Realistic Harry Potter

When the workers left and only Bertha and the maintenance supervisor remained, Bertha walked over to the window. She let out a whistle and a few moments later, an owl appeared and landed on the sill next to Hedwig. She quickly wrote out a note and gave it to the bird, who flew off and disappeared from sight.

“By the time the healer shows up, the supervisor can install the exceptions and put your house to rights.” Bertha said with a smile and the supervisor quickly cast several spells on the television and the telephone, then he went into the kitchen and used the same spells on the appliances.

Petunia still wasn't quite sure what was going on and was about to ask them what they were doing. “AHH!” She yelled when someone in white robes suddenly appeared right in front of the couch.

“Sudden startles could be a sign of magic dementia.” The healer said and took a step towards her.

“My uncle!” Harry stopped her and pointed to Vernon. “He threw out his back.”

The woman gave Harry an odd look, then she smiled widely. “You're quite handsome.”

“Th-thanks.” Harry said, his face red. “My uncle.”

“Yes, of course.” The healer said and walked over to Vernon. She gave her wand a wave and made a clicking sound with her tongue and shook her head. “You are severely overweight and your body suffers from over-exertion.” She said and reached into the bag on her shoulder. “Drink this.” She said and handed him a potion.

“I bloody well won't!” Vernon exclaimed and the healer sighed.

“The hard way, then.” The healer said and waved her wand at him. He immediately opened his mouth and she poured the potion down his throat. “Now that your excess weight will be taken care of, let's look at that hernia.” She waved her wand in a specific movement and Vernon was suddenly floating in the air.

The Levitation charm! Harry thought as he recognized the wand movement. She didn't say it out loud!

“Hmm. I see. Yes, you tried to lift something that shouldn't be lifted.” The healer said and performed several spells in quick succession to take care of the problem. “How do you feel now?”

“I'm bloody well floating in the blasted air!” Vernon blustered.

“Yes.” The healer chuckled. “I suppose it is difficult to see how you stand while you're floating. I'm sorry about that.” She said and righted him and stood him on his feet. “There. How is your pain now?”

Vernon was going to rant at her that he felt extreme pain in his lower back, then he realized that he didn't. The agonizing pain was completely gone and he didn't know what to say.

“Mummy! MUMMY!” Dudley yelled when he came in through the back door. “There's weird people in... the... yard.” His voice broke up as he saw the same type of people were inside.

“I see that your overweight condition might be hereditary.” The healer said and took out another potion. She didn't even ask this time and did the same wave motion to make Dudley open his mouth and she poured the potion down his throat. “Considering your obesity, it should take a day or two for the results of flushing it out of your systems to be visible.”

Vernon and Dudley gave her disbelieving looks and she gave both of them stern looks back. “Stop eating so much. You only need 2000 to 2500 calories a day for a good and happy life. Any more than that is only stretching your stomach for no reason. Your body can't handle more intake and converts any excess you have to fat.” The healer said and looked at Harry. “You on the other hand, need some fattening up.”

“I'd need food for that.” Harry said before he could stop himself. The healer, Bertha, the supervisor, and Petunia took in sharp breaths.

“Are they not feeding you enough?” The healer asked and squinted her eyes at Harry. “Do you have an owl?”

Harry reluctantly pointed to the window. “Hedwig.”

The healer walked over to the snowy white owl. “I'll have a few words with the staff at St. Mungo's. Hedwig, I want you to come by every morning and pick up a food delivery for...” She paused and looked back. “What's your name, young man?”

“It's Harry. Harry Potter.”

The healer turned back towards Hedwig for a second and then she gasped and looked back. “The Harry Potter?”

“Yes.” Harry said. Madam Primpernelle had explained why so many witches and wizards knew his name. She also warned him to not be surprised by people's reactions to finding out who he is.

The healer stood there and stared at him with her mouth open. She didn't know what to say to someone who was so famous and she forgot what she was trying to do to help him.

Bertha reached out and touched her elbow and shook her a little to get her attention. “You were saying something about a food delivery?”

“Oh! Yes. Yes, I was.” The healer said and shook herself, then she turned back to look at Hedwig. “Come by St. Mungo's every morning for a food delivery for Mr. Potter. No other person is to have it.” She said and turned her head to look at the three people that were supposedly Harry's family. “The package will only open for Harry, so stealing it won't do anyone else any good.”

Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley had red faces, as if they were going to start yelling and screaming at the healer. She saw it and waved her wand at them. When Vernon started yelling that neither he nor his family were thieves, not a single peep came out of his mouth.

It was now Harry's turn to stare at the healer with his mouth open.

