Harry woke an hour later.
At first, he had leaned into the pillows, not wanting to wake up. It had been the most peacefull sleep he'd had in a long time. But then everything came rushing back in a wave so great that Harry almost got a head ache.
He sat bolt up in bed, hopping (but half not hopping) it had all been a dream. He groaned. The bandages were on his hand.
Harry looked around. He was in his and Ron's room. How'd he get here? He didn't remember walking upstairs...
Hopping to death that he hadn't been carried, Harry climbed out of bed, put on his glasses, and began making his way down stairs, rubbing the sleep out his eyes.
Sirius and Remus were talking in the kitchen, each holding a mug of tea. They stopped and smile at him as he entered.
"Have a good sleep?" Sirius asked, as Harry sat down beside him. The boy nodded, not meeting their eyes.
"We've talked to Dumbledore." Remus said, getting up and beggining to make Harry a cup of tea.
Harry flinched, hopping no one noticed. He was in no such luck.
The two men frowned at him but, thankfully, didn't comment.
"Where are the Weasley's and Hermione?" Harry asked, finally looking up as Remus sat a cup of tea in front of him. "Still out." Remus said, sitting down on Harry's other side, "They should be back soon."
Harry nodded, sipping his tea. In truth, he'd been hopping they would be back by now. He didn't really want to be left alone with Sirius and Remus at the moment...
"Harry," Sirius said, setting his tea down and facing the boy, "Dumbledore is, well, furious. Umbridge's been sacked."
Harry spilled tea down his front, "What?"
Remus chuckled, "She's gone. For good." he got up and grabbed a kitchen cloth off the counter, before walking back over to them and sitting down. Sirius took the cloth and began dabbing at Harry's neck and chest with it, trying to whipe off the spilt tea.
"Who's going to replace her?" Harry asked, his cheeks tinged red a bit, his godfather still cleaning his neck and shirt.
The two men looked at each other, as if they knew something he didn't, before Remus answered, "Dumbledore's still looking."
Harry eyed the two men for a moment, before deciding to leave it for now. Sirius finished off his cleaning, before setting the kitchen cloth on the table and returning to his tea.
The three wizards sat in silence for a moment, the only sound being the gulping of their steaming drinks.
Harry noticed a bite mark on Remus' hand, "Sorry about that."
Remus looked at him, making a sound of confusion.
Harry gestered at the werewolf's bit hand, "About your hand."
"Oh," Remus raised the hand to his eyes to study the mark, before shrugging and lowering it, "It's alright. I deserved it."
Harry opened his mouth to argue, but Sirius nudged him and, when he looked at the escaped convict, he gave him a 'don't bother' look.
They yet again desended into silence.
Harry felt rather awkward, but Sirius and Remus seemed at ease.
The boy finished his tea and moved to put it in the sink, when Sirius took the cup from him and stood, "I'll do it." he said, taking Remus' empty cup as well and putting them in the sink.
Remus sat up straighter and turned to face Harry, his expression casual but his eyes serious, "Let's take a look at your hand, bud."
The boy fidgeted uncomfortably, unconciously picking at the bandage on his hand. Sirius drew up a chair and sat down next to Remus, the chair backwards.
With a defeated sigh, Harry raised his bandaged hand and allowed Remus to unwrap it.
The werewolf sat the bandages on the table top and began inspecting the words I must not tell lies, his and Sirius' eyes ablaze.
Remus trailed a finger over the words, "It look's okay... the infection seems to have gone down a bit. With a bit of luck, it might not permenantley scar."
Sirius sighed in relief.
Remus got to his feet again and got out the roll of bandages, and began re-wrapping Harry's hand with the fresh one's, Sirius throwing the old one in the trash.
Once he was done, Remus gave a single nod in satisfaction and put the bandages back in the cupboard. Sirius slumped into his seat with a sigh, "Wow, kid, three years of bed terms. You've got shit luck- ow!"
Sirius grumbled, wincing at his now sore leg, the one Remus had kicked. Harry shrugged, leaning back in his seat, "Five terms actually."
"What?" Sirius said, looking up suddenly.
"Hm? Oh, my first year I faced Voldemort, second year I faced a younger Voldemort and saved Ginny from the Chamber of Secrest." Harry said, "I thought you already knew."
The two men were gaping at him, their eyes wide. "No," Remus said, his voice covered with shock, "We did not know."
"Oh," Harry shrugged again, "Well... er..."
