'Look, Harry, I know this isn't an ideal situation-'
Harry interrupted Mr. Weasley with a derisive snort. He had probably just made the understatement of the year. He looked across at Mr. Weasley, who was pale and tired-looking, and seemed considerably discouraged by Harry's negative attitude.
'I'm sorry Mr. Weasley', he sighed, 'it's just...not that easy to accept that I'll never be going to Hogwarts again.'
'That's not neccessarily true', Mr. Weasley argued, 'if the current situation changes...if You-Know-Who is thrown off the scent sufficiently, or if the Order gains the upper hand...no Harry, don't rule out a return to Hogwarts just yet.'
Harry stared down at his hands, not wanting to continue this conversation. He had already had the exact same talk with Dumbledore, Remus, Mad-Eye Moody, and Molly. He was fed-up, and even the thought of the Dursleys seemed inviting at the moment, instead of where he was actually going.
After the events at the Department of Mysteries just before the summer holidays, Professor Dumbledore had begun to take action to keep Harry safe from Voldemort, and far from his grasp. Of course, Harry remembered bitterly, nobody had bothered to inform him about this. Then, two weeks ago, while he was staying at The Burrow and having a nice, relaxing time with Ron, Fred, George and Ginny, Remus Lupin had arrived through the fireplace and dropped the bombshell.
Harry was to be sent to a different school; as long as he stayed at Hogwarts, where Voldemort expected him to be,nobody in the castle was safe, and Dumbledore could not continue to put so many lives at risk. So the headmaster had asked Beauxbatons to take him-they had refused, because of the danger. That left only one possibility, and even as Harry thought of it, his stomach went icy cold.
He was on his way to Durmstrang. Dumbledore had assured him that it was in the hands of a highly capable, responisble, good wizard, by the name of Vladimir Kerensky, who had taken up the job in place of Karkaroff, when Dumbledore put his name forward. Apparently, since an exchange during their schooldays, Dumbledore and Kerensky had been friends, and Kerensky, with some secret help from Dumbledore, was now making an attempt to turn the school around, and weed out the Death Eaters. Inviting Harry Potter to the school, and showing the Ministry how safe he was there, was a first step to improving the reputation of Durmstrang. Only Cornelius Fudge, Percy Weasley, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Madam Bones, Alastor Moody and Remus Lupin knew of the transfer, to minimise possible leaks to the press. It was vital, Dumbledore had said, that Voldemort hear nothing of this. Otherwise, the plan was futile.
Ron also knew. Harry had told him in secret the previous day, and Ron had gone berserk. Harry couldn't bear to think of what this year was going to be like without Ron to talk to.
'Here we are!' Mr. Weasley said cheerfully, pulling up outside Number Fourteen, Grimmauld Place. It would have been much easier to fly or use the Floo Network to get there, but Mr. Weasley, having acquired a new car on the back of his recent promotion in the Ministry, had been dying to 'give it a driving test.'
Harry and Arthur walked up to the door of Number Fourteen, and rang on the doorbell. Remus Lupin, who had only bought the house three weeks previously, opened the door and welcomed them in.
'Harry! Arthur!' He cried with a grin, 'marvellous to see you!'
Harry gave him a cynical look. There was something rather fake about Remus' happiness; he had taken the death of Sirius very hard.
'Anyone want a cup of tea?' He asked, leading them into the living room. Harry shivered; this house was exactly like Number Twelve, only slightly cleaner.
'Love to, Remus, but we're running late', Arthur said with a moan, 'driving takes so much longer when you have to obey those little red lights that go on and off all the time. I'll have to get Harry to explain it all to me properly next time he's here.'
Remus' smile faded. He looked at Harry sadly. 'How are you feeling?' he asked him sympathetically.
'Great', Harry muttered dispiritedly, 'can't wait to join a school full of Slytherins.'
'Now Harry', Remus said gravely, 'I daresay you'll find one or two diamonds in the, er...rough.'
'It's almost noon, Remus', Arthur reminded him, jigging on the spot, 'the network will only stay open for two minutes, for security!'
Remus sighed and nodded. He went to the fireplace, dug his hand into a box on the mantelpiece, and flung a fistful of Floo Powder into the cheerfully crackling fire. 'Off you go then, Harry', Arthur said, giving Harry a nudge towards the fireplace.
'What? I've got to leave right now?' Harry asked wildly, 'But-but I haven't even got to say goodbye to Remus!'
