Chapter 1 So Close
"Wake up!" roared Aunt Petunia as she was banging on the door of her least favourite nephew, Harry Potter.
"All right, I'm up already," yelled a very stressed out Harry Potter.
Harry had just finished his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; though very upset which is highly unusual. We know he gets a little bit depressed at the end of each school year but this was more than depression. This was because at the end of last year, Harry had witnessed the rebirth of Lord Voldemort, the most hated and feared dark wizard for over a century!!!
It was true the he was indeed back, even though the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge himself and most of the wizarding world would not believe it.
Voldemort had used Harry's blood so that he could be resurrected to a stronger body and be able to touch Harry at the same time. The protection that Harry had received from his mother would not be a barrier to Lord Voldemort anymore, which meant that Harry had only a few more barriers that Lord Voldemort would have to destroy before he could kill Harry.
When Harry had gone down to breakfast, he discovered that there was no one there. He was about to leap for joy because he remembered that it was Dudley's birthday so they had gone to the zoo and to go see a movie with Dudley's best friend, when he noticed a note on the kitchen table.
It stated that he, Harry, was to spend the day with Mrs.Figg, the old neighbour who lived across the street from the Dursley's. Mrs.Figg was Harry's baby-sitter whenever the Dursley's went out. They couldn't trust him enough to remain by himself.
Harry read and re-read the note again before he realized that at the end of last year, when he was in the hospital wing recovering for the battle with Lord Voldemort, that Professor Dumbledore requested that Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, go and alert the "old crowd" of Voldemort's return. Among those names was a Mrs. Arabella Figg.
Harry smacked himself on his forehead realizing that e had been stupid not to know the first name of the Mrs. Figg that lived across the street and after all those times he been in her house he had never stopped to ask her. Mind you he thought that it might have been a little bit rude to have just gone up to her and said, "What's your first name," without her having the suggestion.
Without bothering to place the note neatly back on the table where he had found it, Harry just simply ran right out f the room and dropping the note on the floor. He ran upstairs washed up and got dressed then hurried over to Mrs.Figg's house.
Before Harry could ring the doorbell, the front door opened.
"Why, hello Harry. I was just coming to see where you were because you hadn't arrived yet and Prof… I mean I was getting worried. I wondered if you lost your way to my house," greeted Mrs.Figg.
"Hello, how are you today?" replied Harry, who was a little out of breath. "Mrs.Figg would it be alright if I asked you a question?"
"But you just did," smiled Mrs.Figg.
"Could I ask you another one?" snorted Harry
"There you go again, you just asked another one," Mrs.Figg replied gleefully.
"You get my point though don't you?" questioned Harry with big eyes.
"Of course I do. I just like t have a bit of fun and laughter.
Once they were seated in the living room with all of Mrs.Figg's cats, who, very suspiciously kept eyeing Harry.
"Mrs.Figg if it's alright with you, I'd like to ask what your first name is, although you really don't have to answer that question if you don't want to." Harry asked. He had an anxious look in his eyes and on his face. Before he could hide it form Mrs.Figg she responded, "What's wrong Harry, you look anxious, like you have a very important question that you'd like to know the answer to? Would I be correct in saying that?" she questioned.
Harry didn't like it very much when other people could see right through him to read his mind, but he replied just the same.
"Actually, yes, I do." Taking a deep breath he asked, "You wouldn't happen to know a Professor Albus Dumbledore know, would you?" Harry was to nervous to look at her, not knowing what her answer would be. One thing was for certain; he wasn't expecting the answer in which she gave him.
"I see that this is going to be a very long questioning service. I think that we should have some tea and biscuits while we are at so as not to have any interruptions.
To Harry's complete astonishment, Mrs.Figg got up and went to the cabinet drawer where she took out a fairly long stick. Recognizing it as a wand he released his jaw in complete surprise. Realizing what he was doing he quickly shut it. How could Mrs.Figg Harry's old neighbour know how to do magic? Mrs.Figg had just conjured tea and biscuits right out of thin air. But his question was almost answered for him.
"I guess that the first thing that you'd like to know is 'How do I know how to perform magic,' am I right?" concluded Mrs.Figg
Not knowing what to say, Harry just nodded. His voice box just simply did not want to work at this point in time.
"Well I guess it goes back to when I was eleven…" but she suddenly stopped for there was a loud knocking at her door.
"Quick Harry come with me!" Mrs.Figg led him over to her fireplace. She tossed some powder into the fire, which suddenly glowed a bright emerald green colour. Recognizing it for floo powder Harry began to ask what was happening when she grasped his hand and pulled him into the fire.
"Professor Albus Dumbledore's Office" Mrs. Figg yelled quite clearly.
The were spinning very fast until it stopped. Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk looking up at Harry with the same twinkle in his eyes tat Harry was so used to seeing. But they were gone as Mrs.Figg came in the room.
"What's wrong Arabella," questioned Dumbledore?
So Arabella was Mrs.Figg's first name. But Harry was sharply brought back down to Earth as he heard Mrs.Figg reply.
"Death eaters Albus at least a dozen were banging on my door. They must have been looking for Harry!!!!"
Professor Dumbledore stood up rather quickly. "No time for that now Arabella. Everyone take out your wands, now!"
