This was Harry's second summer with the Allens, and everything was going wonderfully, with no hint that anything could go wrong.
But then it did.
A sudden letter from the Dursleys, who suddenly wanted to see their "beloved" nephew. Vernon and Petunia even managed to come to their house in person. Of course, they were not greeted with honours. But according to the rules of a hospitable hostess, Mrs. Burrow Allen could not turn them away.
"I don't want to go with them! Please!" Harry begged his adoptive mother. The Dursleys wanted to take Harry to stay with them for a week. They wanted to make amends, as Vernon said, and hoped for a second chance.
"They're your only family, Harry," Burrow said sadly. "I understand you perfectly well and your unwillingness to return to a place where you have only terrible memories. But what if it's not so bad after all? What if they really want to make amends? In any case, we are still your legal guardians, and if something goes wrong, you can leave at any time."
Henry also didn't want to send "Harry" to his relatives, and Barry was on his stepbrother's side too. However, Petunia Dursley's persistence decided everything for them...
... As he saw Harry off to the car, Henry took his son by the hand and whispered quietly to him.
"If there's even the slightest hint that they're going to hurt you, let me know immediately.
"All right.
They hugged, and Harry got into the car. He looked out the window at the Allens driving away, nodding sympathetically...
"I see you got along with them," Vernon asked, looking at Harry through the rear-view mirror.
"Oh, yeah, I did!" the boy muttered, turning away.
***
Barry Allen's intuition told him that this would not end well. This was confirmed when, just a couple of days later, another relative showed up at the Dursleys' house — Marge Dursley, Vernon's sister. She was like a female copy of him, which couldn't help but cause even more disgust, and her first words to Harry Potter only hammered the final nail into the coffin of mistrust.
"Well, thank my brother!" she spat out insolently. Then she turned to Vernon, pointing at "Harry." "If he'd been dumped on me, I'd have sent him straight to a children's home. Oh, Dudley!
The woman immediately ran over to her beloved nephew, while "Harry" just snorted discontentedly and ran off to his room. Yes, now he had his own room, even if it was only temporary. Thank goodness it wasn't a closet.
***
"Where does he go to school, Vernon?" asked Marge.
Harry himself was washing the dishes at that moment. Although his household duties had been greatly reduced due to his "guest" privileges, he was still not allowed to relax too much.
"At MacDougal Academy," replied Mr. Dursley. "A school for gifted children."
"Where is that?" asked the woman in surprise.
"In Scotland," Petunia chimed in.
"Why isn't Dudley studying there?" Marge pursed her lips. "That's the perfect place for him."
"Yes, but..." Vernon smiled. "Scotland is very far away, and Harry is close by. Our son likes it here, doesn't he, Dudley?"
The boy nodded, smiling sweetly and popping another piece of cake into his mouth.
"You live in Scotland, don't you?" Marge turned to "Harry," leaning on the back of the chair.
"Yes," Harry smiled falsely, unlike the rest of the family, he did not enjoy the woman's company.
"I wonder if they still spank children for misbehaving there?" Marge continued her teasing.
"They don't do that there," Harry replied, turning off the water and drying his hands. "And I behave myself pretty well, I've never been punished."
"Well, that's good..." she drawled, belching. It was obvious that Marge had had a few drinks. "Still, I think children need to be beaten sometimes to keep them out of mischief.
"Is that why you don't have children?" Harry was already smiling sincerely. He decided that he should join in the "dialogue."
"Harry," Petunia leaned forward slightly. "Don't."
"What's the matter?" Marge shrugged. "If he has something to say, let him say it!"
"I don't really have anything to say. Can I go now?"
Petunia nodded, and Harry hurried away. He had just reached the stairs when he heard Marj's loud voice. She always spoke very loudly, but he didn't think she spoke so loudly that she could be heard in the hallway.
"And yet, how I feel for you, my dears. You can tell right away that he's a real jerk! Who were his parents, Petunia?
"Nobody," she replied. "They were unemployed."
"Hmm, and his father was a drunk, of course!
"Not really," shrugged the aunt.
"Harry" continued to eavesdrop on the conversation.
"Come on!" Marge giggled. "Don't make excuses for them... Well, okay, let's say they did. But do the people who adopted this boy have jobs?"
"My father works for the police!" Harry returned to the living room, no longer willing to put up with such treatment. "All I have to do is tell him, and you'll be in big trouble!
Marge squealed, causing the glass in her hands to crack.
"Uncle Vernon," Harry exhaled loudly. "I understand, she's your sister and all. But I'm not going to stand by while you drag me and my family through the mud!"
"Harry!" Vernon said loudly. "Go to your room, I'll deal with this! Marge, please calm down..."
In response, the boy just rolled his eyes and slowly trudged back, hoping not to hear any more unpleasant words directed at him.
"See that?" Marj said. "It's obvious that since he moved out, he's become more insolent and rude.
Barry didn't bother listening any further, but ran to his room, where he immediately grabbed a pen and a piece of paper, intending to write a letter to his adoptive parents.
***
The next morning promised to be very interesting. At Harry's request, Henry rushed over in the hope of taking the boy home.
"We agreed on a week!" Petunia folded her arms across her chest discontentedly.
"Yes, but we didn't agree that your relatives would insult Harry.
" Marj was drunk and out of control. She's very sorry for what she said.
"Well, then let her come and apologise herself.Harry instinctively pressed himself against his father for protection. He prayed to all the gods to take him away from there. Petunia called her sister-in-law, who came down, immediately giving Henry a haughty look.
"Oh, so it's you, is it?" the woman narrowed her eyes. "Are you really a police officer?"
"Actually," Henry showed her a fake document, so skilfully forged that she immediately believed him.
"Oh," Marge said in surprise. "Well, that's... I think I really overdid it yesterday. Wine, you know, it goes to my head..."
"Well, control yourself in future," Henry said, giving the woman a stern look. "But if I hear anything like this again, I'll take Harry away."
"But..." The boy grabbed the man by the sleeve.
"Come on, son, just three more days to go..."
***
There were no more incidents like that. Apparently, Marge and the rest of the Dursleys were genuinely afraid of what might happen to them if they harmed Harry Potter in any way. Barry was glad that he had managed to restrain them somehow.
Now they treated him as a guest should be treated.
At the end of that damn week, "Harry" finally returned home. He told his doppelganger everything he thought about the Dursleys, without exaggeration or embellishment.
"I'm lucky I don't have relatives like that," smiled the boy.
"Yes, you're really lucky.
Yes, Barry Allen of both worlds was lucky not to have relatives like the Dursleys.
***
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