The Letters from No One (PS)

From UnknowableWiki

Various Hogwarts letters, trying to reach Harry through the Dursleys' chimney.

The Letters from No One is the third chapter of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone.

Aftermath of the Boa Constrictor

Harry is given his longest-ever punishment for freeing the boa constrictor (PS2) and is not allowed out until well into his summer holidays. By this time, Dudley has already broken his cine-camera, his remote controlled aeroplane and mown Mrs Figg down with his racing bike. Dudley's gang, including himself, Piers Polkiss, Dennis, Malcolm and Gordon spend their days playing at: 'Harry Hunting'. Harry spends his days as far away from number four, Privet Drive as possible, awaiting impatiently the end of the holidays when, for the first time ever, he would be attending a separate school to Dudley: Dudley is to attend Uncle Vernon's old school, Smeltings, while Harry is to be sent to Stonewall High. Dudley finds this hugely amusing.

Aunt Petunia takes Dudley to London to buy him uniform, leaving him at Mrs Figg's who, having broken her leg tripping over one of her cats, was less fond of them and allowed Harry to watch television and eat stale chocolate cake. Dudley parades his revolting school uniform (maroon tailcoats, orange knickerbockers and flat straw boaters, accompanied by a knobbly stick for hitting one another: character building) in front of his parents, making them both well up a little. Although Harry almost cracks his ribs trying not to laugh, the smile is wiped off his face the next morning when he sees Aunt Petunia dying old clothes of Dudley's grey for Harry's uniform and they look, he thinks, like old bits of elephant skin.

The post comes

The post is heard to have arrived and, after some threats from Dudley, Harry goes to fetch it. Hidden between a postcard from Aunt Marge and a bill is, for the first time ever, a letter for Harry. He, knowing that he has no other friends or relatives, cannot fathom whom it may be from, but the address, to:

Mr H. Potter
The Cupboard under the Stairs
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey

seems perfectly clear. The letter is described as being thick and heavy, with the address written in emerald-green ink and sealed with purple wax bearing a coat of arms: a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake clustered around a large letter 'H'.