Disclaimer: I don't own anything you recognize in this story. It all
belongs to Ms. Rowling. If you don't recognize something, then it might
belong to me. This is for the whole story, because I know I won't remember
to keep writing it.
**************************************************************************** ***
Harry Potter's Sixth Year Chapter 1: Back to the Burrow
It was a warm day in early August and many people were outside enjoying the weather. One person, however, was not enjoying it. 16-year-old Harry Potter was waiting anxiously for his best friend, Ron Weasley, and his brother Charlie to come and pick him up. It had been a long summer, and he couldn't wait to get away from the Dursley's at number 4, Privet Drive, where he lived with his aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and their son, his cousin Dudley.
This summer had been better than most of his previous ones, though, even if he had been fairly depressed much of the time, not eating or sleeping much. Harry's uncle had avoided him as much as possible-- he was probably scared of what Mad-Eye Moody would do to him if he wasn't nice-- and his cousin seemed to like him better since Harry saved his life last summer. His aunt had been nicer to him, too. She seemed to be almost. sympathetic toward him, as if she knew how much he'd been through in the last few months.
Last June, Harry and his friends had gone to the Ministry of Magic, where they ended up fighting around a dozen Death Eaters-- followers of Voldemort, a very dangerous dark wizard who was after Harry. They would have lost, if Albus Dumbledore and other members of the Order of the Phoenix hadn't shown up. Harry had watched his godfather, Sirius Black, fall to his death through a mysterious veil. And he couldn't help but feel it was all his fault.
He had also watched Professor Dumbledore duel Voldemort, even though he knew he couldn't win, because of a prophecy about Harry. The fight had ended when the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had entered the Ministry and Voldemort disapparated so he wouldn't be captured.
But Aunt Petunia couldn't know any of this. She was a Muggle, a non-magic person, who knew very little about the Ministry of Magic, Harry's school, or Voldemort. Harry would have liked to ask her about her behavior, but every time he tried, she suddenly got very busy. And for the last few days, she had been away, visiting a sick friend. He would just have to wait and see if her attitude changed at all over the school year.
Harry sighed. Thinking about it all still hurt too much. And Ron should be there any minute. They were going back to Ron's house, the Burrow, for a few days, before returning to number 12, Grimmauld Place, headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry couldn't wait to see his friends again. He didn't want to be in bad spirits when he first saw them. His other best friend, Hermione Granger, would also be arriving at the Burrow today. Hermione was Muggle-born and very smart. She, along with everyone else, had been very worried about him this summer, writing many letters asking if he was OK and telling him she was there if he needed to talk.
Harry suddenly wondered how Ron would be arriving. The Weasleys were an old wizarding family who didn't have a car. They usually used Floo powder to travel through the fireplaces, but he had been told to be waiting outside at 6:00 that evening. Just as he was wondering if maybe Ron had gotten permission to apparate even though he was underage, he heard someone calling his name. He turned around and saw Ron and Charlie walking up the street.
"Hey. How did you guys get here?" he asked curiously.
"Floo powder," Charlie answered, taking his wand out and shrinking Harry's trunk to the size of a shoebox. "We came through Arabella Figg's fireplace to avoid the trouble of hooking your uncle's house up to the Floo Network again. You remember what happened last time. That's why we wanted you to wait outside." Harry certainly did. The Dursley's living room had turned into a disaster zone after the blocked fireplace had been blasted across the room. The Dursleys hadn't been too happy.
"We'd better get going," he continued. "Mum's expecting us back soon, and she'll get worried if we're not. She's already in a right state about you what with everything that happened last year. You seem to have more than just a knack for getting in trouble."
"How are you doing, mate? Lupin's been by a few times; he's holding together ok.." Ron trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Remus Lupin was a werewolf, a former professor at Hogwarts, Harry's school, and a good friend of Sirius'.
"I'm ok," Harry replied. "Not great, but I've already lost my parents, what's one more name on the list?"
Harry was sure he saw Ron and Charlie exchange a look as they reached Arabella Figg's house, but he chose to ignore it. Mrs. Figg, who lived a few streets over from Harry, was part of the Order of the Phoenix. Until last summer, Harry had thought she was a muggle, but he now knew she was a squib, or a person from a magical family who couldn't do magic themselves. She came quickly to the door and ushered them into her house.
"Hello Harry, it's nice to see you again, especially since you're not in trouble this time. I hope your doing well?" She looked as though she doubted he was, but didn't wait for an answer. "You three had better hurry, Molly's expecting you back soon, and she'll be after me if you're not. Come on now." She led them back to her fireplace and offered Charlie the container of Floo powder. He threw it into the fire before stepping in and calling "the Burrow." Then he was gone.
