Chapter 2

Getting Out of There

I decided to help Harry lug Dudley into the house, where Aunt Petunia was waiting by the door, most likely for Dudley (yeah, like she'd be waiting for Harry and me!).

Aunt Petunia squealed when we walked in with Dudley "Diddy! About time too, I was getting - Diddy, what's the matter?" I turned to Harry, seeing what was going to happen and we ducked out of the way just in time. Dudley swayed on the spot and was violently sick on the doormat, missing my trainers by an inch.

"He's ill! VERNON!" Petunia squealed, taking Dudley's arm and dragging him into the living room, Uncle Vernon waddling to help her out.

Harry and I looked at each other and I rolled my eyes.

Sure, Dudley gets all the attention for being sick on the doormat, yet, here I am with blood all over my face and they don't even bat an eye. I thought, stepping over the pool of sick into the living room.

Calm down, Hannah. You know they'll ignore you no matter what. Harry thought to me, following my example and starting up the stairs to our room behind me.

"What is it, son? What happened? Did Piers' mother give you something foreign for tea?" Vernon asked, setting Dudley in a chair (Dudley's excuse for the day was that he was at Piers' house for tea.).

Aunt Petunia gaped "He's covered in dirt, Vernon? Why are you covered in dirt, Popkin? Were you lying on the ground?"

Vernon perked up "Maybe he's been mugged!"

Aunt Petunia screamed and held Dudley. "Phone the police, Vernon! Diddy, give us their names and we will put them to justice."

I rolled my eyes. Dudley didn't even have anything that a mugger would want to nick.

Dudley pointed a shaking finger to Harry and I.

"Them."

I threw my head back. Here comes another beating. I thought.

And Vernon grabbed me by the hair (I know my relatives so well, don't I?) and dragged me over to where Dudley was.

"BOY! COME HERE!"

Harry stepped off the stair and headed to where Vernon was gripping my hair.

"HI!?" I screamed "You're pulling hair out, smart ass!" I reprimanded.

"SHUT UP, YOU IDIOT GIRL!" Vernon shouted, belting me one over the head. "What have you two done to my son?!" he demanded, gripping my hair tighter, making a few hairs part company with my scalp.

"NOTHING!" Harry and I screamed together.

"What did they do to you, Diddy?" Aunt Petunia asked, turning to Dudley "Was it…you-know-what? Did they use their things?"

Dudley nodded "She didn't." he said, pointing to me.

I felt a sweet rush of gratitude towards Dudley. He had told the truth. In the past, he would have lied his ass off just to see me beaten.

Vernon dropped me hard onto the floor without apologizing for what he did, making me get up and scramble for the stairs.

"I didn't!" Harry shouted defensively. "I did nothing to him. It was-" Harry didn't get to say what it was, as a screech owl flew in through the kitchen window, which Vernon slammed shut, screaming about owls.

I took the letter in my shaking hands and read the envelope "I-It's for you, H-Harry." I said.

Harry blanched and turned to me. "You read it…I don't think I can."

I nodded and opened the letter. Clearing my throat, I began:

"Dear Mr Potter,

We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle inhabited area in the presence of a Muggle.

The severity of this breech of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry officials will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.

As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Statute of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 a.m. on the twelfth of August

Hoping you are well,

Yours sincerely,

Mafalda Hopkirk

Improper Use of Magic Office

Ministry of Magic

I gasped and dropped the letter to my feet. Harry…my twin brother Harry…had been expelled from Hogwarts!

"Why weren't you expelled?" Harry asked me.

I shrugged "I fainted…I didn't cast my Patronus." I said faintly, feeling as if I was going to pass out again.

I looked up the stairs and realized I was alone, Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia were too busy with Harry and Dudley to notice where I was.

So, I shot up to my feet and rushed upstairs quietly, taking my bedroom key with me.

I ran into my room and shut the door, locking it from the inside, but leaving the key in the door in case Harry followed me up (which I didn't see happening soon, seeing as I heard yelling from downstairs).

I clutched the locket of my bracelet, making the engraving of mine and Draco's initials press into my palm and leave a mark as I went to look out the window.

On the window sill, as promised, was Draco's owl, Aurora.

I smiled "He kept his promise." I said happily, taking the letter and parcel off Aurora's leg and opening my snowy owl, Gwendolyn's cage to let Draco's eagle owl in to drink.