Remus put a hand on each of Harry's shoulders. 'All you have to do is call me if you need me, Harry', he said softly, 'and I'll get to you as fast as I can. Now go on, and try to think positive! This is for the best!'
Harry felt ridiculous as tears began to prick his eyes. He nodded and smiled at Remus, said 'thanks Mr. Weasley', and stood in front of the fire.
'Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry', he said gloomily, then stepped into the inviting green flames, and was gone.
'Sirius would kill Dumbledore if he knew where we just sent Harry', Remus whispered, 'with all that gold Sirius left him and me, we would have been set up in Number Twelve-I could've homeschooled him!'
'You forget how like Sirius Harry Potter is', Arthur replied, staring into the fire, 'I think he would rather face a terrible, dark new school many miles away from home, than sit in a dank, dreary house for...how long? It could be months, it could be years. No Remus, we can't shelter Harry anymore. This experience could be the making of him! Anyway, he won't be completely alone.'
'I doubt that man will be of any comfort to Harry', Remus responded stiffly, 'do you think I could ask Dumbledore to let me go in his stead and keep an eye on things?'
'No', Arthur answered firmly, 'you know You-Know-Who is watching you, that's why you can't be in Number Twelve anymore! How's that tunnel coming along, by the way?'
'Pretty well', Remus replied with a sigh, 'I think I'll stay here 'til I've finished it-I have an uneasy feeling that too many trips from this house to Number Twelve may be noted by spies.'
Arthur nodded, clapped Remus on the back, and headed for the door. 'Molly said she'll send you over a stew later, she doesn't think you're eating well at all. I'd better get back to the Ministry-Fudge wanted to see me this afternoon and this ruddy car will make the journey take a lifetime! I'll pop in on you later.'
Remus nodded and waved, as Arthur hurried out of the room, and the front door banged behind him. Slowly, he walked over to the fireplace and gazed at the bright flames for a moment, before straightening up again and turning away. Buckbeak would need feeding. He left the room, but not before one last glance back at the fireplace.
'Good luck, Harry', he whispered softly.
Chapter 2: Harry reaches Durmstrang and meets his new classmates-and there will be one or two surprises for him when he does!
Harry interrupted Mr. Weasley with a derisive snort. He had probably just made the understatement of the year. He looked across at Mr. Weasley, who was pale and tired-looking, and seemed considerably discouraged by Harry's negative attitude.
'I'm sorry Mr. Weasley', he sighed, 'it's just...not that easy to accept that I'll never be going to Hogwarts again.'
'That's not neccessarily true', Mr. Weasley argued, 'if the current situation changes...if You-Know-Who is thrown off the scent sufficiently, or if the Order gains the upper hand...no Harry, don't rule out a return to Hogwarts just yet.'
Harry stared down at his hands, not wanting to continue this conversation. He had already had the exact same talk with Dumbledore, Remus, Mad-Eye Moody, and Molly. He was fed-up, and even the thought of the Dursleys seemed inviting at the moment, instead of where he was actually going.
After the events at the Department of Mysteries just before the summer holidays, Professor Dumbledore had begun to take action to keep Harry safe from Voldemort, and far from his grasp. Of course, Harry remembered bitterly, nobody had bothered to inform him about this. Then, two weeks ago, while he was staying at The Burrow and having a nice, relaxing time with Ron, Fred, George and Ginny, Remus Lupin had arrived through the fireplace and dropped the bombshell.
Harry was to be sent to a different school; as long as he stayed at Hogwarts, where Voldemort expected him to be,nobody in the castle was safe, and Dumbledore could not continue to put so many lives at risk. So the headmaster had asked Beauxbatons to take him-they had refused, because of the danger. That left only one possibility, and even as Harry thought of it, his stomach went icy cold.
He was on his way to Durmstrang. Dumbledore had assured him that it was in the hands of a highly capable, responisble, good wizard, by the name of Vladimir Kerensky, who had taken up the job in place of Karkaroff, when Dumbledore put his name forward. Apparently, since an exchange during their schooldays, Dumbledore and Kerensky had been friends, and Kerensky, with some secret help from Dumbledore, was now making an attempt to turn the school around, and weed out the Death Eaters. Inviting Harry Potter to the school, and showing the Ministry how safe he was there, was a first step to improving the reputation of Durmstrang. Only Cornelius Fudge, Percy Weasley, Arthur and Molly Weasley, Madam Bones, Alastor Moody and Remus Lupin knew of the transfer, to minimise possible leaks to the press. It was vital, Dumbledore had said, that Voldemort hear nothing of this. Otherwise, the plan was futile.
