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There's a deadly Snake downstairs! (rewrite)

Summary:

(The sequel to I May have helped An Evil Wizard!)

Harriet Potter returns for her second year at Hogwarts! After an exciting first year, she would really like this one to be more normal.

Unfortunately, fate has other plans. She's once again helping the dark lord on a more or less secret mission. On top of that, some ancient monster escapes and causes some carnage. What's a girl to do?

Notes:

(See the end of the work for notes.)

Chapter 1: These last days of Summer

Chapter Text

Harriet woke up as early as usual. The sun had just begun to rise, colouring the sky in pink and gold. Dudley snored in the other room.

She looked around her room and decided to get up. Hedwig wasn't back yet. She pulled out the letters and postcards her friends had written her.

Turned out they were all having amazing holidays. Pansy was on holiday in southern Africa. Blaise was on holiday in New Delhi. Crabbe and Goyle were somewhere in Norway and Draco had been to France. Theo had been to Alexandria in Egypt. The Library sounded amazing or at least what was left of the ancient times. Harriet wished she could fly over. Unfortunately, you needed a permit for that.

She hadn't had a bad few weeks, to be honest. Dudley had been very friendly. Maybe Vernon had been at fault for his behaviour. Whatever the case, she was glad he was being civil. Still, it was a bit wierd.

Before she had time to follow that train of thought, Hedwig swooped in and dropped a letter on her bed. It was written in very neat handwriting that she didn't recognise. She opened it and read:

Harriet Potter,

After your help last school year I have been able to return to a Physical form. I would thank you in person but I doubt your relatives would be understanding. Your mother once told me your aunt rejected anything magic related.

I am currently staying at Malfoy manor and I shall be staying in touch.  I would like to ask for your help with something once again, however this is something one should discuss in person. I will contact you. Do not respond to any of my letters.

Greetings, 
Tom Riddle

Harriet stared. She reread the letter. Then again. She stared some more before it dawned on her who had written to her.

"What?" she managed, ever the epitome of intelligence.

She shook her head. She could contemplate on that later. Pulling on a green t-shirt (one that actually fit as well) and some jeans, she contemplated breakfast. It was however still really early and she wasn't really hungry so... she dicided to have some snacks instead.

Then she finished the 3 foot long essay on burn soothing potions and the 2 foot long essay on goblin wars for history of Magic.

At 9 o'clock, Aunt Petunia called them for breakfast. Harriet dropped her quill, went to wash her hands (usually with ink stains and paper cuts) and made her way to the flat's small kitchen.

"Morning!" she greeted, in a good mood.

"Good Morning!" Aunt Petunia replied and placed three plates of bacon and eggs on the table.

Dudley came walking into the kitchen.

"Hullo," he yawned, flopping into one of the chairs. Picking up his fork, he bagan to shovel food into his mouth.

It was a well known fact that Dudley was not a morning person.

Petunia smiled at her son's antics.

"Harriet," she said, "It's your birthday soon. What would you like to do?"

Harriet's brain short-circuited. She froze, a piece of bacon halfway to her mouth.

"Uhhh..."

What? Had she heard that correctly? She had just been asked what she wanted to do for her birthday, right? She became hyper aware of being the centre of attention in the room.

"Maybe..." Harriet scanned her mind. Something to do, something to do. But not too expensive so it wasn't too much to ask. "Um - maybe we could go - go to the - um - park."

She almost hit herself. The park. Hooray.

"That sounds wonderful. We can have a picnic." Aunt Petunia smiled.

HALLELUJAH! There was a concrete plan!

"Yes, that sounds great." She smiled.

"Dudley, why don't you get dressed?" Petunia suggested.

Harriet's cousin, still not fully awake, shoved the rest of his food into his mouth and nodded. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and got up, heading in the direction of his room. A year ago, he would have complained. Maybe even thrown a tantrum. His experiences at Smeltings must have made quite an impact because he was almost unrecognisable, aside from his weight and blonde mop of hair.

His personality had almost done a complete switch. It was as if losing the Dursley name had done both him and his mother some good.

He was still a prick sometimes. 

Dudley Evans was a rather average boy of 12 years old. He went to a public high school and had an interest in sports. Not football. That had been ruined by Smeltings. He was currently into cricket and boxing for some reason.

Petunia Evans was also a changed woman. She had gone from a snobby housewife to a more down-to-earth, hard working individual. No more did she complain about curtains or stalk neighbors. She spent the mornings working at a little shop on the corner selling craft supplies and stationary and the afternoons doing things around the flat, usually chores (if Harriet hadn't gotten antsy and done them first).

One could almost say she was trying to become more like a certain sister she had lost, but that was neither here nor there.

She had taken Harriet to a therapist several times as well. The girl had found it very creepy though, so that had been dropped as soon as the therapist had deemed her okay.

Harriet hadn't spoken a word about the events at the end of last school year.