. I would like you to bring young Potter here."
"If I may ask, what for your Majesty?"
"Important thing, very important things, Albert."