I took the letter off the parcel and opened it carefully, trying not to rip the parchment.

I took four stones that I found at Hogwarts in first year that I had gained likings to and put them on the scroll corners so I wouldn't have to worry about the letter unfurling while I read it.

I felt tears sting my eyes as I read it.

Dear Hannah,

Those Muggles had still better be treating you right, or so help me Merlin, I will find them and they'd best have their wills done up. *pause for laughter*.

I miss you, love. I really wish that I could be there with you for your birthday, or even managed to get you a gift on time. I hope you understand.

What's gone on in your life so far? Anything new? Have you been getting Mother's packages? (I rolled my eyes, Draco's mother had taken to sending me care packages every week filled with wizard candy and food.) Your birthday gift's in this week's package, I hope to see you soon.

Yours,

Draco.

I giggled and felt tears fall down my face. I missed him so bad. But at least he was keeping his promise (despite how mad his father would've been.) and was sending me letters every day.

I took the parcel and my dagger (which was previously owned by Salazar Slytherin, and was the murder weapon in a murder nobody knew about except me and my friends Ivy Duff, Sheila Alexander, and Ramona "She-Cat" Capodebt.) and ripped open the parcel.

Sure enough, there was a large supply of wizard sweets, like Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Chocolate Frogs, Liquorice Wands, homemade Pumpkin Pasties and Cauldron Cakes…some new reading material that wasn't Harry's Daily Prophet.

I smiled. Draco knew damn well what I liked reading. But the question on my mind was…

HOW IN THE NAME OF THE GREATEST HOCKEY PLAYER OF ALL TIME, THE RIGHT HONOURABLE NUMBER 53 JEFF SKINNER DID DRACO GET HOCKEY MAGAZINES!?

There was a huge mound of them, Top Prospects Of The Ontario Hockey League (OHL), OHL Yearbook, Best Plays Of OHL History Magazine, Canadian Hockey League (CHL) In Summary, you name it, it's there (and yes, I follow Canadian hockey despite the fact I'm British, you have a problem with that? No, good!).

I beamed and took the magazines and tucked them in my nightstand before seeing a large green and silver box in between where the magazines were and the sweets that Malfoy Manor's house elves made. (Poor Aurora, having to fly with such weight!)

I took the box in my hands. It was Draco's gift to me.

I took the top of the box off carefully, half nervous that it'd blow up in my face (Draco had been known to send me that sort of stuff for a gag since the summer began.).

I filched, expecting to have green confetti blow in my face like last time (Draco's idea of a joke…I think he wrote Fred and George Weasley, the two best pranksters in school.).

But nothing happened except the fact I nearly screamed.

Not only was there an awesome gift in the box…there was TWO!

I ripped the lightest of the two garments out of the box and squealed (which was drowned out by Vernon's shouting something I could have cared less about.).

It was a Kitchener Ranger's jersey. A classic one! A blue one! Red letters with a white background spelt "RANGERS" diagonally from left to right.

And when I turned it around…I nearly passed out.

It was personalized…with Jeff Skinner's name and jersey number.

I took an empty coat hanger and hung up my new jersey, reminding myself to ask Draco where he got it and looked at the other garment.

It was a black leather jacket.

This time I really squealed. I never had a leather jacket before, and I had always wanted to have one.

I put it on over my green t-shirt and looked in the mirror on Harry's side of the room and gaped at what was on the left breast.

"Draco Lucius Malfoy, you spoil me!" I said out loud.

It was the Ranger's logo…with the Slytherin emblem on the cuffs.

I really didn't want to take off the jacket, but I had to, seeing how I was getting too warm.

But, I didn't get to because Uncle Vernon screamed "GIRL!"

I groaned and trudged downstairs, bracing myself for a shouting match or a beating.

But when I reached the landing, all was calm, minus the fact that Uncle Vernon's signature neck vain was sticking out of his neck.

"What…is…one…of…your…lot…doing…here?!" Vernon demanded, pointing to the hall where Dudley got sick not a half hour previously.

"One of my lot…wha-?" I started, looking towards where my uncle was pointing.

I gasped…it was Ivy Duff…my best friend…and she had changed!

Her long light brown hair (it changed colour with the season.), which I was used to being down to her waist, was now cut up to her shoulders. And to add to it, she had a red feather clip in it.

