Familiar Faces
Chapter 1
Disclaimer: I own nothing you recognize, they all belong to the great J.K. Rowling, so don't sue me.
"POTTER, GET DOWN HERE!" Vernon Dursley barked up the stairs of Number 4 Privet Drive.
Sixteen-year-old Harry Potter looked up from his letter to his friends and tried to smooth his messy hair. What does he want now, Harry wondered as he went out the door. Since Uncle Vernon's encounter with a few members of the Order, he's been trying very hard not to speak or have anything to do with Harry. But he doesn't mind, as it is better than if Uncle Vernon was actually paying attention to him, a lot less shouting and raving.
"What do you want now?" Harry asked as he met his uncle at the stairs.
"I'll tell you what I want now, Potter. Since I have to be nice to you, I can not lock you up in your room like I want to, so you'll have to meet my new client, Mr. Sean Blair." Uncle Vernon explained through gritted teeth. "You'd better be on your best behavior, or else your freak friends won't be able to control what I do to you."
"Okay," Harry said, "What do I have to do?"
"First of all, speak only when you're spoken to. And no funny business, or owls." Uncle Vernon said, threateningly.
"Fine."
"We're still going with the story that you're at St. Brutus's, so make it believable and no mentioning of your freak school."
"Okay."
"And put on Dudley's old suit."
"It's not going to fit me."
"I got it altered." Uncle Vernon said, holding up a suit with black jackets and trousers, with a maroon and gold striped tie, "She did it for free."
"I'll go change now," Harry said, taking it and heading up the stairs.
Harry stood next to Aunt Petunia and Dudley as Uncle Vernon gave them last-minute instructions. "When Mr. Blair gets here, Dudley will be standing by the door and will greet him." Dudley nodded.
"Petunia, you will be in the lounge, and when I call you down here, make a wonderful entrance and introduce yourself." Aunt Petunia nodded.
"And, you, boy, you will be introduced last, stand behind this door until I tell you to come out." Harry moved behind the door.
The door bell rang right after everyone got into place. Uncle Vernon opened the door with a fake smile plastered on his face and said, "Welcome, Mr. Blair, to our home."
As he got to Dudley, "This is my son Dudley."
"Hello Dudley." Mr. Blair said. There was something strangely familiar about his voice, it was a voice Harry has heard before. He stared at the man from behind the door. He was very good-looking; his hair fell into his eyes with a sort of casual elegance. (A/N the last sentence was a quote direct from the books.) The thing that stuck Harry as odd was that this Mr. Blair's apparels are almost the same as Harry's; black jacket, black trousers, and especially the maroon and gold stripe tie. In fact, Harry felt like he was wearing his Hogwarts uniform in this suit and Mr. Blair looks like he came straight out of Gryffindor, and upon further inspection, Harry noticed that Mr. Blair had a pin that was of maroon and gold background with a golden lion on top, like the Gryffindor seal. But it couldn't be, Harry thought, not on a muggle.
"Petunia, our guest is here." Uncle Vernon said, interrupting Harry's thoughts. Aunt Petunia seemed to waltz into the front room where the guest stood, but as soon as she took a glance at Mr. Blair, she seemed to freeze on the spot. Harry heard a sharp intake of breath coming from his aunt as she stared directly into Mr. Blair's eyes. There was something more than hospitality in her eyes as he took her hand and kissed it, in a gentlemanly way. Harry chuckled to himself as he thought of the possibility that Aunt Petunia was having a fling with one of Uncle Vernon's most important customers.
"Harry, get in here." Uncle Vernon said, stopping Harry's thoughts, thankfully, before it got too far. He stepped into the front room in a formal way and shook Mr. Blair's hands. As there hands touched Harry felt like as if they knew each other for a very long time. When he stared into Mr. Blair's face, there was something very familiar about it. The man had an aristocratic nose and sparkling blue eyes, very familiar blue eyes. In Uncle Vernon's haste to usher all into the dining room, he did not catch the wink that Mr. Blair sent to Aunt Petunia, but Harry did, and wondered what was going on.
Dinner passed like a blur to Harry. Nothing much happen except that Aunt Petunia refused to talk after her encounter with Mr. Blair, even after he left. She did not talk for three days. On the day that she finally began to talk, the only thing she said was that Harry had a letter from a Remus Lupin. Harry took the letter from her hand and rushed up the stairs to open it.
Dear Harry,
Judging from your past letters, I take it that you are alright at your uncle's, but the Order feels that it is time for you to come to headquarters. I will arrive at around 10:30 AM tomorrow to take you to London, please notify your aunt and uncle.
Yours,
R.J. Lupin
P.S. Tell them that I will take to train to Surrey and we will leave the same way and that I will not ruin their living room like somebody did.
Harry laughed at the postscript. It was hard to believe that it has been two years since Mr. Weasley destroyed the Dursleys' living room. But he didn't have time to dwell on the past; Harry rushed to get his trunks packed and ready for his trip to London.
Harry woke up early the next day, waiting impatiently for Remus to arrive. As he stared out the window, he was happy to see the figure dressed in a shirt and khaki pants walk towards Number 4. He got up and dragged his suitcase towards the door. The sound of the suitcase being dragged on the floor brought Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon to the door.
"Is he here already?" Uncle Vernon asked.
"Yes." Harry said, as the doorbell rang. He opened it to reveal Remus, standing casually at the doorway. He looked a bit waner than he usually did, Harry figured that it was because of the full moon coming, but he wasn't sure. However, no matter how thin and pale he was, Remus still looked happy to see him. He embraced Harry warmly as he stepped into the Dursleys' house.
"Hello Harry," Remus said, "it's wonderful to see you."
"Great to see you too."
"Excuse me," Uncle Vernon said, in his usual, loud and intruding, way, "who are you."
"Remus Lupin, a pleasure to meet you." And with that, he stuck out his hand. Uncle Vernon shook it as if he was touching something disgusting and said, "Well, if you must leave, get out now."
Harry gratefully followed orders and with Remus's help, they dragged all of Harry's belongings out the Dursleys' door. As soon as they began walking, Remus said, secretively, "Once we get far enough, we'll take to Knight Bus."
"Okay." Harry said, and they began walking down the road. Before they went so far as a block, Harry spotted Mr. Blair coming up the street in the opposite way. When they met up, Mr. Blair said, "Hello, Harry, who's your friend?"
"This is Remus Lupin." Harry said, directing his hand towards Remus, who was staring in disbelief at Mr. Blair.
"Nice to meet you." Mr. Blair said, as they shook hands. Remus seemed to be in a daze, a disbelieving daze, with his mouth slightly open, kind of like a fish.
"Well, I must go," Mr. Blair said, after a few moments of silence, to Harry he said, "Well, take care." To Remus, he said nothing; he only gave him a tiny nod and a little wink. Harry was confused, what was going on, he thought, looking at Mr. Blair's slowly vanishing form, why does he seem to know all the people that I know? As he heard the roar of the Knight Bus getting closer, he leaned over to Remus and asked, "What's going on?"
"Nothing." Remus said, distantly as he got on the bus and Harry followed.
A/N: Wow, I really must be getting tired of my other stories, because, here's a new one. And speaking of tired, boy, am I tired. I can barely keep my eyes open. I'm still recovering from jetlag, so excuse all mistakes, and remember to REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!