and the
Wall of Burning Green Flames
By, Sw33tyPrincessFaerie
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Chapter One ---
THE SURPRISES
It was a Sunday morning - the supposedly
busiest time of the entire week. After all, why shouldn't it be? With all the
shopping, going to church, and Sunday school for the kids, people should be
opening, and closing and reopening their garage doors again and again as they
had to use their cars - the muggle kind of course -- to get around at all,
except for going to your neighbor's house, and that was exactly where Harry has
been going. Ever since he found out about Mrs. Figg being a witch (or rather a
Squib), he has been willing to go to her house when she asks him over for tea in
a tone of voice so mean, that it actually convinced the Dursleys let Harry go.
All this time Harry was thought to be tortured at Mrs. Figg's house, when, in
fact he was having a blast pending time with someone who understands about the
wizard world.
Harry was, as usual, waiting for Mrs. Figg's mean-toned invitation to go over to
her house and be 'tortured', when he all of the sudden noticed that it was very
quiet - almost too quiet - inside and outside. It was not as if he didn't like
it - he loved it - but it was highly unusual, especially for a Sunday morning,
in which people should be loud, noisy, and extremely annoying. It was very
strange - very very strange - because when Harry went down for breakfast, all
was prepared (which meant that he had to do nothing but eat like Dudley) and
Uncle Vernon wasn't yelling at him, but sitting in front of the TV with Aunt
Petunia who didn't seem to be moving her body or brain.
Is this supposed to be some kind of silencing holiday that I don't know of,
thought Harry, or did something happen to them?
Even if something did happen to them, (which is probably Voldemort, but then, he
was supposed to be laying down low.) Harry really couldn't care much for it
anyways, even though they were supposed to be the important part of Dumbledore's
brilliant plan to protect him.
Brilliant plan, Harry snorted at the thought. In the first time of his life, he
felt hatred rising in himself as he thought of Dumbledore. He had always
believed that if Dumbledore had not made Sirius stay inside all the time,
especially with Kreacher (who Harry wanted to kill so bad) then Sirius perhaps
might not have died. But this was only an unsuccessful way for Harry to convince
himself that it was not his own fault. Harry's attempts were unhelpful because
it only brought more and more guilt to his mind every time he thought about it.
If he, Harry, had not given up Occlumency lessons, then perhaps he would've
blocked the dreams; if he had not wanted to have those dreams, then perhaps he
would not have fallen to Voldemort's trick; If he had not fallen to Voldemort's
trick, then perhaps Sirius would not have died, his friends would not have been
injured. But then, all goes back to where they begun again. It was Snape's fault
that he stopped taking Occlumency lessons. It was Voldemort's trick and he could
not have controlled it. It was Dumbledore's fault that Harry didn't know why he
as not supposed to have those dreams and there for got curious and dreamed them.
And it was Kreacher's fault that he lied to Harry. But then Dumbledore didn't
let anyone else give Harry lessons, therefore it was Dumbledore's fault that
Harry couldn't have stopped having those dreams. So all ends up being
Dumbledore's fault again. All was confusing, and all was a blur. Harry did not
clearly know and had not wanted to clearly know everything. But he did know
this: His hate for Dumbledore had many reasons, even if Sirius' death was not
Dumbledore's fault, there were other things.
Leaving me with the Dursleys when you knew would give me hell, Harry clenched
his fist as he thought to himself.
'Well that's some brilliant plan of yours!' said Harry sarcastically, knowing
that his aunt and uncle wouldn't be able to hear him (for some reason.)
It was near the end of July, and was so hot that everything seemed to be looking
for a shade to hide under. The usually well-kept, green grasses from the front
yards of the houses on Privet Drive were all now crispy-dry and yellow. That
includes number 4 Privet Drive, where Harry lived at for practically all his
life. Every summer it was the same hot weather, but some things were different
this year. Unlike the years before, number 4 Privet Drive's front yard looked
just as terrible as the other houses'. Ever since Mad-eye Moody threatened
Harry's uncle to be nice to him at the King's Cross station when Harry got back
from Hogwarts, Uncle Vernon has not necessarily stopped telling at Harry but
rather stopped making him do loads of chores, like for example mowing the lawn.
