Harry was definitely not looking forward to getting off the train at Kings' Cross.
Summer had finally come after a disastrous year he'd had at Hogwarts during the Triwizard Tournament.
Only to end in tragedy with the murder of Cedric and the horror of the risen Voldemort. Both which he had been unwillingly present for. Thanks to the plotting and kidnapping of Crouch Jr. and Pettigrew on HIS orders. Then to top it all off! –
After barely escaping with his life and Cedric's body. Harry managed to split Dumbledore and Cornelius Fudge up by telling the truth of Voldemort's return. So now the minister of magic was not happy with him and Dumbledore sent Sirius to "rally the old forces" whatever that meant.
Sure enough, the Hogwarts express pulled into the station and everyone grabbed their luggage. Exiting to meet the families and saying "Goodbye" to their friends. While others, mainly muggleborns ran through the barrier leading to platforms 9 &10 in the ordinary world. There, the Dursleys were waiting. Harry gritted his teeth. Surely, they were already thinking of ways to give him blood hell for that tongue toffee incident by Fred and George last year.
Luckily Ron and his family joined Hermione and Harry on the other side of the barrier while she found her parents.
And of course, Vernon Dursley was standing there huffing in displeasure as his eyes caught sight of his unwanted and unwelcome nephew to put it mildly. The feeling was mutual and Harry did not understand why Dumbledore insisted year after year that he return.
Oh well, yet another puzzle to solve while he was practically locked in that dingy room for the next 60 plus days. Along with who that mysterious Suri was that had been his date-
"Are you not listening to me at all boy!" his uncle hollered behind him from the front seat of the car.
"-No sir. I didn't hear you" The man grumbled, "I said Thanks to Dudley, we won a prized bird: A Raven-".
Harry couldn't help the chuckles that escaped his mouth. "-Is that funny to you?!"
Vernon glared through the rearview mirror. "-Sorry Uncle Vernon, it's just that Ravens are a more common bird. What makes this one so special?"
"-Because, you ungrateful Whelp… The bird IS trained! None of your kind's freakishness to corrupt its mind. No, no, but you are going to take care of it this Summer – Do NOT let it get away! Or your ruddy Carrier Pidgeon gets the spike. Do I make myself clear?"
Harry looked at the caged Hedwig next to him, silently promising her he wouldn't let it get that far. "Yes sir…"
Surprisingly,
taking care of the raven was not all that hard or different to what Harry had already been doing with Hedwig. The only thing was with the extended golden chain attached to her leg. (Yes, he'd found out it was a her.) She couldn't hunt for food. So, he would scrounge something up or shockingly as of late, Hedwig would bring back and share part of her meal.
Since no one had taken to naming her yet, Harry took to calling the raven "Nimue" after the Sorceress in the King Arthur and Merlin legend.
Nimue's cage had been placed in his room atop his dresser since he arrived. At first, he thought this was a bad idea because of Hedwig and her being two females having to share the same room with Harry. But his owl had been a good sport about it. Completely ignoring Nimue and going to sleep. Now however, they both flew around the room together as much as the chain would allow. Before each perching on the opposite side of his shoulders.
Even with the thrill of a new feathered friend at Privet Drive though. Time seem to drag on and Hedwig was returning empty handed night after night. Without anything from anyone, not even a single Daily Prophet.
He had expected to hear at least something by the end of July announcing Voldemort's return or any Death Eater activity. But no, nothing, not even in the Muggle news.
He vented his frustrations to the birds and Nimue would fly or even hop out of her cage over to him. (Depending how rough Vernon and Dudley "played" with her during the day when he was out of the room.) Extending her battered wings.
If it wasn't for Vernon's threat, he would have freed her long ago. Not that he wouldn't have felt some satisfaction saving her and defying the Dursleys. But he couldn't take a chance with Hedwig's life. Not with Ron and Hermione not responding. Whistling a tune as he tended the bird's injuries.
But then there came a day towards the end of August that changed everything!
It had started out in the usual way:
-Watching Dudley and his gang beat up the younger kids at the local park. Then his overweight cousin began to harass him about his own nightmares when he spoke up, Dudley's friends laughed.
Just as Harry had reached for his wand, the sky darkened and a severe cold chill wiped through the air. The gang scattered while their leader remained frozen only to break when Harry yelled "Run!" Unfortunately, the boys didn't get very far before they were cornered and began to be preyed upon by two Dementors.
(A floating wraithlike creature that feeds on the happiness of others. Leaving a person dark and empty and in some cases, literally by way of the Dementor's kiss where they can suck the soul of someone out through their mouth.)
Thankfully Harry knew the spell to get rid of them but not before Dudley got exposed to their affects. Leaving the fat lump whimpering and in shock.
Interestingly it was Mrs. Fig, their neighbor who found them. She instructed the young wizard to leave his wand out in case as she escorted the boys home to Privet Drive.
Of course, when Vernon and Petunia heard about the incident. They immediately wanted to kick Harry out but a well-timed howler from Dumbledore changed their minds. Along with several letters from the Ministry. Saying that because he used magic outside of School, he was threatened with expulsion from Hogwarts. But both Mr. Weasley and Dumbledore had negotiated a disciplinary hearing on his behalf and that he was to not leave the house.
The Dursleys then locked him in his room.
Later that night though after his relatives left. Harry jolted from his bed upon hearing a noise. There were footsteps and a quiet "alohomora". His locked door flew open to reveal a group of wizards and a witch. Putting on his glasses, he recognized the face of his latest Defense Teacher. (Yes, it hadn't really been him at the time but-)
"-Professor Moody? What are you doing here?"
"-Rescuing you, of course. Get your things, quickly now!"
Harry turned back to the caged birds and released Hedwig. The owl went soaring out the window. But when he went to free Nimue, he forgot about the chain.
"-Hurry it up there Potter! We don't have a lot of time to waste!" Moody warned as Harry fumbled.
"-Don't worry about me Harry!" a female voice said, startling them to find that the raven had disappeared and in its place, was a young woman sprawled out on the floor with the thin golden chain still very much hooked around her ankle attached to the cage. "Save yourself, if Vernon finds I'm gone. There's going to be trouble there ain't words for when you return next year. Go!"
Looking into the girl's face and hearing her voice. Harry put the pieces together in his head. "Suri?"
he asked in disbelief, she nodded. Her dark hair bobbing up and down.
"-Well this is all very touching," Moody grumbled as he staggered into the room. "But we're on a schedule." He finished raising his wand, zapping the chain on her ankle. "You two can finish your conversation later when we get to our destination."
Making sure she could stand and walk, he ushered them out of the house. Where they and the rest of the group met and summoned their broomsticks before mounting and taking off. Suri rode double with Moody, clinging to the sides of his long jacket around the waist as they flew higher and faster with the wind at their backs.
"-You act as if you haven't flown before" commented the witch with the purple hair known as Nymphadora Tonks as she came closer.
"It's been awhile," Suri admitted "I haven't been a part of the Wizarding World in fourteen years."
Coming to land at a deserted street, Harry and Suri watched in amazement as another building seemed to grow in-between two others.
"What is this place?" ask Harry,
"-Number 12 Grimmauled Palace" also known as "The Order of the Phoenix…"