“Yelling doesn't help anyone and I won't listen to a tirade from someone who would dare to malnourish that sweet little boy.” The healer said and looked at Harry. “How could anyone dare to not cook enough food and feed him what his growing body needs?”

“I cook the meals.” Harry said automatically. It was what had been drilled into his head since he could remember.

The three magic people in the room turned to him with astonished looks on their faces.

“You... you're only eleven.” Bertha whispered. “You shouldn't even be near a stove, let alone cook for the whole family.”

“I also do all the cleaning.” Harry admitted. “What I can reach, anyway.”

The three magic people looked around the room. If they allowed for the length of something with a handle, like a duster, right from that level up was still dusty. Their eyes fell upon Petunia, who was quite tall and their eyes squinted at her in accusation.

Petunia squinted her eyes in return and glared at them. She would have said something to them about how nasty and worthless Harry had been before they showed up... if she could have. Her voice was still silenced.

“It's a good thing we showed up, then.” The stern man said. “If they are going to make a child clean, at least now you can use a simple spell to help you.” He quickly took out a blank piece of parchment and waved his wand at it to make words and pictures appear, then handed it to Harry. “You'll find that this works very well on dirty mouths, too.”

Harry looked at the piece of paper as if it was a gift from heaven. He took it reverently and stared at the contents to burn it into his brain, before his uncle could try and take it from him. He really wanted that spell and didn't want to lose it if the paper was somehow lost or damaged.

“Don't worry, Mr. Potter.” Bertha Jorkins said and touched his shoulder. “Now that the Ministry knows you are back in our world, everything is going to change for you.”

Harry put the page away and looked up at her happy and sad face. “Thank you.”

“No, Mr. Potter.” Bertha said, then she smiled. “Harry, it is us that need to thank you. You have done the wizarding world a huge favor by defeating you-know-who. Coming here to help you is the least we can do.” She said. “If at any time you need help, for any reason, send me a note with your owl. I'll either respond immediately or show up personally.”

“You... don't have to... do that.” Harry said, haltingly. He didn't really know this woman and she was offering him so much.

“I really liked your father.” Bertha said. “Despite being one of the ignorant jocks on the Quiddich team, and a bit of a snob to be honest, he could be sweet when not surrounded by his friends.” She couldn't help but laugh softly as she remembered something.

Harry kept staring at her to see if she was going to say something else, like explaining what Quiddich was, and she didn't.

“I think we need to go now.” The stern man said to Bertha and then he lightly clapped Harry on the other shoulder. “You can address any additional maintenance concerns to the Head of the Magical Maintenance Department at the Ministry of Magic, and it will find me.”

Harry nodded to him and the stern man smiled. It surprisingly didn't make him look any less stern.

“Then we'll be off.” Bertha said and gave Harry's shoulder a squeeze before she let it go. “It was very nice meeting you, Harry.” She said. “Even if you don't have any problems, you can write to me and tell me all about your life at home and at school.”

Harry blinked his eyes for several moments. “You want to hear about stuff like that?” He asked, disbelievingly.

Bertha laughed softly. “Young man, I would like nothing better than to hear all about everything you do every day.” She smiled and the healer came over to her.

“Send me a copy, Bertha.” The healer said with a smile. “I want to know how Harry's doing, too.”

Bertha nodded to her. “I'm sure a lot of people will want to know how he's doing, now that he's back with us.” She looked back at Harry. “I hope to hear from you soon.” She said and then popped right out of existence and disappeared.

“Make sure you eat the prepared food that's coming in the morning.” The healer said and discretely waved her wand at Harry's silent family members. “I'll know it if you don't.” She said teasingly. “Goodbye, Mr. Potter.” She said and disappeared as well.

The stern man just nodded and suddenly wasn't there anymore.

Harry stared at the spot where the three people stood, mere moments before, and wondered what magic let them come and go like that. He would never have to worry about travelling anywhere if he knew how to do that. Of course, with that thought, he remembered that Madam Malkin was picking him up the next day for the portrait and he needed to get some sleep.

Harry walked over to the window. “Do you want to stay out again tonight?”

Hedwig shook her head and he offered her his arm. She hopped onto it and Harry closed the window and locked it, then he carried his snowy white feathered friend to his cupboard under the stairs and went inside. He put her on the shelf so she could settle in to sleep, then he changed into his pyjamas and nestled down into his blankets.

“Goodnight, Hedwig.” Harry whispered and she hooted softly to him. He smiled at her and closed his eyes. He drifted off to sleep, even with his mind filled with all of the events of the day.

Vernon, Petunia, and Dudley sat in the living room and didn't speak, mainly because they didn't realize that they could now.