Ron went next. Mrs. Figg held the container out to Harry, asking him to be careful before he was gone to the Burrow.
**********
Harry fell out of the fireplace into Ron's kitchen only to be pulled quickly up again by Ron's mother, Mrs. Weasley.
"Oh Harry, dear, it's so nice to see you again. How are you doing? Are you ok? You look like you need something to eat," she started to get him something from one of the cupboards, but was stopped by Ron.
"Mum, he's just arrived, let him take his stuff upstairs and say hello to Hermione and Neville first."
"Neville's here?" Harry asked, surprised. Neville Longbottom was another Gryffindor sixth-year. He had never been one of Ron and Harry's best friends, though he had been one of the people who went to the Ministry with them at the end of last year.
"Yeah," Ron replied somberly as they walked up the steps. "One of You-Know- Who's followers killed his Gran. She was part of the Order. That same girl that killed Sirius got her. He's staying with us for the rest of the summer." Harry was stunned. He knew Bellatrix Lestrange, who had killed Sirius, had also done the Cruciatus Curse on Neville's parents until they went insane. They were now permanently living at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
They reached the top of the stairs, where Ron's room was located, and the door flew open before they even touched the doorknob. Hermione was standing there, along with Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, who was about to start her fifth year at Hogwarts.
"Harry!" Hermione cried, pulling him into a hug. "How are you? It's so good to see you again. Did Ron tell you Neville's here too?"
"I'm fine, Hermione. Yeah, he told me. Hey, Ginny," he said, walking into the bedroom.
"Hey, Harry. You sure you're ok?"
"Yeah. What's Charlie doing here?" he asked.
Ron answered, looking slightly puzzled. "We're not sure. We thought he was just coming home for a visit, but then he told us he got a bad bite off one of the dragons and was told he should take some time off. He's got an awesome scar, though."
Ginny glanced at her brother and when it was clear he was done talking she continued. "He's got a new job, now, too. He won't tell us what it is, though. Said he wants it to be a surprise. I don't think that's the only reason he's here though."
"What do you mean?"
Ginny smiled secretively and went on. "I think someone's got a girlfriend. I caught him and Tonks snogging the other day. Charlie doesn't know, though. I left before they saw me."
"Tonks and Charlie?" Harry asked. "I didn't even know they knew each other."
"Yeah," Ginny said. "They met at Hogwarts. He was a few years ahead of her, though, so they never became really good friends."
"They seemed really happy to see each other when he got here, anyway," Ron added.
They heard the door open and everyone turned around to watch Neville come in.
"Hey Harry," he said quietly, sitting down on one of the two cots set up in the room for Harry and Neville to sleep on.
"Hey Neville," Harry replied. "I'm sorry about your Gran."
"Thanks. Its okay though." He looked so sad Harry wanted to say something to console him.
"Listen, Neville," Harry said, suddenly knowing what he should say. "I lost my parents when I was really little, and then Sirius at Ministry. I know it's not exactly the same, but. just remember, I know what you're going through."
Neville looked like he appreciated Harry trying to make him feel better." Yeah, I know. You know the lady that killed Gran and Sirius- Bellatrix Lestrange? She's the one who tortured my parents." Ron looked up in surprise and Ginny and Hermione gasped, but Harry nodded.
"Yeah. I- er- fell into Dumbledore's pensieve during our fourth year and saw her trial. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone, that you'd let us know when you were ready."
Neville started to say something, but was interrupted when Ron started laughing.
"You fell in a pensieve? How do you fall in one?"
Harry glared at him. "Well I'm sorry, but it was sitting there and I didn't know what it was, so I put my wand in it and got sucked in." This caused Ron to laugh even more.
It's okay, Harry," Neville said. "I should have told you guys a long time ago."
Just then, Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs that it was time for dinner and the group started to make their way down the steps.
Author's Note: Ok, I hope you all like this. If you do, I will try to update soon. If not. well it doesn't really matter then does it? Anyway, I am terribly sorry if someone is out of character, or if something is totally off. Please tell me and maybe I will try to fix it. I know Harry doesn't seem very upset about Sirius dying, but he will. Keep reading, it's coming. And I know it's not much yet, but it will get better. Just give me a few chapters. Next up: the reading of Sirius' will.
Keep in mind this is my first attempt at a fanfic, and I've never really thought of myself as much of a writer, even though I like to write. Oh, and reviews are greatly appreciated, whether they contain criticism or praise. By the way Gypsy- are you happy now? I started my fic.
Also, my friend Gypsy t. Potter (remember her? I gave her a shout-out a minute ago) and I (Crystal e. Evans on the site) have a Harry Potter website: e!
