chapter 7

Harry took a deep breath and twisted the rabbit's head around.

Its neck broke with a pop that made Harry jump. He had thought it would be horrible, and it was. But it was also food, and at least he had the chance to give himself food here, instead of waiting on someone to feed him like at the Dursleys.

Or waiting for myself to feed me.

It made Harry wonder what the Dursleys were doing now that he was gone. Were they cooking their own food? Was Dudley complaining because Aunt Petunia's bacon wasn't as good as Harry?

Cheered at the thought, Harry wandered back inside the house and towards the fireplace, which was creaking and stretching for his attention. He would learn how to cook his food, with the house's help.

It wasn't that great the first time, but it made Harry's stomach stop grumbling, and the house slid open the wall and there was a huge cookbook. Harry opened it and settled down at the kitchen table to read it.

The boy was gone.

Petunia had questioned the neighbors, looked Dudley in the eye and had him tell her the truth, talked to Dudley's friends, and made sure to play the part of a grieving aunt for the teachers at the school. But it was undeniable. When the freak had disappeared as he was running in front of Dudley and his friends, he had totally disappeared.