HARRY POTTER Book 4: Chapter 3
Chapter 3
THE INVITATION
When Harry walks into the kitchen, the three Dursleys are already eating breakfast. No one looks at him as he sits down. Uncle Vernon hides behind his newspaper. Aunt Petunia cuts a grapefruit into four pieces. And Dudley looks angry and hungry.
Aunt Petunia puts a small piece of grapefruit on Dudley’s plate. “There you are, Diddy darling,” she says softly. Dudley looks angry. Since he came home from school for the summer, his life has become miserable. His report card was terrible. And even Aunt Petunia can’t find excuses for him this time.
The school nurse wrote that Dudley is too fat. Aunt Petunia says he is “big-boned.” Uncle Vernon says, “He’s just a strong boy.” But the nurse told them Dudley weighs as much as a young humpback whale.
In fact, the school did not have a uniform that fit him. Now Dudley is on a diet. The fridge is full of fruit and vegetables, and all of Dudley’s favorite foods are gone. To make Dudley feel better, Aunt Petunia makes the whole family follow the same diet.
She gives Harry a piece of grapefruit. It is smaller than Dudley’s piece. To make Dudley feel better, Aunt Petunia makes sure Harry gets smaller pieces of food than Dudley. Harry eats his grapefruit without complaining. He knows something Aunt Petunia doesn’t know.
Harry is hiding food upstairs in his room. Under a loose board in the floor, he keeps birthday cakes and food his friends sent him. When he heard about the diet Aunt Petunia was going to put him on, he wrote to Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and Sirius for help. And all his friends answered his call for help.
Hermione’s parents, who are dentists, sent him sugar-free snacks. Hagrid sent his hard rock cakes. Harry never eats those. He is afraid he will break his teeth. Mrs. Weasley sent a huge fruitcake and meat pies. On his birthday, which the Dursleys ignored, Harry received four cakes from his friends. Two are still left under the floorboard.
Uncle Vernon lowers his newspaper and looks at his small piece of grapefruit. “This is all I get?” he says grumpily. Aunt Petunia warns him with a mean look. Then she looks toward Dudley. Uncle Vernon understands. He sighs and picks up his spoon.
The doorbell rings. Uncle Vernon stands up, annoyed, and walks to the hall. While Aunt Petunia makes tea, Dudley quickly steals Uncle Vernon’s grapefruit. Harry hears talking, a laugh, and then the door closes. Then he hears the sound of paper tearing.
Uncle Vernon comes back. His face is red and angry. “You!” he barks at Harry. “Living room. Now.” Harry goes into the living room. He wonders what he has done wrong this time. Uncle Vernon stands by the fireplace. He is holding a purple piece of paper. “This just arrived,” he says. “A letter. About you.” Harry blinks. He is confused. Who would send Uncle Vernon a letter about him?
Uncle Vernon reads aloud:
