I hope you like this. This story is like how the people react on story, Harry life and the things he can do. Here is chapter 1.
Chapter 1 The Boy Who Lived
In the middle of February during the breakfast, Harry and his friends were quietly eating. There were some conversations going on around them but they didn't pay attention to the conversations. At the Head Table there was also nothing going on until there suddenly appeared set of seven books in front of Delores Umbridge. The moment the set of books appeared the whole Great Hall was silent, there was a note on top of the books. She asked for attention so she could read the note aloud, the note was saying.
To Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic (they will come soon),
I have my attention that you do not believe that Voldemort a.k.a. You-Know-Who has not returned. I have sent you a set of seven books each book represent a year of a boy of his life in Hogwarts and his summer. These books do not lie, I have checked them with truth spells.
I have given you the books for another reason then you can know the truth because in a couple of years there will be a battle at Hogwarts many, many people will die. I have given you the books so you can change the future. Soon people will be coming here to listen to the books. I say one thing DO NOT kill each other. The books are written in a boy's point of view but you must not think less of the person because of his thoughts.
Your future person (and my mother and dad died during the battle which comes in a couple of years),
P.S. the books are about Harry Potter
P.S.S. I am surely sorry Harry but I must let them read the books,and during the books you can free a person (a beloved one)
Harry was disappointed but he understand this. The Weasley twin react with "OH Harry we can know all of your adventures"
Harry responded with a shrug but he became happy when he saw all the people in the door opening because they were Albus Dumbledore, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin with his dog called Snuffles a.k.a. Sirius Black, the rest of the Weasley family, Alastor Moody a.k.a. Mad-Eye, Kingsley, Oliver Wood and Amelia Bones who is Head of Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Harry was slightly less happy because of the Minister of Magic who is Cornelius Fudge and his assistant Percy Weasley.
When Snuffles spotted Harry, he ran up to him and he jumped on him and started licking his face while barking happily. Harry got after a while enough of it and said "Oi! Snuffles, Get off!"
Finally, Snuffles let Harry go, who casted a cleaning charm on himself and Harry sat back with his friends with Snuffles on his lap. Remus Lupin, Oliver Wood, Tonks and the Weasley's sat down with the Gryffindor's and the Ministry people sat down at the Head Table expect Amelia Bones who sat down with the Hufflepuff's. Tonks welcomed Harry with "Wotcher Harry, I finally get to know your amazing adventures." Harry nodded with agreement but he didn't like it that he is life would be exposed to other people.
"Hello Lupin." Harry greed Remus.
Dumbledore went to sit down at the middle of the Head Table. Dumbledore broke the silent with "Shou we begin with reading, I will begin with reading."
Dumbledore cleared his throat and announced the first book's title.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone
The Golden Trio paled with at the title. Many people frowned at the title because they had not idea how the philosopher's stone had something to do with Harry Potter. Harry is not going to like this book. Most professors also paled at the title but they didn't know how much Harry had to do with it.
CHAPTER ONE THE BOY WHO LIVED
"Who would that be, Forge?" asked one Weasley twin to other.
"I don't know, maybe our Harrykins." answered the other Weasley happily.
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, were proud to say that they were perfectly normal, thank you very much.
"You welcome." said the twin grinning.
They were the last people you'd expect to be involved in anything strange or mysterious, because they just didn't hold with such nonsense.
"Huh, I wonder how Harry is related to them. He's always involved with something strange and mysterious." Ron said, faking a surprise. Neville and Hermione nodded with agreement, and they both burst out laughing when Harry let out an angry "Oi!"
Mr. Dursley was the director of a firm called Grunnings, which made drills.
"What are drills?" exclaimed nearly all the purebloods.
The teacher of muggle studies came with a amazing idea, "Write all the weird or interesting things down on a piece of paper."
He was a big, beefy man with hardly any neck, although he did have a very large mustache. Mrs. Dursley was thin and blonde and had nearly twice the usual amount of neck, which came in very useful as she spent so much of her time craning over garden fences, spying on the neighbors.
Harry groaned because it is just aunt Petunia and Snap thought You haven't change a bit at all.
The twin's said "He is a walrus, lets call him that" and Sirius as dog – Snuffles- barked.
The Dursleys had a small son called Dudley and in their opinion there was no finer boy.
Harry laughed, the twin and Ron also laughed, all the other people looks with a confused expression on their face.
"Dudley is anything but small" he said while laughing.
The Dursleys had everything they wanted, but they also had a secret, and their greatest fear was that somebody would discover it. They didn't think they could bear it if anyone found out about the Potters.
"What is wrong with the Potters, they are the finest people!" yelled the Weasley's, Remus, Tonks, Hermione, all the other friends of Harry, some people of Hufflepuff and some of Ravenclaw
"Everything!" said all the Slytherins and Snape mumbled it.