"Wake up!" roared Aunt Petunia as she was banging on the door of her least favourite nephew, Harry Potter.
"All right, I'm up already," yelled a very stressed out Harry Potter.
Harry had just finished his fourth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; though very upset which is highly unusual. We know he gets a little bit depressed at the end of each school year but this was more than depression. This was because at the end of last year, Harry had witnessed the rebirth of Lord Voldemort, the most hated and feared dark wizard for over a century!!!
It was true the he was indeed back, even though the Minister for Magic, Cornelius Fudge himself and most of the wizarding world would not believe it.
Voldemort had used Harry's blood so that he could be resurrected to a stronger body and be able to touch Harry at the same time. The protection that Harry had received from his mother would not be a barrier to Lord Voldemort anymore, which meant that Harry had only a few more barriers that Lord Voldemort would have to destroy before he could kill Harry.
When Harry had gone down to breakfast, he discovered that there was no one there. He was about to leap for joy because he remembered that it was Dudley's birthday so they had gone to the zoo and to go see a movie with Dudley's best friend, when he noticed a note on the kitchen table.
It stated that he, Harry, was to spend the day with Mrs.Figg, the old neighbour who lived across the street from the Dursley's. Mrs.Figg was Harry's baby-sitter whenever the Dursley's went out. They couldn't trust him enough to remain by himself.
Harry read and re-read the note again before he realized that at the end of last year, when he was in the hospital wing recovering for the battle with Lord Voldemort, that Professor Dumbledore requested that Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, go and alert the "old crowd" of Voldemort's return. Among those names was a Mrs. Arabella Figg.
Harry smacked himself on his forehead realizing that e had been stupid not to know the first name of the Mrs. Figg that lived across the street and after all those times he been in her house he had never stopped to ask her. Mind you he thought that it might have been a little bit rude to have just gone up to her and said, "What's your first name," without her having the suggestion.
Without bothering to place the note neatly back on the table where he had found it, Harry just simply ran right out f the room and dropping the note on the floor. He ran upstairs washed up and got dressed then hurried over to Mrs.Figg's house.
Before Harry could ring the doorbell, the front door opened.
"Why, hello Harry. I was just coming to see where you were because you hadn't arrived yet and Prof… I mean I was getting worried. I wondered if you lost your way to my house," greeted Mrs.Figg.
"Hello, how are you today?" replied Harry, who was a little out of breath. "Mrs.Figg would it be alright if I asked you a question?"
"But you just did," smiled Mrs.Figg.
"Could I ask you another one?" snorted Harry
"There you go again, you just asked another one," Mrs.Figg replied gleefully.
"You get my point though don't you?" questioned Harry with big eyes.
"Of course I do. I just like t have a bit of fun and laughter.
Once they were seated in the living room with all of Mrs.Figg's cats, who, very suspiciously kept eyeing Harry.
"Mrs.Figg if it's alright with you, I'd like to ask what your first name is, although you really don't have to answer that question if you don't want to." Harry asked. He had an anxious look in his eyes and on his face. Before he could hide it form Mrs.Figg she responded, "What's wrong Harry, you look anxious, like you have a very important question that you'd like to know the answer to? Would I be correct in saying that?" she questioned.
Harry didn't like it very much when other people could see right through him to read his mind, but he replied just the same.
"Actually, yes, I do." Taking a deep breath he asked, "You wouldn't happen to know a Professor Albus Dumbledore know, would you?" Harry was to nervous to look at her, not knowing what her answer would be. One thing was for certain; he wasn't expecting the answer in which she gave him.
"I see that this is going to be a very long questioning service. I think that we should have some tea and biscuits while we are at so as not to have any interruptions.
To Harry's complete astonishment, Mrs.Figg got up and went to the cabinet drawer where she took out a fairly long stick. Recognizing it as a wand he released his jaw in complete surprise. Realizing what he was doing he quickly shut it. How could Mrs.Figg Harry's old neighbour know how to do magic? Mrs.Figg had just conjured tea and biscuits right out of thin air. But his question was almost answered for him.
"I guess that the first thing that you'd like to know is 'How do I know how to perform magic,' am I right?" concluded Mrs.Figg
Not knowing what to say, Harry just nodded. His voice box just simply did not want to work at this point in time.
"Well I guess it goes back to when I was eleven…" but she suddenly stopped for there was a loud knocking at her door.
"Quick Harry come with me!" Mrs.Figg led him over to her fireplace. She tossed some powder into the fire, which suddenly glowed a bright emerald green colour. Recognizing it for floo powder Harry began to ask what was happening when she grasped his hand and pulled him into the fire.
"Professor Albus Dumbledore's Office" Mrs. Figg yelled quite clearly.
The were spinning very fast until it stopped. Professor Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk looking up at Harry with the same twinkle in his eyes tat Harry was so used to seeing. But they were gone as Mrs.Figg came in the room.
"What's wrong Arabella," questioned Dumbledore?
So Arabella was Mrs.Figg's first name. But Harry was sharply brought back down to Earth as he heard Mrs.Figg reply.
"Death eaters Albus at least a dozen were banging on my door. They must have been looking for Harry!!!!"
Professor Dumbledore stood up rather quickly. "No time for that now Arabella. Everyone take out your wands, now!"