**************************************************************************** ***
Harry Potter's Sixth Year Chapter 1: Back to the Burrow
It was a warm day in early August and many people were outside enjoying the weather. One person, however, was not enjoying it. 16-year-old Harry Potter was waiting anxiously for his best friend, Ron Weasley, and his brother Charlie to come and pick him up. It had been a long summer, and he couldn't wait to get away from the Dursley's at number 4, Privet Drive, where he lived with his aunt Petunia, Uncle Vernon, and their son, his cousin Dudley.
This summer had been better than most of his previous ones, though, even if he had been fairly depressed much of the time, not eating or sleeping much. Harry's uncle had avoided him as much as possible-- he was probably scared of what Mad-Eye Moody would do to him if he wasn't nice-- and his cousin seemed to like him better since Harry saved his life last summer. His aunt had been nicer to him, too. She seemed to be almost. sympathetic toward him, as if she knew how much he'd been through in the last few months.
Last June, Harry and his friends had gone to the Ministry of Magic, where they ended up fighting around a dozen Death Eaters-- followers of Voldemort, a very dangerous dark wizard who was after Harry. They would have lost, if Albus Dumbledore and other members of the Order of the Phoenix hadn't shown up. Harry had watched his godfather, Sirius Black, fall to his death through a mysterious veil. And he couldn't help but feel it was all his fault.
He had also watched Professor Dumbledore duel Voldemort, even though he knew he couldn't win, because of a prophecy about Harry. The fight had ended when the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, had entered the Ministry and Voldemort disapparated so he wouldn't be captured.
But Aunt Petunia couldn't know any of this. She was a Muggle, a non-magic person, who knew very little about the Ministry of Magic, Harry's school, or Voldemort. Harry would have liked to ask her about her behavior, but every time he tried, she suddenly got very busy. And for the last few days, she had been away, visiting a sick friend. He would just have to wait and see if her attitude changed at all over the school year.
Harry sighed. Thinking about it all still hurt too much. And Ron should be there any minute. They were going back to Ron's house, the Burrow, for a few days, before returning to number 12, Grimmauld Place, headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Harry couldn't wait to see his friends again. He didn't want to be in bad spirits when he first saw them. His other best friend, Hermione Granger, would also be arriving at the Burrow today. Hermione was Muggle-born and very smart. She, along with everyone else, had been very worried about him this summer, writing many letters asking if he was OK and telling him she was there if he needed to talk.
Harry suddenly wondered how Ron would be arriving. The Weasleys were an old wizarding family who didn't have a car. They usually used Floo powder to travel through the fireplaces, but he had been told to be waiting outside at 6:00 that evening. Just as he was wondering if maybe Ron had gotten permission to apparate even though he was underage, he heard someone calling his name. He turned around and saw Ron and Charlie walking up the street.
"Hey. How did you guys get here?" he asked curiously.
"Floo powder," Charlie answered, taking his wand out and shrinking Harry's trunk to the size of a shoebox. "We came through Arabella Figg's fireplace to avoid the trouble of hooking your uncle's house up to the Floo Network again. You remember what happened last time. That's why we wanted you to wait outside." Harry certainly did. The Dursley's living room had turned into a disaster zone after the blocked fireplace had been blasted across the room. The Dursleys hadn't been too happy.
"We'd better get going," he continued. "Mum's expecting us back soon, and she'll get worried if we're not. She's already in a right state about you what with everything that happened last year. You seem to have more than just a knack for getting in trouble."
"How are you doing, mate? Lupin's been by a few times; he's holding together ok.." Ron trailed off, unsure of how to continue. Remus Lupin was a werewolf, a former professor at Hogwarts, Harry's school, and a good friend of Sirius'.
"I'm ok," Harry replied. "Not great, but I've already lost my parents, what's one more name on the list?"
Harry was sure he saw Ron and Charlie exchange a look as they reached Arabella Figg's house, but he chose to ignore it. Mrs. Figg, who lived a few streets over from Harry, was part of the Order of the Phoenix. Until last summer, Harry had thought she was a muggle, but he now knew she was a squib, or a person from a magical family who couldn't do magic themselves. She came quickly to the door and ushered them into her house.
"Hello Harry, it's nice to see you again, especially since you're not in trouble this time. I hope your doing well?" She looked as though she doubted he was, but didn't wait for an answer. "You three had better hurry, Molly's expecting you back soon, and she'll be after me if you're not. Come on now." She led them back to her fireplace and offered Charlie the container of Floo powder. He threw it into the fire before stepping in and calling "the Burrow." Then he was gone.
Ron went next. Mrs. Figg held the container out to Harry, asking him to be careful before he was gone to the Burrow.