Mrs. Potters was Mrs. Dursley's sister, but they hadn't met for several years; in fact, Mrs. Dursley pretended she didn't have a sister,
"That is mean, incredible mean! And Harry are you even related to them." yelled Hermione and Mrs. Weasley.
"Yes I am related to them." Harry groaned.
Because her sister and her good-for-nothing husband
"James was not a good-for-nothing friend, he was an incredible good friend!" yelled Remus but surprisingly loud.
Were as unDurslyish as it was possible to be.
"That is not even a word!" yelled the Ravenclaws, Hermione and surprisingly Remus.
The Dursleys shuddered to think what the neighbors would say if the Potters arrived in the street.
"That the Potters are awesome!" yelled the twins and Ron.
The Dursleys knew that the Potters had a small son, too, but they had never even seen him. This boy was another good reason for keeping the Potter away; they didn't want Dudley mixing with a child like that.
"There is nothing wrong with Harry! He is an amazing person, sweet, kindly you can say it." said all his friends, Remus, the Weasley's and some people from other Houses. But the Slytherins kept quiet.
When Mr. and Mrs. Dursley woke up on the dull, gray Tuesday our story starts, there was nothing about the cloudy sky outside to suggest that strange and mysterious things would soon be happening all over country.
"Yeah strange and mysterious things awesome!" yelled the Weasley twin, nobody reacted on them.
Mr. Dursley hummed as he picked out his most boring tie for work,
"Why now the most boring tie? Why not his second most boring tie?" asked the twin.
"Because he is the most boring and most stupid person." said Harry. While the twins couldn't believe it, he made a joke.
And Mrs. Dursley gossiped away happily as she wrestled a screaming Dudley into his high chair.
"Brat" said Mrs. Weasley.
None of them noticed a large, tawny owl flutter past the window. At half past eight, Mr. Dursley picked up his briefcase, pecked Mrs. Dursley on the cheek, and tried to kiss Dudley good-bye but missed because Dudley was now having a tantrum and throwing his cereal at the walls.
"Brat" said at least all the women and some men.
"Little tyke,"
All the students started laughing and some teachers chuckled or grinned.
Chortled Mr. Dursley as he left the house. He got into his car and backed out of number four's drive. It was on the corner of the street that he noticed the first sign of something peculiar – a cat reading a map.
"McGonagall!" yelled the Gryffindor's, Remus, Tonks while Weasley twin yelled the loudest. Professor McGonagall glared at all the Gryffindor's trying to silence them but it didn't work immediately, it took a while to silence them.
For a second, Mr. Dursley didn't realize what he had seen – then he jerked his head around to look again. There was a tabby cat standing on the corner of Privet Drive, but there wasn't a map in sight. What could he have been thinking of? It must have been a trick of light. Mr. Dursley blinked and stared at the cat. It stared back. As Mr. Dursley drove around the corner and up the road he watch the cat in his mirror. It was now reading the sign that said Privet Drive – no, looking at the sign; cats couldn't read maps or signs. As Mr. Dursley gave himself a little shake and put the cat out of his mind. As he drove toward town he thought of nothing except a large order of drills he was hoping to get that day.
"He is one side-minded, isn't he?" Ron asked Harry.
"He is so stupid that he only can think on one thing at the time." answered Harry, the Weasley twin looked at each other and then they started laughing.
But on the edge of town, drills were driven out of his mind by something else. As he sat in the usual morning traffic jam, he couldn't help noticing that there seemed to be a lot of strangely dressed people about. People in cloaks.
"What is wrong with cloaks?!" said a lot of Purebloods. And of course Hermione answered the dumbest question.
"Muggle do not wear cloaks, they wore cloak centuries ago." People were still not completely sure of the answer, but they weren't complaining.
Mr. Dursley couldn't bear people who dressed in funny clothes – the getups you saw on young people! He supposed this was some stupid new fashion. He drummed his fingers on the steering wheel and his eyes fell on a huddle of these weirdos standing quite close by. They were whispering excitedly together. Mr. Dursley was enraged to see that a couple of them weren't young at all; why, that man had to be older than he was, and wearing an emerald-green cloak!
"AHHHHHH GREEN!" yelled all the Gryffindors except Harry because secretly green is his favourite colour. All the other houses started to laugh, and the Slytherins laughed the loudest.
The nerve of him!
"You are completely right, the nerve of him to wear green!" said Harry while he laughed. The Weasley thought it was incredible funny so they laughed even louder.
But then it struck Mr. Dursley that this was probably some silly stunt – these people were obviously collecting for something … yes, that would be it. The traffic moved on and a few minutes later, Mr. Dursley arrived in the Grunnings parking lot, his mind back on drills.
Mr. Dursley always sat with his back to the window in his on the ninth floor. If he hadn't, he might have found it harder to concentrate on drills that morning. He didn't see the owls swooping past in broad daylight,
"It is just normal to see owls during daylight, they bring your post." said a pureblood as it is normal to see them.
"Muggle don't see them during daylight, if they see them it is during night. Muggles use other muggles to bring their post around." said Harry.
Though people down in the street did;
"They must be wizards and witches." said Ron.
They pointed and gazed open-mouthed as owl after owl sped overhead. Most of them had never seen an owl even at nighttime. Mr. Dursley, however, had a perfectly normal, owl-free morning. He yelled at five different people. He made several important telephone calls and shouted a bit more.
"I think that this day is one of his most productive days, because he yells at least ten times a day." Harry mumbled as if it is just normal to yell and to shout at people.
He was in a very good mood until lunchtime, when he though he'd stretch his legs and walk across the road to buy himself a bun from the bakery.
"Did he stretch his legs to walk. Ohhhh it is unbelievable. I thought he would buy at least five buns because he is then more like himself." said Harry unbelievable, after he said this the Weasley twins, Ron and Tonks started to laugh.
The Weasley twins looked confused why Harry never joked as he does now so they asked Harry "Harry, where is all your humour? We could make a great trio to make pranks."
"You know, saving the world. It became my daily thing." said Harry as it was nothing. At Harry's answer Tonks, Remus, Ron, Hermione began to laugh and Sirius as dog began to bark happily even they know it was serious.
He'd forgotten all about the people in cloaks until he passed a group of them next to the baker's. He eyed them angrily as he passed. He didn't know why, but they made him uneasy. This bunch were whispering excitedly, too, and he couldn't see a single collecting tin. It was on his way back past them, clutching a large doughnut in a bag, that he caught a few words of what they were saying.
"The Potters, that's right, that what I hear – "
"– yes, their son, Harry – "
"What has Harry done this time?" asked the Weasley twins suspiciously.
"I did nothing, I swear." said Harry.
Mr. Dursley stopped dead.
"I wish he did" mumbled Harry so nobody could hear it, but Remus could hear because of his sensible ears. Remus gave Harry an one-arm hug.
Fear flooded him. He looked back at the whispers as if he wanted to say something to them, but thought better of it.
He dashed back across the road, hurried up to his office, snapped at his secretary not to disturb him, seized his telephone,
A lot of pureblood or interesting people wrote the word telephone down on their paper.
And had almost finished dialing his home number when he changed his mind. He put the receiver back down and stroked his mustache,
Dumbledore chuckled on this, and he copied the book but he didn't stroked his mustache but his long gray beard.
Thinking … no, he was being stupid.
The Weasley twins laughed at his statement and Harry chuckled softly.
Potter wasn't such an unusual name. He was sure there were lots of people called Potter
"Potter is not a common name" Neville said.
"Potter is a common name in the Muggle world but in the wizarding world it is not a common name." said Hermione to the unanswered question and to the unknown question.
Who had a son called Harry. Come to think of it, he wasn't even sure his nephew was called Harry.
"Did he know your name? Harry" said Ginny.
"I don't think so that he knew and he still does not know." Harry answered Ginny question.
He'd never even seen the boy.
"That is bad, to not even see your nephew!" said Mrs. Weasley, after Mrs. Weasley said that Mr. Weasley tried to calm Mrs. Weasley down.
It might have been Harvey.
"Harvey Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived – " said Fred.
"Nah it doesn't have a ring to it." George finished. Harry started laughing on their attempt of bringing happiness into the Great Hall.
"Lily never liked the name Harvey, she liked the name Harry." Remus said and Snuffles barked happily like he agreed with Remus, Harry smiled at the statement of his mother.
Or Harold.
"Harold Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived – " said Fred.
"Nah it doesn't have also a ring to it." George finished
There was no point in worrying Mrs. Dursley; she always go so upset at any mention of her sister. He didn't blame her – if he'd had a sister like that …
"Like what!" yelled all the Gryffindor's, and the people who knew Lily.
"Like a witch." Harry said the unanswered question.
But all the same, those people in cloaks …
He found it a lot harder to concentrate on drills that afternoon and when he left the building at five o'clock, he was still so worried that he walked straight into someone just outside the door.
"Sorry," he grunted,
"Unbelievable! I didn't know that he knew that word." Harry said as it was not possible.
As the tiny old man stumbled and almost fell. It was a few seconds before Mr. Dursley realized that the man was wearing a violet cloak. He didn't seem at all upset at being almost knocked to the ground. On the contrary, his face split into a wide smile and he said in a squeaky voice that made passersby stare, "Don't be sorry, my dear sir, for nothing could upset me today! Rejoice, for You-Know-Who has gone at last! Even Muggles lie yourself should be celebrating, this happy, happy day!"
"Professor Flitwick is that you?" Harry asked curiously.
"Yes" Flitwick mumbled and professor McGonagall was shocked.
"Filius!" said McGonagall loud and clear.
And the old man hugged Mr. Dursley around the middle and walked off.
"Fitted your arms around my uncle, professor Flitwick?" Harry asked because he couldn't believe that maybe his professor's arms could fit around his body.
"No" said Flitwick and Harry, the Weasley twins laughed at his answer.
Mr. Dursley stood rooted to the spot. He had been hugged by a complete stranger. He also thought he had been called a Muggle, whatever that was. He was rattled. He hurried to his car and set off for home, hoping he was imagining things, which he had never hoped before, because he didn't approve of imagination.
The Weasley twins looked horrified. Imagination was everything to them. How someone could live without it, they had no idea.
As He pulled into the driveway of number four, the first thing he saw – and it didn't improve his mood – was the tabby cat he'd spotted that morning. It was now sitting on his garden wall. He was sure it was the same one; it had same marking around its eyes.
"Shoo!" said Mr. Dursley loudly. The cat didn't move. It just gave him a stern look.
"You can't shoo professor McGonagall –" stated George.
"– only we could" Fred finished. McGonagall just glared at them.
Was this normal cat behaviour?
"No, but it's normal Professor McGonagall behaviour." George and Fred said out loud in unison. McGonagall just glared at them again and Harry and Ron started to laugh.
Mr. Dursley wondered. Trying to pull himself together, he let himself into the house. He was still determined not to mention anything to his wife.
Mrs. Dursley had had a nice, normal day. She told him over dinner all about Mrs. Next Door's problems with her daughter and how Dudley had learned a new word ("Won't!").
"Brat." many people said but mainly females and mothers.
Mr. Dursley tried to act normally. When Dudley had been put to bed, he went into the living room in time to catch the last report on the evening news:
"And finally, bird-watchers everywhere have reported that the nation's owls have been behaving very unusually today. Although owls normally hunt at night and are hardly ever seen in daylight, there have been hundreds of sightings of these birds flying in every direction since sunrise. Experts are unable to explain why the owls have suddenly changed their sleeping pattern." the newscaster allowed himself a grin.
"Most mysterious. And now, over to Jim McGuffin with the weather. Going to be any more showers of owls tonight, Jim?"
"Well, Ted,"
"Hey, that's my dad! I heard him talking about this." Tonks said, smiling at what her dad had said.
Said the weatherman, "I don't know about that but it's not only the owls that have been acting oddly today. Viewers as far apart as Kent, Yorkshire, and Dundee have been phoning in to tell me that instead of the rain I promised yesterday, they've had a downpour of shooting stars! Perhaps people have been celebrating Bonfire Night early – it's not until next week, folks! But I can promise a wet night tonight."
Mr. Dursley sat frozen in his armchair. Shooting stars all over Britain? Owls flying by daylight? Mysterious people in cloaks all over the place? And a whisper, a whisper about the Potters…
"Wow! He's putting it together." Ron exclaimed in mock amazement.
"For the first time he is using his brain. Unbelievable." Harry exclaimed and everyone who knew the Dursley's started to laugh.
Mrs. Dursley came into the living room carrying two cups of tea. It was no good. He'd have to say something to her. He cleared his throat nervously. "Er – Petunia, dear – you haven't heard from your sister lately, have you?"
As he had expected, Mrs. Dursley looked shocked and angry. After all, they normally pretended she didn't have a sister.
"That's awful!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley and a lot of other people and the loudest next to Mrs. Weasley was Remus and Snuffles barked angrily. While Snape mentally cursed Petunia, of course she pretended Lily didn't exist. She was better at everything than her.
"No," she said sharply. "Why?"
"Funny stuffy on the news," Mr. Dursley mumbled. "Owls… shooting stars… and there were a lot of funny-looking people in town today…"
"So?" snapped Mrs. Dursley.
"Well, I thought.. maybe… it was something to do with… you know… her crowd."
"HER CROWD?" every witch and wizard expect the ministry people and some Slytherins exclaimed angrily at this, insulted.
"You know witches and wizards and will you please CALM DOWN" Harry said while trying to calm them down. Some of the people of them were shocked how angry how could be.
Mrs. Dursley sipped her tea through pursed lips. Mr. Dursley wondered whether he dared tell her he'd heard the name 'Potter'. He decided he didn't dare.
"Coward." many Gryffindors muttered.
Instead he said, as casually as he could, "Their son – he'd be about Dudley's age now, wouldn't he?"
"I suppose so," said Mrs. Dursley stiffly.
"What's his name again? Howard, isn't it?"
"Harry. Nast, common name, if you asked me."