This was the best summer Harry was having ever since he arrived at the Dursley's
front steps when he was a little baby. He, for one thing, didn't have to do as
many chores as before - though he still have to do some --, he had lots of fun
at Mrs. Figg's house, the Daily Prophet wasn't writing nasty lies about him and
Dumbledore anymore, and unlike last year, his friends were now writing great,
long letters to him.
But remembering one - in fact two - things would ruin all of this for him -
Sirius's death and the fact that he'll have to kill or be killed by Voldemort.
But Harry refused to remember that Sirius was dead, and make a great effort not
to think about Voldemort. But he was unsuccessful because there were always
little things that reminded him about it.
Harry still could not quite (in fact, at all,) get over Sirius' death. He had
spent most of his free time in his room, wondering whether Sirius will choose to
be a ghost, and come back to see him. Harry's summer was mostly spent in his
room. Harry was a boy and boys don't usually cry. But there Harry was, in his
room everyday, wasting tears that he knew would not bring Sirius back. His tears
were soundless, and quite meaningless as they will not help with anything, but
Harry thought that if Sirius knew that he loved him as a friend and a father
like figure, he'd be happy. What Harry knew not was that Sirius was in heaven
looking down at Harry, and for the first time ever so wanted Harry not to love
him, because it is too painful to watch Harry suffer under the pressures of his
(Sirius's) death.
As Harry finished breakfast, he left his aunt and uncle staring blankly at the
TV and went upstairs to his room. Oh it was not a pretty sight in there - books
all over the place, clothes crumbled up in corners and messy owl dropping filled
Harry's owl Hedwig's cage. No, it wasn't pretty.
A simple spell would've done it all, thought Harry, but he could possibly be
expelled from Hogwarts, like he'd almost had been last year, so he was trying
not to use any magic on the holidays, and was making great progress too.
So Harry didn't bother with the mess, there were things much more important.
Harry checked the calendar - two days until his OWLs results would arrive. He
always wanted to be an Auror. He was hoping to get six OWLS - one in Defense
Against the Dark Arts, one in Charms, one in Transfiguration, one in Potions
(considering the possibilities of being an Auror, a few dreadful classes with
Snape wouldn't be too much pain), Herbology since it was so easy, and Care of
Magical Creatures because he liked Hagrid so much. In these seven he thought he
only achieved getting five of them, probably failing Potions as he was always
mentally battling with Snape in all the time and almost never listens.
'Oh forget it!' said a little voice inside Harry's head, 'you don't even know if
you'll even live to that day to make a choice!' said a voice inside Harry head.
It was very true.
'Just like your life while you still can', said the voice again, 'and life will
decide for you. And on the plus side, it you do live to that day, you're
probably as good as an Auror and the Ministry would be begging you to help!'
Now Harry wasn't very sure about that, but it's comforting.
Just then, Harry heard someone yelling outside, so he stuck out his head to see
who it was.
'Harry! Come down here, and make it quick!' cried Mrs. Figg loudly.
Harry looked back at his room's door, it wasn't as if anyone was going to be
there, but he just did it automatically.
"But I -' whispered Harry trying to shout at the same time afraid that he'd
wake the Dursleys from their 'coma'.
'Just get down here, no one will se you! Just - use your broomsticks or a spell,
wait, never mind, just use your broomstick!' yelled Mrs. Figg.
Harry couldn't spot his broomstick anywhere, so there was no need searching for
it - even though his room was messy but a broomstick is still easy to see.
On no! Thought Harry, I didn't! Oh great, I left my broomstick at Hogwarts, that
stupid Umbrige woman! I wonder if she's still having nightmares about the
centaurs attacking-Harry's thought has slowed turned to a loud mutter.
'Cut that out! And get down here NOW! The spell is wearing off!'
Apparently Harry didn't know what she was talking about, but as he was so
frequently asked to just 'follow the instructions', he did not bother to ask
Mrs. Figg at all.
'How do I get down there?' mutter Harry. But then he realized that he had
stupidly forgot that there was these amazing thing called stair and door.
'Here, come with me' said Mrs. Figg when Harry walked out the door, 'we only got
20 minutes.'
They walked (more like ran) to Mrs. Figg's house's front door. She knocked. At
this Harry thought was insane, for he has never seem or even heard of anyone
knocking on their own door, but then, someone inside answered.
