A/N: NEW STORY! Okay, this one is...I don't know, but it will probably be very long...-sigh- I'm not sure if I should post it, but I love reviews, so...here goes.
Disclaimer: Me no ownee Harry Potter.
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Blood Lines
"Tout le sang qui coule rouge; All blood is red." Eugene Bullard
Chapter One:
"If something anticipated arrives too late it finds us numb, wrung out from waiting, and we feel - nothing at all. The best things arrive on time." Dorothy Gilman
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Harry Potter sat in his bedroom, throwing a tennis ball against the wall over and over. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. It would hit the wall, bounce off the floor, and he would catch it. It wasn't exactly the funnest activity, but it was something he could use to pass the time.
"Stop that insufferable noise this instant!" Hollered his Uncle Vernon from downstairs. So much for that idea. Over the past few hours he'd come up with one idea after another, all of which he had been forced to stop.
He glanced at the clock next to him hopefully. No such luck. It was still only 8:27. Exactly one hour and thirty-three minutes left until the Mr. Weasley came to pick him up. He'd been up since five and knew by now that a few hours could seem like forever.
He'd packed and repacked his trunk eight times, tried to read Quidditch Through the Ages six, and done other pointless activities forty-two. He was not having a good morning. Not that this wasn't normal- it was, actually. For the first two weeks he'd actually had something to do, however. Even if it was only homework, he desperately wished he had some now.
Somewhere in between counting and wishing he closed his eyes and ended up falling into a deep slumber.
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Mr. Weasley got up. "It's five 'til ten. I might as well go now." He waved at his family and with a pop, dissapparated.
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Petunia Dursley was carrying a snack tray into the living room when a man suddenly appeared in front of her. She shrieked and dropped the tray, carrots rolling under the coffee table and dressing splattering all over the rug. She didn't notice, however, as she was staring at the man. He had strangely familiar bright red hair and was smiling cheerily at her.
"Hello, Mrs. Dursley. Is Harry ready to go?" He asked.
She stared at him and slowly backed away. Mr. Dursley had gone to the office at nine and Dudley was out with his friends. She was all alone with this strange man, who was, of all things, asking about her nephew.
He tried again. "Is he upstairs?"
She continued backing away and slowly nodded.
"Thank you." He nodded at her and went upstairs. As soon as he was out of sight she raced to the bathroom and locked the door.
Mr. Weasley stopped outside what he assumed was Harry's bedroom, or at least, the one without the sign that said, "Dudley's room," on it, and knocked. Inside, Harry jerked awake and pulled his wand off the table beside him. "Who is it?"
"It's Arthur, Harry. Can I come in?" Harry sighed in relief and dropped his wand.
"Yeah." The door opened and Mr. Weasley came in.
"Are you ready to go?" He looked at the open trunk.
"What? Oh.yeah. Just a second." He grabbed Quidditch Through the Ages and his tennis ball (previously Dudley's, but he wouldn't miss it) and tossed them in on top of his other things. Slamming it shut, he stood up and looked at Mr. Weasley. "How are we getting there?"
Mr. Weasley looked slightly uncomfortable. "Er...well, about that...Stan has agreed to..."
Harry blinked. Stan? Where was that from? It sounded so familiar. "Stan Shunpike?" He asked.
"Uh, yes. Stan Shunpike. He's the conductor of the Knight Bus-"
"I know who he is, but-" Suddenly, it clicked. "Why're we taking the Knight Bus, Mr. Weasley?"
"Well...it's safer." He didn't seem to want to say much on that topic. "Now, Stan and Ernie are going to pick us up at ten, so I came a few minutes early.."
Harry blinked. "Oh! Well, we'd better go outside..." He wondered for a moment how Mr. Weasley had gotten upstairs without alerting Aunt Petunia.
Mr. Weasley nodded dazedly. "Yes, we'd better..." He shook his head a bit, as if to clear a thought, and tapped the trunk. "Refugio." It shrunk slowly until toy size. He bent and picked it up. Handing it to Harry, he said, "Here. I'll enlarge it when we get to the Burrow." He walked out and gestured for Harry to follow him.
They stepped outside just in time to see a large double-decker bus appear out of thin air and screech to a stop. Stan motioned to them. "C'mon! C'mon...Blimey! Ernie, its Ne-" After a stern look and a few well-chosen words from Mr. Weasley, Stan stopped goggling and decided to stay in another part of the bus for the remainder of their ride.
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Predictably, Harry enjoyed being at the Weasleys very much. A few days passed normally, just playing quidditch and enjoying being with his best friends. However, a few weeks into his stay, he was awoken in the middle of the night by a tapping at the window. He rubbed his eyes and put on his glasses. At first it seemed as though nothing were there, then he realized there was a black raven perched on the sill. He opened the window and it flew in, dropping a letter in his hand, then promptly left again. He picked up the letter and curiously opened it.
Dear Harry,
I need help. I am in the woods outside. A wild animal attacked me. Luckily, I was able to send you a letter. Could you please come? I am severely wounded and fear I may need medical help.
It wasn't even signed. He looked at it curiously before turning to Ron's bed. "Ron!" He whispered, shaking his friend.
"Mmph.." Ron rolled over.
"Ron!" He pulled the blankets off.
"Whad'ya want?" Ron asked drowsily.
"Someone sent a letter. They're in the forest and need help!" He held it out to him.
"Mm...good for you." Ron burrowed his head into the pillow.
"C'mon!" Harry pulled the pillow out from under his friend.
"Fine." Ron sat up and glared. "Lemme read it." He snatched the paper out of Harry's hand. "Please come...wild animal...send letter...please come...need help...Yeah. Need serious mental help. What kind of person would send you a letter asking for help?" He looked up. "This is it?"
Harry nodded. "What do you think?"
Ron stared at him incredulously. "I think it's some stalker fangirl who found out you were staying here and really wants your autograph. But, if you want to go 'save' them, then by all means, let's go." He started to get up.
"Let's? As in, plural?"
"Yes, let's. You don't think you're leaving me here after you make me get up, do you?"
Harry sighed. "Fine." They got dressed and headed out, making as little noise as possible. They walked into the woods and had been wandering for a bit before they reached a clearing.
Ron sat down on a log. "Let's head back. We haven't found anyone yet, I guess they left or-"
All of a sudden, someone grabbed him and started tying his hands. Harry kicked them, but another grabbed his legs and began working on those, too. They were all around.
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A/N: So...please review! Please, please, please!