Ron also knew. Harry had told him in secret the previous day, and Ron had gone berserk. Harry couldn't bear to think of what this year was going to be like without Ron to talk to.
'Here we are!' Mr. Weasley said cheerfully, pulling up outside Number Fourteen, Grimmauld Place. It would have been much easier to fly or use the Floo Network to get there, but Mr. Weasley, having acquired a new car on the back of his recent promotion in the Ministry, had been dying to 'give it a driving test.'
Harry and Arthur walked up to the door of Number Fourteen, and rang on the doorbell. Remus Lupin, who had only bought the house three weeks previously, opened the door and welcomed them in.
'Harry! Arthur!' He cried with a grin, 'marvellous to see you!'
Harry gave him a cynical look. There was something rather fake about Remus' happiness; he had taken the death of Sirius very hard.
'Anyone want a cup of tea?' He asked, leading them into the living room. Harry shivered; this house was exactly like Number Twelve, only slightly cleaner.
'Love to, Remus, but we're running late', Arthur said with a moan, 'driving takes so much longer when you have to obey those little red lights that go on and off all the time. I'll have to get Harry to explain it all to me properly next time he's here.'
Remus' smile faded. He looked at Harry sadly. 'How are you feeling?' he asked him sympathetically.
'Great', Harry muttered dispiritedly, 'can't wait to join a school full of Slytherins.'
'Now Harry', Remus said gravely, 'I daresay you'll find one or two diamonds in the, er...rough.'
'It's almost noon, Remus', Arthur reminded him, jigging on the spot, 'the network will only stay open for two minutes, for security!'
Remus sighed and nodded. He went to the fireplace, dug his hand into a box on the mantelpiece, and flung a fistful of Floo Powder into the cheerfully crackling fire. 'Off you go then, Harry', Arthur said, giving Harry a nudge towards the fireplace.
'What? I've got to leave right now?' Harry asked wildly, 'But-but I haven't even got to say goodbye to Remus!'
Remus put a hand on each of Harry's shoulders. 'All you have to do is call me if you need me, Harry', he said softly, 'and I'll get to you as fast as I can. Now go on, and try to think positive! This is for the best!'
Harry felt ridiculous as tears began to prick his eyes. He nodded and smiled at Remus, said 'thanks Mr. Weasley', and stood in front of the fire.
'Durmstrang School of Witchcraft and Wizardry', he said gloomily, then stepped into the inviting green flames, and was gone.
'Sirius would kill Dumbledore if he knew where we just sent Harry', Remus whispered, 'with all that gold Sirius left him and me, we would have been set up in Number Twelve-I could've homeschooled him!'
'You forget how like Sirius Harry Potter is', Arthur replied, staring into the fire, 'I think he would rather face a terrible, dark new school many miles away from home, than sit in a dank, dreary house for...how long? It could be months, it could be years. No Remus, we can't shelter Harry anymore. This experience could be the making of him! Anyway, he won't be completely alone.'
'I doubt that man will be of any comfort to Harry', Remus responded stiffly, 'do you think I could ask Dumbledore to let me go in his stead and keep an eye on things?'
'No', Arthur answered firmly, 'you know You-Know-Who is watching you, that's why you can't be in Number Twelve anymore! How's that tunnel coming along, by the way?'
'Pretty well', Remus replied with a sigh, 'I think I'll stay here 'til I've finished it-I have an uneasy feeling that too many trips from this house to Number Twelve may be noted by spies.'
Arthur nodded, clapped Remus on the back, and headed for the door. 'Molly said she'll send you over a stew later, she doesn't think you're eating well at all. I'd better get back to the Ministry-Fudge wanted to see me this afternoon and this ruddy car will make the journey take a lifetime! I'll pop in on you later.'
Remus nodded and waved, as Arthur hurried out of the room, and the front door banged behind him. Slowly, he walked over to the fireplace and gazed at the bright flames for a moment, before straightening up again and turning away. Buckbeak would need feeding. He left the room, but not before one last glance back at the fireplace.
'Good luck, Harry', he whispered softly.
Chapter 2: Harry reaches Durmstrang and meets his new classmates-and there will be one or two surprises for him when he does!