'Come in!' said the voice.
They went in the house and entered the room that Harry had been in many times.
There was a person sitting in a chair with their back towards them. '10 minutes,
Professor' and with that, Mrs. Figg left.
The chaired turned around; Dumbledore was sitting in it with his muggle cloth on
(Harry had always wanted to see him in those clothes, but now he sees him in
those, he doesn't look as weird as Harry thought he would've been) Harry wasn't
surprised at all, just curious.
'Harry, come, sit down please.' And with a wave of his wand, a comfy looking
chair appeared next to him. Harry went and sat down, but nearly jumped out of
his seat at the sudden attack of a brown with black stripes cat. The cat wasn't
really attacking Harry, and it wasn't really a cat either - it was Professor
McGonagall. She transformed back to her human self and made a chair for herself
to sit down on.
'Good to see you, Minerva.' said Dumbledore.
'Good to see you, too, Albus - er ahem - Professor Dumbledore'
'Let's get started then, shall we?' asked Dumbledore, but not necessarily
looking for an answer.
'I have something for you here, but first of all, Professor Dumbledore has
worked out a spell that allows you to freeze and stop certain people from
thinking' - so that's what happened to the Dursleys! thought Harry - 'which is
what we did to the Dursleys and all the muggles around. It works if target is
within a range of a mile, and like for the Room of Requirements, you have to
think hard about why you want it to happen. Well I certainly hope that made
sense. And see, places have Secret Keepers, spells created by wizards does, too,
and Dumbledore is the Secret Keeper for his spell so.' she finished, handing the
rest to Dumbledore.
'Harry, listen closely, and memorize, because Ms. Granger isn't here to do that.
The spell is "Retacento" and it wares off in one hour's time or you
can just to the counter-spell - "Otnecater" and if you ever forget the
counter-spell, well, it's just "Retacento" spelled backwards. No one
else will be able to use the spell except for the people who I told, but it
still would be the best if you didn't mention it in your future DA meetings.
Once you think someone is VERY trustable, then suggest him or her to me, and
then I'll give them the spell. Once again, remember the spell, and don't use it
unless you find yourself in a situation absolutely needed, which by the way I'm
sure that you'll find yourself in, easily. And at last.' Dumbledore trailed off,
meaning for McGonagall to speak again.
'Well you forgot to mention that it couldn't be cast continuously unless the
attempts were unsuccessful.' She smiled at Dumbledore, but then her face
hardened again. 'And Alb - Professor Dumbledore wants me to give you Occlumency
lessons' - that reminded Harry of Snape's pensive and his worst memory of being
harassed by Harry's dad, Remus and . Sirius. Harry sighed.
Professor paused a moment to take a breath, and she didn't even hear Harry's
sigh even though it was quiet. But out of the corner of Harry's eyes, he saw
that Dumbledore was watching him closely, it was uncomfortable.
'Well anyhow. here's what I and A - Dumbledore wanted to give you. I guess you
can count it as a birthday present.' Said Professor McGonagall, and handed Harry
a brown package. Harry received it and with a surprise, it was quite heavy for a
box that size.
'Don't open it with others around.' warned Professor McGonagall.
Both Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore stood up, they snapped their fingers
and the next thing Harry knew, he was in his room at the Dursleys.
'Buh-bye Harry' said Dumbledore.
'And take care' Professor finished for Dumbledore.
Harry heard them snap their fingers and turned around, but only caught the sight
of them for one second and then they disappeared in to thin air. If Harry wasn't
mistaken, Professor Dumbledore and McGonagall were smiling at each other when
they left.
So that's all they came all the way here for? thought Harry, just to give me a
stupid spell, tell me that I'm going to be taking that dull lesson again, and to
give me this package thing!? There wasn't even a need for both of them to come!
Harry sat down with a sigh, he has been doing that a lot lately, as his temper
had gotten worse since last year, but then, he was always in a bad mood when
stuck with the Dursleys. Harry dumped Hedwig's droppings in to a muggle garbage
can, which fortunately did not spit out all the droppings like the magical one
did.
'POTTER!' Harry frowned as he heard the unmistaken yelling coming from his uncle
downstairs.
'Well, I guess that is IS quite important.' he mumbled to himself.
When Harry was downstairs, Dudley was already doing the only thing he's quick at
- eating.
'YOU!!! You LAZY boy! How many times do I have to tell you!? Come by yourself or
it's NO BREAKFAST FOR YOU UNLESS YOU WANT TO EAT THE LEFTOVERS!' bellowed Uncle
Vernon.
Harry glanced over at Dudley, who was eating crazily.
'Hum.fat chance!'
Harry didn't want to eat anyways, all he could think about is the package. If he
wasn't imagining things, he recalls Dumbledore saying 'futures DA meetings' and
smirking at him.
'That's weird.' said Harry, bursting out the words.
'What?' asked Uncle Vernon who was not paying attention to Harry (like he was
ever!).
'Oh it's nothing'
'It better not be.THAT thing!'
' 'Course not.'
'Very well then, eat and don't talk.'
'You can bet on that!' Muttered Harry.
'What . was . that !!??'asked Uncle Vernon suspiciously, throwing Harry an
alarming look.
'Oh, well I was just saying that I wasn't hungry so umm well I'll just get -- I
mean - go to my room. Yeah, that's it; I'm going to my room. Yup' He ran
upstairs before his uncle could say anything at all. Locked the door of his room
behind him and thought about Dumbledore's word.
Finally, Harry brought himself to believe that Dumbledore actually wanted them
to continue then DA. Harry was relieved that he got it sorted out, so he took at
nap.
Harry was woken up by a loud yell. 'POTTER! DOWNSTAIRS NOW! DINNER! THIS IS THE
LAST TIME I'M CALLING YOU!'
* * *
It was late when Harry finished dinner and did the dishes. The night had fallen,
and the crescent moon hung high above in the sky. Harry was in his room, lying
down on his back on his bed. He was tired but yet he could not fall asleep. He
was thinking about the package, but he knows that if he opens it, it'll just get
him more excited and it'd be even harder to fall asleep then. Garry stared dully
at the moon. He had wished that his room's ceiling would become of one like the
Great Hall of Hogwarts had.
All of the sudden, Harry sat up. He saw something tiny fly across the moon. He
watched. As it flew closer, Harry made out that it was an owl. It was brown and
had black stripes on it. Judging from its slow and what looks like shaky
movements, it was either carrying heavy things or just old, or it could've been
scared, but what in the world what it have been scared of?
It flew toward number 4 Privet Drive, or rather towards Harry's window. He
opened the window to let it in, when suddenly realized what it was carrying.
Harry was horrorstruck; it was a red envelope and was no other than the Howler
itself!
'Oh no!' muttered Harry, 'so I'm either going to be yelled at by both the Howler
and Uncle Vernon, OR I'm going to have this thing blow up in my room making it
messier and have Uncle Vernon yell at me. Gee, I don't know which is worse.'
Harry's 'light bulb' suddenly when on (MIRACLE!).
'What was the spell? Umm.' asked Harry to himself.
Harry took out his wand and tried anything that sounded like it.
'Recatto muggles!'
His room was neat like muggles just cleaned it. It was wrong but all the same
useful.
'Retaceto muggles!'
A few owls hooted, but other than that, nothing happened.
'Recento muggles!'
Nothing again.
'Retacento muggles!'
A shimmer of green-silver light shot out the end of Harry's wand, they flew out
of the window and formed the work 'Success' and vanished.
Harry, still not sure whether it worked or not, tiptoed out of his room and into
Dudley's to check it he was snoring. Dudley was quiet as a mouse on his bed,
which definitely meant that the spell worked. After Harry saw it worked, he
hurried back into his room. He grabbed the Howler and teared it open just in
time before it blew up.
* * *
Somewhere in the Dark Forest.
'Master oh master, you are CERTAINLY the greatest!'
'Humph, well, do you reckon he'sss got it?' asked a hissing voice.
'Of course master! Your plans are only the greatest of all times! So I have no
doubt that he got it!'
'I hope ssso. Ifff I fffound out that he didn't, then you'll find yourssself in
a sssituation ssso ssscary that you'll die before I get to torture you.' Said
the hissing voice calmly.
