Chapter Text
“Duddykins will adore these!”
Harry groaned as Aunt Petunia stacked gift after gift in his arms, until he swayed under the weight of all the boxes and bags.
He was aware he probably looked quite stupid at that very moment, trying to juggle three dozen presents and Aunt Petunia’s fat purse all at the same time, but he knew better than to mention that to Aunt Petunia. A comment like that was what had landed him this back-breaking job in the first place.
“Forty-one, forty-two…perfect! Duddy-wuddy will be so pleased.” Aunt Petunia sighed, and Harry had to stop himself from rolling his eyes. She shooed Harry to the counter of the store, where the cashier gaped in shock at the mountain of presents Harry was carrying.
Harry let out a sigh of relief when he managed not to drop the pile, stretching his limbs as Aunt Petunia snatched her purse from him and waited for the cashier to count up the total price. He yawned, leaning against one of the shelves by the exit, watching the people outside fight over deals and carry piles of gifts in their trolley even larger than the one he had been carrying before.
Harry glanced to Aunt Petunia, who was tapping her foot impatiently as she watched the cashier count up the money.
He sighed, remembering his cousin’s pig-like expression when he unwrapped forty-one presents the year before, Aunt Petunia being so pleased that she insisted they travel all the way to a large shopping plaza for his birthday this year.
And as usual, Harry was dragged along, forced to be their personal bag-holder.
A bit too much effort for a guy who throws half of his presents away... Harry thought, glancing back outside through the window, where Uncle Vernon had taken Dudley to an ice cream shop, how about we gift him a nice pair of socks and call it a day-
Harry’s gaze snapped to the steps of a shop a few blocks down from where he had been staring before. He swore he had just seen…
“What are you doing? Take these to the car.” Harry turned around to face a glowering Aunt Petunia.
He frowned, glancing back to through the windows of the shop, “Uh...”
“My poor Dudley cannot wait one more moment for his presents. Let’s go!” She started heading towards the exit, not even glancing back to see if Harry was following.
“Didn’t Dudley say he waned that?”
Aunt Petunia whipped around, glancing up the box Harry had pointed at on the very top of a display which nearly touched the roof of the store, “Did he?” She looked suspiciously at Harry for a few seconds, then turned to the cashier, “Get that down!”
Harry’s mouth twitched in amusement as he watched the cashier pull up a ladder and try to reach the box, but it was too far up.
Petunia grew redder the more minutes passed, clearly worried that Dudley and Uncle Vernon would return soon.
Harry glanced back to the window, nonchalantly leaning against the display. He whispered under his breath to the cashier, who looked no younger than him, “Sorry mate.”
The whole display went tumbling down when Harry ‘accidently’ knocked one of the boxes supporting the display over. Aunt Petunia screeched as the box Dudley had wanted went flying into another display which was nearly identical to it.
Harry snickered, as both Aunt Petunia and the cashier dove into the pile, trying to find the box.
That will buy me some time, I think…
Harry ducked out the door of the shop, running out onto the street, leaving the dull shop and Aunt Petunia’s screeching behind.