"Nobody asked you." Ginny snapped. Harry looked at her funnily.
"What?"
"Ginny, you are talking to a book." this caused Ginny to blush bright red.
"Oh, yes," said Mr. Dursley, his heart sinking horribly. "Yes, I quite agree."
He didn't say another word on the subject as they went upstairs to bed. While Mrs. Dursley was in the bathroom, Mr. Dursley crept to the bedroom window and peered down into the front garden. The cat was still there. It was staring down Privet Drive as though it were waiting for something.
Was he imagining things? Could all this have anything to do with the Potters? If it did… if it got out that they were related to a pair of – well, he didn't think he could bear it.
"A pair of what?" snarled McGonagall, Ginny, Hermione, Ron, Remus and majority of the people. Harry looked at them warily. He was seriously considering casting a Silencing Charm or Full Body-Bind Curse on them. Merlin knew what they would do when they hear what Dursleys usually said about his parents.
The Dursleys got into bed. Mrs. Dursley fell asleep quickly but Mr. Dursley lay awake, turning it all over in his mind. His last, comforting thought before he fell asleep was that even if the Potters were involved, there was not reason for them to come near him and Mrs. Dursley. The Potters knew very well what he and Petunia thought about them and their kind… He couldn't see how he and Petunia could get mixed up in anything that might be going on – he yawned and turned over – it couldn't affect them.
How very wrong he was.
"I wish he was correct." Harry grumbled to himself, but people near them heard it. They glanced at each other uneasily. It couldn't have been that bad, right?
Mr. Dursley might have been drifting into an uneasy sleep, but the cat on the wall outside was showing no sign of sleepiness. It was sitting as still as a statue, its eyes fixed unblinkingly on the far corner of Privet Drive. It didn't so much as quiver when a car door slammed on the next street, nor when two owls swooped overhead. In fact, it was nearly midnight before the cat moved at all.
"That would be impossible for me. I have to move once in a while."Parvati said, wincing at the thought of sitting so still.
A man appeared on the corner the cat had been watching, appeared so suddenly and silently you'd have thought he'd just popped out of the ground. The cat's tail twitched and its eyes narrowed.
Nothing like this man had ever been seen on Privet Drive. He was tall, thin, and very old, judging by the silver of his hair and beard, which were both long enough to tuck into his belt. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak that swept the ground, and high-heeled, bucked boots. His blue eyes were light, bright, and sparkling behind half-moon spectacles and his nose was very long and crooked, as though it have been broken at least twice.
"Dumbledore!" exclaimed all the students, Remus, Tonks except the teachers, ministry people and the Slytherins.
This man's name was Albus Dumbledore.
Dumbledore stood up and bow and sat down again.
Albus Dumbledore didn't seem to realize that he had just arrived in a street where everything from his name to his boots was unwelcome.
"Oh, I knew." said Dumbledore, chuckling. "I just didn't care."
He was busy rummaging in his cloak, looking for something. But he did seem to realize he was being watched, because he looked up suddenly at the cat, which was still staring at him from the other end of the street. For some reason, the sight of the cat seemed to amuse him. He chuckled and muttered, "I should have known."
He found what he was looking for in his inside pocket. It seemed to be silver cigarette lighter. He flicked it open, held it up in the air, and clicked it. The nearest street lamp went out with a little pop.
"Cool!"
"I want one!"
Many people exclaimed, loudest being the twins. Dumbledore just shook his head fondly.
He clicked it again – the next lamp flickered into darkness. Twelve times he clicked the Put-Outer, until the only lights left on the whole street were two tiny pinpricks in the distance, which were the eyes watching him. If anyone looked out of their window now, even beady-eyed Mrs. Dursley, they wouldn't be able to see anything that was happening down on the pavement. Dumbledore slipped the Put-Outer
"Actually, it is called the Deluminator." Dumbledore corrected.
Back inside the his cloak and set off down the street toward number four, where he sat down on the wall next to the cat. He didn't look at it, but after a moment he spoke to it.
"Fancy seeing you here, Professor McGonagall."
Fred and George grinned widely and others laughed.
He turned to smile at the tabby, but it had gone. Instead he was smiling at a rather severe-looking woman who was wearing square glasses exactly the shape of the marking the cat had had around its eyes. She, too, was wearing a cloak, an emerald one. Her black hair was drawn into a tight bun. She looked distinctly ruffled.
"How did you know it was me?" she asked.
"My dear Professor, I've never seen a cat sit so stiffly."
"You'd be stiff if you'd been sitting on a brick wall all day," said Professor McGonagall.
"All day? When you could been celebrating? I must have passed a dozen feasts and parties on my way here."
"Oh, yes. Some people just died and they celebrate." Harry muttered darkly. Remus squeezed his had reassuringly and Snuffles licked his face but it did little effect on Harry. He hated how people only celebrated. He hated he was famous for his parent's death. He also hated people's ever-changing opinion about him.
Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily.
"How do you sniff angrily?" a first year from Gryffindor asked with curiously. It caused everyone to laugh, and the twins even tried to sniff angrily but failed . Professor McGonagall sniffed angrily at the Head Table, causing another burst of laugher.
"Oh yes, everyone's celebrating, all right," she said impatiently. "You'd think they'd be a bit more careful, but no – even the Muggles have noticed something going on. It was on their news." She jerked her head back at the Dursleys' dark living-room window. "I heard it. Flocks of owls… shooting stars… Well, they're not completely stupid. They were bound to notice something. Shooting stare down in Kent – I'll bet that was Dedalus Diggle. He never had much sense."
"You can't blame them," said Dumbledore gently. "We've had precious little to celebrate for eleven years."
"That was an extremely long war." said Harry calculated.
"I know that," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "But that's no reason to lose our heads. People are being downright careless, out on the streets in broad daylight, not even dressed in Muggle clothes, swapping rumors."
She threw a sharp, sideways glance at Dumbledore here, as though hoping he was going to tell her something, but he didn't, so she went on. "A fine thing it would be if, on the very day You-Know- Who seems to have disappeared at last, the Muggles found out about us all. I suppose he really has gone, Dumbledore?"
"It certainly seems so," said Dumbledore. "We have much to be thankful for. Would you care for a lemon drop?"
"A what?" many purebloods asked aloud.
"A what?"
"A lemon drop. They're a kind of Muggle sweet I'm rather fond of"
"No, thank you," said Professor McGonagall coldly, as though she didn't think this was the moment for lemon drops.
Dumbledore frowned a little. It was always right moment for lemon drops.
"As I say, even if You-Know-Who has gone –"
"My dear Professor, surely a sensible person like yourself can call him by his name? All this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense – for eleven years I have been trying to persuade people to call him by his proper name: Voldemort"
Flinch and some people screamed and others fainted.
"It's just a name!" Harry said loudly in irritated voice. He had to suppres an urge to roll his eyes.
"You better get used to it. This book will be in Harry's perspective so Voldemort's name will come out often." Hermione told them while ignoring flinches at 'Voldemort'.
Professor McGonagall flinched, but Dumbledore, who was unsticking two lemon drops, seemed not to notice. "It all et so confusing if we keep saying 'You-Know-Who'. I have never seen any reason to be frightened of saying Voldemort's name."
"I know you haven't," said Professor McGonagall sounding half exasperated, half admiring. "But you're different. Everyone know you're the only one You-Know- oh, all right, Voldemort, was frightened of."
"You flatter me," said Dumbledore calmly. "Voldemort had powers I will never have."
"Only because he is too noble to use them." Hermione said.
"Only because you're too – well – noble to use them."
Hermione blushed but stood by what she said and Harry and Ron laughed.
"It's lucky it's dark. I haven't blushed so much since Madam Pomfrey told me she liked my new earmuffs."
"Too, too much information. Professor Dumbledore." said the twins, Harry, Ron and some other Gryffindor's.
Professor McGonagall shot a sharp look at Dumbledore and said, "The owls are nothing next to the rumors that are flying around. You know what everyone's saying? About why he's disappeared? About what finally stopped him?"
Harry went to find the table very interesting.
It seemed that Professor McGonagall had reached the point she was most anxious to discuss, the real reason she had been waiting on a cold, hard wall all day, for neither as a cat nor as a woman had she fixed Dumbledore with such a piercing stare as she did now. It was plain that whatever 'everyone' was saying, she was not going to believe it until Dumbledore told her it was true. Dumbledore, however, was choosing another lemon drop and did not answer.
"What they're saying," she pressed on, "is that last night Voldemort turned up in Godric's Hollow. He went to find the Potters. The rumor is that Lily and James Potter are – are – that they're – dead."
Harry start to get tears in his eyes, Remus and Snuffles also start to get tears.
Dumbledore bowed his head. Professor McGonagall gasped.
"Lily and James… I can't believe it… I didn't want to believe it… Oh, Albus..."
"James would have been glad to hear you cared. You were his favourite teacher." Remus told McGonagall, who just dabbed the edge of her eyes. In fact, many people had tears in their eyes, and Harry's tears were streaming down his cheeks.
Dumbledore reached out and patted her on the shoulder. "I know… I know…" he said heavily.
Professor McGonagall's voice trembled as she went on. "That's not all. They're saying he tried to kill the Potter's son, Harry. But – he couldn't. He couldn't kill that little boy. No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone."
"He isn't dead." said Harry proudly.
Dumbledore nodded glumly.
"It's – it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall. "After all he's done… all the people he's killed… he couldn't kill a little boy? It's just astounding… of all the things to stop him… but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"
"We can only guess," said Dumbledore. "We may never know."
"You know, professor. But you don't want to share it." Harry muttered.
Professor McGonagall pulled out a lace handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes beneath her spectacles. Dumbledore gave a great sniff as he took a golden watch from his pocket and examined it. It was a very odd watch. It had twelve hands but no numbers; instead, little planets were moving around the edge.
"Nice watch, Professor." Fred said in a weak attempt to lighten up the mood.
It must have made sense to Dumbledore, though, because he put it back in his pocket and said, "Hagrid's late. I suppose it was he who told you I'd be here, by the way?"
"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "And I don't suppose you're going to tell me why you're here, of all places?"
"I've come to bring Harry to his aunt and uncle. They're the only family he has left now."
"You don't mean – you can't mean the people who live here?" cried Professor McGonagall, jumping to her feet and pointing at number four. "Dumbledore – you can't. I've been watching them all day. You couldn't find two people who are less like us. And they've got this son – I saw him kicking his mother all the way up the street, screaming for sweets. Harry Potter come and live here!"
"Thanks for caring, Professor." Harry said sadly. Professor McGonagall gave him a sad smile.
"It's the best place for him," said Dumbledore firmly. "His aunt and uncle will be able to explain everything to him when he's older. I've written them a letter."
"A letter?!" it was Hermione who shrieked. Harry had to hold both of her arm to restrain her from standing up to shout. "You expect them to understand the situation by just a letter?"
"Mrs. Granger, quiet down!" Professor McGonagall glared at her favourite student sternly. But it seemed to have very little effect on her, because Hermione didn't even sit down.
"Hermione, it happened years ago! Calm down, will you?" Harry exclaimed, and finally Hermione gave up. But she kept grumbling under her breath.
"A letter?"
The twins, Ron and Harry started to laugh and said all together "Hermione you are a mini-McGonagall." And they laughed harder.
Repeated Professor McGonagall faintly, sitting back down on the wall. "Really, Dumbledore, you think you can explain all this in a letter? These people will never understand him! He'll be famous – a legend – I wouldn't be surprised if today was known as Harry Potter day in the future – there will be books written about Harry – every child in our world will know his name!"
"There isn't a Harry Potter day, is there?" Harry frantically asked and was relieved to get 'no' as the answer. Snape narrowed his eyes. The boy didn't like being famous? No, he was just acting for the public, yes that was it.
"Exactly," said Dumbledore, looking very seriously over the top of his half-moon glasses. "It would be enough to turn any boy's head. Famous before he can walk and talk! Famous for something he won't even remember! And you see how much better off he'll be, growing up away from all that until he's ready to take it?"
"It would have been better if you selected other people." Harry grumbled to himself, but Remus and Snuffles heard it anyways, thanks to their sensitive ears. They exchanged worried glances. Just how bad was Harry's life in the Dursleys?
Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, changed her mind, swallowed, and then said "Yes – yes, you're right, of course. But how is the boy getting here, Dumbledore?" She eyed his cloak suddenly as though she thought he might be hiding Harry underneath it.
"Hagrid's bringing him."
"You think it – wise – to trust Hagrid with something as important as this?"
"I would trust Hagrid with my life. Just not my secrets." Harry said smiling, Hagrid gave him a smile and Ron and Hermione started to laugh.
"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Dumbledore.
"We have a mini-Dumbledore." said the twins happily and smiling.
"I'm not saying his heart isn't in the right place," said Professor McGonagall grudgingly, "but you can't pretend he's not careless. He does tend to – what was that?"
"What was what?" asked several students curiously.
A low rumbling sound had broken the silence around them. It grew steadily louder as they looked up and down the street for some sign of headlight; it swelled to a roar as they both looked up at the sky – and a huge motorcycle fell out of the air and landed on the road in front of them.
"I want that motorcycle!" Fred and George exclaimed. Sirius barked at the mention of his motorcycle.
If the motorcycle was huge, it was nothing to the man sitting astride it. He was almost twice as tall as a normal man and at least five time as wide. He looked simply too big to be allowed, and so wild – long tangles of bushy black hair and beard hid most of his face, he had hands the size of trash can lids, and his feet in their leather boots were like baby dolphins.
"He look intimidating, but he's really gentle." Harry, Ron and Hermione told the students and smiled at each other when they realized they were saying the same thing.
In his vast, muscular arms he was holding a bundle of blankets.
"Hagrid," said Dumbledore, sounding relieved. "At last. And where did you get that motorcycle?"
"Borrowed it, Professor Dumbledore, sir," said the giant, climbing carefully off the motorcycle as he spoke. "Young Sirius Black lent it to me. I've got him, sir."