**********
Harry fell out of the fireplace into Ron's kitchen only to be pulled quickly up again by Ron's mother, Mrs. Weasley.
"Oh Harry, dear, it's so nice to see you again. How are you doing? Are you ok? You look like you need something to eat," she started to get him something from one of the cupboards, but was stopped by Ron.
"Mum, he's just arrived, let him take his stuff upstairs and say hello to Hermione and Neville first."
"Neville's here?" Harry asked, surprised. Neville Longbottom was another Gryffindor sixth-year. He had never been one of Ron and Harry's best friends, though he had been one of the people who went to the Ministry with them at the end of last year.
"Yeah," Ron replied somberly as they walked up the steps. "One of You-Know- Who's followers killed his Gran. She was part of the Order. That same girl that killed Sirius got her. He's staying with us for the rest of the summer." Harry was stunned. He knew Bellatrix Lestrange, who had killed Sirius, had also done the Cruciatus Curse on Neville's parents until they went insane. They were now permanently living at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
They reached the top of the stairs, where Ron's room was located, and the door flew open before they even touched the doorknob. Hermione was standing there, along with Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, who was about to start her fifth year at Hogwarts.
"Harry!" Hermione cried, pulling him into a hug. "How are you? It's so good to see you again. Did Ron tell you Neville's here too?"
"I'm fine, Hermione. Yeah, he told me. Hey, Ginny," he said, walking into the bedroom.
"Hey, Harry. You sure you're ok?"
"Yeah. What's Charlie doing here?" he asked.
Ron answered, looking slightly puzzled. "We're not sure. We thought he was just coming home for a visit, but then he told us he got a bad bite off one of the dragons and was told he should take some time off. He's got an awesome scar, though."
Ginny glanced at her brother and when it was clear he was done talking she continued. "He's got a new job, now, too. He won't tell us what it is, though. Said he wants it to be a surprise. I don't think that's the only reason he's here though."
"What do you mean?"
Ginny smiled secretively and went on. "I think someone's got a girlfriend. I caught him and Tonks snogging the other day. Charlie doesn't know, though. I left before they saw me."
"Tonks and Charlie?" Harry asked. "I didn't even know they knew each other."
"Yeah," Ginny said. "They met at Hogwarts. He was a few years ahead of her, though, so they never became really good friends."
"They seemed really happy to see each other when he got here, anyway," Ron added.
They heard the door open and everyone turned around to watch Neville come in.
"Hey Harry," he said quietly, sitting down on one of the two cots set up in the room for Harry and Neville to sleep on.
"Hey Neville," Harry replied. "I'm sorry about your Gran."
"Thanks. Its okay though." He looked so sad Harry wanted to say something to console him.
"Listen, Neville," Harry said, suddenly knowing what he should say. "I lost my parents when I was really little, and then Sirius at Ministry. I know it's not exactly the same, but. just remember, I know what you're going through."
Neville looked like he appreciated Harry trying to make him feel better." Yeah, I know. You know the lady that killed Gran and Sirius- Bellatrix Lestrange? She's the one who tortured my parents." Ron looked up in surprise and Ginny and Hermione gasped, but Harry nodded.
"Yeah. I- er- fell into Dumbledore's pensieve during our fourth year and saw her trial. I'm sorry I didn't tell you, but Dumbledore told me not to tell anyone, that you'd let us know when you were ready."
Neville started to say something, but was interrupted when Ron started laughing.
"You fell in a pensieve? How do you fall in one?"
Harry glared at him. "Well I'm sorry, but it was sitting there and I didn't know what it was, so I put my wand in it and got sucked in." This caused Ron to laugh even more.
It's okay, Harry," Neville said. "I should have told you guys a long time ago."
Just then, Mrs. Weasley called up the stairs that it was time for dinner and the group started to make their way down the steps.
Author's Note: Ok, I hope you all like this. If you do, I will try to update soon. If not. well it doesn't really matter then does it? Anyway, I am terribly sorry if someone is out of character, or if something is totally off. Please tell me and maybe I will try to fix it. I know Harry doesn't seem very upset about Sirius dying, but he will. Keep reading, it's coming. And I know it's not much yet, but it will get better. Just give me a few chapters. Next up: the reading of Sirius' will.
Keep in mind this is my first attempt at a fanfic, and I've never really thought of myself as much of a writer, even though I like to write. Oh, and reviews are greatly appreciated, whether they contain criticism or praise. By the way Gypsy- are you happy now? I started my fic.
Also, my friend Gypsy t. Potter (remember her? I gave her a shout-out a minute ago) and I (Crystal e. Evans on the site) have a Harry Potter website: e!