Chapter Text
The bell rang and children poured out into the playground. Harry waited until most of them had gone before leaving the classroom. He had learned that being among the last usually meant fewer problems. Dudley and his friends were already outside, gathered near the edge of the playground. Harry considered going back inside, but Piers spotted him.
“There he is.”
Harry kept walking towards the far side of the playground.
“Hey, Potter!”
Harry kept walking, but when he glanced over his shoulder and saw Dudley coming after him, with Piers and Malcolm close behind, he broke into a run. He knew the school grounds well enough. There was a large playing field behind the main building, a row of sheds near the library and an older section of the school with a low roof that extended over part of the building. Harry had climbed onto the lower parts of it before, although he knew he wasn't supposed to. He headed that way.
“Get him!”
Harry kept running - he wasn't going to beat Dudley and the others for long. Dudley may be heavier and slower, but there were three of them, and Harry knew what would happen if they caught him.
Harry changed direction and ran towards the side of the library. There was a space between the wall and the shed, and at the end of it was the section of roof - if he could get up there, they wouldn't be able to follow. Harry reached the wall and grabbed the edge. His fingers found the rough surface, but he couldn't get enough of a grip to pull himself up. He jumped, caught the edge again and tried to haul himself higher. He heard Dudley coming closer and pulled with all his strength, but his foot slipped and he dropped back to the ground.
“Got you now!” Dudley shouted.
Harry looked back and saw Dudley almost upon him, with the three boys close behind. He turned towards the roof again and tried once more to pull himself up. His fingers slipped from the edge, but Harry reached for the roof once more, desperate to get away before Dudley caught him.
For an instant, he felt something strange. Then he was standing on it. Harry froze and looked down. Dudley stood beneath him, staring up with his mouth open. Piers and Malcolm had stopped behind him. Harry looked at the wall. He hadn't climbed and he hadn't jumped. He had been standing on the ground and now he was on the roof.
“How did you get up there?” Malcolm asked.
Harry opened his mouth, but before he could answer, Dudley pointed at the drainpipe. “He climbed that.” Harry looked at the drainpipe. It was on the other side of the building.
“I didn't.”
“Yes, you did,” Piers said.
“I didn't climb it.”
Dudley laughed. “You're lying.”
Harry shook his head. “I was right here.”
Piers pointed at the drainpipe. “You climbed that.”
“But I didn't!”
“You did,” Dudley said.
Harry stared at them, but they weren't pretending. That was the strange part; Dudley actually believed it. Harry looked down at the place where he had been standing only moments before. There was no way he could have climbed up from there. He knew that because he had tried. But Dudley was already walking away, and Piers and Malcolm were following him.
“Come on,” Dudley said, “He's not worth it," as they walked away.
Harry remained on the roof, watching them go, still trying to understand what had happened. He knew he hadn't climbed, and he knew he hadn't jumped. He had just wanted to be there. And somehow, he was.