"If Sirius Black really wanted to kill me, then he wouldn't have gave his motorcycle to Hagrid." Harry said loudly.
"No problems, were there?"
"No, sir – house was almost destroyed, but I got him out all right before the Muggles started swarmin' around. He fell asleep as we were flyin' over Bristol."
"Aww." Every female students cooed at Harry, causing him to blush and duck his head. His male friends chuckled at his behaviour, ignoring a glare sent by Harry.
Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall bent forward over the bundle of blankets. Inside, jus visible, was a baby boy, fast asleep. Under a tuft of jet-black hair over his forehead they could see a curiously shaped cut, like a bolt of lightning.
Students turned around to see it, but Harry had already placed his hair over it, concealing it from the view.
"Is that where –?" whispered Professor McGonagall.
"Yes," said Dumbledore. "He'll have that scar forever."
"Couldn't you do something about it, Dumbledore?"
Harry looked up at this, interested.
"Even if I could, I wouldn't.
He sagged back.
Scars can come in handy. I have one myself above my left knee that is a prefect map of the London Underground.
"Really?" George looked interested, Dumbledore smiled and nodded.
Well – give him her, Hagrid – we'd better get this over with."
Dumbledore took Harry in his arms and turned toward the Dursleys' house.
"Could I – could I say good-bye to him, sir?" asked Hagrid. He bent his great, shaggy head over Harry and gave him what must have been a very scratchy, whiskery kiss. Then, suddenly, Hagrid let out a howl like a wounded dog.
Sirius let out a bark, looking offended. Harry laughed lightly, scratching behind the dog's ears.
"Shhh!" hissed Professor McGonagall, "you'll wake the Muggles!"
"S-s-sorry," sobbed Hagrid, taking out a large, spotted handkerchief and burying his face in it. "But I c-c-can't stand it – Lily an' James dead – an' poor little Harry off ter live with Muggles –"
"Yes, yes, it's all very sad, but get a grip on yourself, Hagrid, or we'll be found," Professor McGonagall whispered, patting Hagrid gingerly on the arm as Dumbledore steeped over the low garden wall and walked to the front door. He laid Harry gently on the doorstep, took a letter out of his cloak, tucked it inside Harry's blankets, and then came back to the other two.
"YOU LEFT HIM ON THE DOORSTEP?!" Hermione screamed, struggling against Harry and Ron who was hold her arms to restrain her from standing up. "He could have gotten sick or wandered away! Death Eaters could have caught him!"
"Hermione, I'm fine!"
"No, you are not 'fine'! You could have got injured or killed!" The shouting match was cut off by Dumbledore.
"Ms. Granger, I assure you that I had placed protective spell and warming charm." Dumbledore replied calmly.
For a full minute the three of them stood and looked at the little bundle; Hagrid's shoulders shook, Professor McGonagall blinked furiously, and the twinkling light that usually shone from Dumbledore's eyes seemed to have gone out.
"Well," said Dumbledore finally, "that's that. We've no business staying here. WE may as well go and join the celebrations."
"Yeah," said Hagrid in very muffled voice, "I'll takin' Sirius his bike back. G'night, Professor McGonagall – Professor Dumbledore, sir."
Wiping his streaming eyes on his jacket sleeve, Hagrid swung himself onto the motorcycle and kicked engine into life; with a roar it rose into the air and off into the night.
"I shall see you soon, I expect, Professor McGonagall," said Dumbledore, nodding to her. Professor McGonagall blew her nose in reply.
Dumbledore turned and walked back down the street. On the corner he stopped and took out the silver Put-Outer. He clicked it once, and twelve balls of light sped back to their street lamps so that Privet Drive glowed suddenly orange and he could make out a tabby cat slinking around the corner at the other end of the street. He could just see the bundle of blankets on the step of number.
"Good luck, Harry," he murmured. He turned on his heel and with a swish of his cloak, he was gone.
"Thanks, I needed it." mumbled Harry.
A breeze ruffled the neat hedges of Privet Drive, which lay silent and tidy under the inky sky, the very last place you would expect astonishing things to happen. Harry Potter rolled over inside his blankets without waking up. One small hand closed on the letter beside him and he slept on, not knowing he was special, not knowing he was famous, not knowing he would be woken in a few hours' time by Mrs. Dursley scream as she opened the front door to put out the milk bottles, not that he would spend the next weeks being prodded and pinched by his cousin Dudley… He meeting in secret all over the country were holding their glasses and saying in hushed voices: "To Harry Potter – the boy who lived!"
"That's the end of this chapter." said Dumbledore, "Who want to read next?"
Hermione's hand shot up in the air to nobody's surprise. Dumbledore levitated the book towards her and the began to read.
"Chapter 2 The Vanishing Glass."