* * *
'Harry Potter!' the Howler turned into an almost face-like figure and hissed at
Harry. 'YOU reckon you are ssso greatsss! Don't you?'-The sound was oddly
farmilier, which made harry shiver. - 'Oh not ssscared are you POTTER? Sssurely
you aren't ssscared of a howler after all thossse essscapesss from Lord
Voldemort!' - Harry was alarmed at the word LORD. -'You may even consssider
yourssself to be the greatessst wizard wouldn't you? Thisss isssn't what I call
ssscary either, but jussst to let you know, more Howlers will be on the way
onccce you arrive at Hogwartssssssssssss. If they don't ssscare you, they'll
sssurely ssscare your fellow ssstudentsss enough! My ssservant will be ssseeing
you in your necssst (next) ssschool year, and ifff I get a chance, I'll be
ssseeing you at Hogwartssssssssssssssssssss' the howler trailed off and ripped
itself into pieces.
That wasn't exactly what Harry had in mind for a Howler; he thought it would've
been more like the one Ron got during their second year when they stole the car.
That didn't matter though, the thing that troubled Harry was who it was from,
and if the person (or thing) really going to send more.
Harry was sure he could not go to sleep with all these things troubling him, so
he decided to open the package.
Harry took the package and sat on his bed. There was an envelope that came with
the package, he opened it, and it read:
'Dear Harry,
I apologize for not giving this
to you earlier. I have my ways. This letter was written the night your parents
were murdered, it was attached to this package ever since and never changed.
Happy Birthday, hope you get lots of OWLs. Now, let's get to the point.
Inside the brown box you'll find
something of your father's, only open it when you are alone. I must say it won't
be as amusing as the Invisibility Cloak or the Marauder's Map'
He knows! Thought Harry. -
'But though I MUST say that you'll be interested. Your father James Potter, his
friend Remus Lupin, Sirius Black,'
Harry's stomach did a back flip. -
'And Peter Pettigrew'
- Harry's stomach did a double back flip, he felt hatred and sadness at the same
time, and it was hard to say which was stronger. -
' Some things are hard to put in words, so are the things in the package. Open
it. Sincerely yours, Albus Dumbledore.'
Harry opened the package, and there were six things. Four were books and two
were slips.
Harry looked at the slips first.
The blue one was the permission slip for Harry to go to Hogmeade, signed by
Dumbledore. The note attached to it written by Dumbledore, it read;
'Now Sirius is dead, I, Albus Dumbledore, by law is your legal guardian. Take
care.'
Harry was confused, but he decided to save questions until he arrive at Hogwarts,
so then he can ask Dumbledore. But for now, he looked at the other slip.
It was rainbow colored.
'The newest and the best! INTRODUTING THE THUNDER STORM 1,000,000!!!!!!!'
Harry flipped it, and it read:
'A Gift Certificate from Sirius Black, James Potter (supposedly), Remus Lupin to
Harry Potter for Harry's birthday, his Quidditch matches.' Please go to the
Thunder Storm Specialist Store (located in Diagon Alley) to pick up you THUNDER
STORM 1,000,000! Certificate valid until person in "To:" field dies.'
WOW! Thought Harry. He wanted to jump and cheer, but a sudden sadness came over
him as he saw the name of his dad and his godfather. He looked at the books.
The first book's front cover said, 'How To Become An Animagus'
So this is how they learned to be an Animagus, thought Harry.
He took out the other three books. They all looked the same. When Harry looked
at the titles, he realized they weren't books.
They were titled, 'Diary of James Potter', 'Prepared Diary book for Jessica Lily
Potter', and at last, 'Prepared Diary book for Harry James Potter'
Author's Note: Please review, I still can't center the stupid thing, and I can't
italicize either, there IS a button, but it doesn't work, HTML doesn't work
either! Well, this is just the first chapter, it's kinda dull, I agree, but I
promise it gets better all right? I mean, if you look back at the HP books, the
first chap. isn't all that exciting is it? Except Harry finds out about like
lots of stuff, which is what happens in MY first chapter!
Disclaimer: I do not own most of the characters and things - you know which ones - but I DO own the spell Retacento® its counter spell Otnecater® the brand of broomsticks Thunder Storm® an the book of How To Become An Animagus® And there may be more to come too, but for now, just these. Copyrighted 2003©
