PAGES: 32-33

The next morning, Harry discovers a foul-smelling concoction bubbling away in the kitchen as Aunt Petunia dyes Dudley’s old clothes gray to serve as his new school uniform. Harry can barely contain his sarcasm, joking about the drenched state of his “uniform,” but Aunt Petunia snaps at him to silence his cheek. As he sits down to breakfast, Harry reflects on his upcoming first day at Stonewall High, envisioning himself in the ill-fitting, worn-out clothes that Petunia has repurposed for him. Despite the indignity, he bites his tongue, knowing any protest would only make matters worse.

[PAGE 33]

There was a horrible smell in the kitchen the next morning when Harry went in for breakfast. It seemed to be coming from a large metal tub in the sink. He went to have a look. The tub was full of what looked like dirty rags swimming in gray water.

“What’s this?” he asked Aunt Petunia. Her lips tightened as they always did if he dared to ask a question.

“Your new school uniform,” she said.

Harry looked in the bowl again.

“Oh,” he said, “I didn’t realize it had to be so wet.”

“Don’t be stupid,” snapped Aunt Petunia. “I’m dyeing some of Dudley’s old things gray for you. It’ll look just like everyone else’s when I’ve finished.”

Harry seriously doubted this, but thought it best not to argue. He sat down at the table and tried not to think about how he was going to look on his first day at Stonewall High—like he was wearing bits of old elephant skin, probably.

Dudley and Uncle Vernon came in, both with wrinkled noses because of the smell from Harry’s new uniform. Uncle Vernon opened his newspaper as usual and Dudley banged his Smelting stick, which he carried everywhere, on the table.