But still…my best friend was at my house!

"IVY!" I screamed, running up and hugging my best friend, nearly tackling her.

"Han!" Ivy said shocked. "It's just me…no need for a rugby tackle."

"Sorry." I said, pulling off her "Six years of rugby before Hogwarts and being happy to see my best friend got me carried away." I said before taking a lock of her hair in my hands. "And what the hell have you done to your hair!?" I squealed.

"I cut it." Ivy said, shrugging "My Gramma and aunt had a hairy over it, but my Dad likes it."

I smirked "Blaise is going to have your head, you know!" I said, thinking already of Blaise Zabini's reaction to his girlfriend's reaction to her new 'do.

"You think I've changed, look at you!" Ivy said, poking the leather jacket "Where'd you get that?" Ivy asked.

"Draco gave me it for my birthday." I said proudly, before becoming serious. "What are you doing here?"

Ivy smirked "I'm taking you back with me. Where's your room?"

I gaped "What?" I asked.

"I'm…taking…you…back…with…me." Ivy said seriously. "Come on, I'll explain up in your room."

Harry looked at Ivy "What about me?" he asked hopefully.

Ivy turned to Harry and shook her head "Sorry, Harry. I know Mr Weasley and Sirius sent you letters saying you have to stay here, and they said that I have to come for Hannah." Ivy said sadly, taking my arm and leading me up to my room.

…

"So what's going on?" I asked when Ivy and I were out of my aunt, uncle and cousin's earshot.

"You know Harry's been expelled, right?" Ivy said, helping me pack my nightstand. "Oh, keep your Cloak out, you'll need it." Ivy said as I was packing my mother's old Invisibility Cloak.

I nodded and tucked my Cloak in my jacket pocket "Yeah."

"Well, that's been overturned pending a Ministry hearing. Seeing as we are planning to get you two out of here already, it seemed now would be a good time to get you out of here."

I nodded "But why's Harry staying here?" I asked.

"It's too much effort taking two of you at once. So you're coming with me now, and another group of wizards are coming later."

I nodded "Oh." I said, closing my trunk before realizing "Wait, I gotta write Draco." I said, taking my leftover quill and a scroll of Harry's parchment and writing:

Dear Draco,

Thanks for the birthday presents…when I see you next, you have to tell me how you got them! The Muggles are…well…Muggles. Dudley's gang beat me up tonight and the strangest thing's happening around here.

Harry, Dudley and I were attacked by Dementors in Wisteria Walk tonight around nine. I had fainted and Dudley nearly got kissed. Harry managed to use his Patronus to drive them away, and now he may be expelled from Hogwarts. I'm really confused Draco, any advice?

I miss you more, I hope you know.

Yours always,

Hannah

P.S. If you want to find me, I'll be with Ivy.

I scrolled the parchment up and let Aurora out of Gwen's cage, tying the letter to her leg.

"You know what to do." I said, opening the window for Aurora to fly out, which she did with her usual beak to cheek contact.

…

Ivy and I were standing outside far away from Privet Drive when there was a flash of red sparks.

"That's the first signal." Ivy said, pulling out a silvery Invisibility Cloak "Mount your broom, Han."

I nodded, mounting my Nimbus 2001 the same time as Ivy mounted her Nimbus 2000. I threw my Invisibility Cloak on and clasped it to me.

Then I saw some green sparks as the wind whipped through my hair.

"That's the second signal!" Ivy shouted over the wind (at this point, I was thankful I kept my leather jacket on.) "Let's roll!"

I beamed to Ivy and started forward, heading further away from Privet Drive to Skinner knows where without Harry for only the second time in my life. (the first time was going to Ivy's house in first year for the rest of the summer.)

"Don't worry, Han!" Ivy shouted to me as we flew through the countryside. "Harry will be where we're going soon enough!"

I smiled and I followed Ivy without another word.

…

After what felt like ages, we were landing where there was a sign that said "GRIMMAULD PLACE".

I looked around the neighbourhood and turned to Ivy "Where're we headed?" I asked.

Ivy handed me a piece of writing "Here. Read it quickly."

I looked at the parchment through the light of the streetlight and creased my eyebrows in confusion.

"The Order of the Phoenix can be found at number 12, Grimmauld Place, London." I said quietly, before Ivy took the parchment from my hands and tucked it in her pocket.