They were still staring at him.
Just then, the front door opened, "We're back!"
The Weasley's and Hermione entered the kitchen, Bill, Charlie and the twins helping to support Mr. Weasley. "Look who's home- What's wrong?"
Mrs. Weasley looked at the three wizards, frowning. Sirius and Remus were still staring at Harry in shock, who was fidgeting uncomfortably.
"'Chamber of Secrets'?" Remus said, still staring, "Chamber of Secrets."
Ron and Hermione "Ahh"'d in relization.
"So, your telling them about the Basilisk?" Ron asked.
"Basilisk?!" Sirius said, his eyes, if even possible, widening even more.
Harry glared at his best mate, who was looking apologetic.
"Alright," Harry sighed, slumping in his seat, "I guess I ought to tell you..."
After telling Sirius, Remus, Hermione and the Weasley's his two first years at Hogwarts, Sirius and Remus, if not before then now, had become a bit overprotective of the raven haired boy.
They hadn't really liked the scar the Basilisk left on Harry's arm. Or that he'd almost died, er... 4 times so far. And it had also been revealed that Harry had ("I am not abused!") abusive guardians aka the Dursleys.
That night, when everyone else had been sent to bed, leaving Remus and Sirius alone in the kitchen, Remus spoke, "I think I'm gonna accept Dumbledore's offer."
"What?!" Harry said, staring at the Daily Prophet in shock.
It was a day before they left to go to Hogwarts and Harry had just found something in the newspapers.
"What is it?" Ron asked, looking over his best mate's shoulder to read.
DOLORES UMBRIDGE STILL AT HOGWARTS
Dolores Umbridge, ex-Defence Against the Dark Art's teacher at Hogwarts School is still returning after it came to light that she had used an illegal object called a Blood Quill, which cuts what ever the person writes into the back of their hand. It had been revealed that Dolores Umbridge had used said illegal object on various students, mainly Harry Potter, who's cuts, I must not tell lies, have now become scars.
Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, had indeed sacked Umbridge. But, Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, said otherwise. "The boy is an attention seeking liar!" Fudge had said last night, "He's obviously faking the hole thing! I will not allow Mrs. Umbridge to get sacked because of this brat! She's done nothing wrong!" but when it was said that Umbridge had confessed under Viratisum, Fudge had turned around and walked away.
Dumbledore still refuse's to allow Umbridge to teach and so she was appointed, against Dumbledore's will, as a "Helper" by Fudge. "It's outrageous." said Amelia Bones after Umbridge's confession, "I, for one, do believe Potter. Why would the boy lie about the one who killed his parents returning? Why would he want his parents killer to return? Fudge is being short sighted. He's blinded. Greedy. He's let an innocent boy, and several others, become a victim to this- this monster. I'm not sure who's worse. Fudge or Umbridge."
The one replacing Umbridge as Hogwart's DADA teacher is still unknown, though Dumbledore had said, "I already have a new teacher." but had then walked away without another word.
"It had been rather painful," said a Hogwarts 7th year student, Lee Jordan, casually, "But I got through it. As far as I know, Harry's is the only one scarred."
Who is this new Defence teacher? Is Harry Potter truley an attention seeking liar? Could He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named have really returned? Are Fudge and Umbridge truley evil monsters?
Harry Potter was unavailable for comment.
"Wow..." Ron said, after reading the paper aloud.
"She's returning to Hogwarts!?" Sirius said, shooting up from his seat.
"Who is the new DADA teacher?" Hermione said thoughtfully, "Hope he's good."
"Ya," Ron agreed, sitting down, "Lets hope he's not like our other one's. Well, beside's you, Lupin. Your the only proper one we've ever had."
Remus smiled at him, though he still looked worried.
After finishing breakfast, Remus spoke, "Let me see your hand, Harry."
Harry stretched his hand out from the werewolf to take, who began unwrapping the bandages. Hermione and Ron had been rather happy when they found out that Sirius and Remus had found out about their friend's detentions.
After setting the bandages on the table, as Mrs. Weasley put the last of the dishes in the sink, Remus began inspecting the scars, "Hmm... their looking a lot better. Infection seems to be gone. But it might be best to re-bandage it so it doesn't come back. Bruise's are almost gone, good, good... ya, in a couple months I doubt you'll even be able to see the scars. Well, as long as it's not re-opened. But I doubt that will happen."
Mrs. Weasley handed Remus the roll of bandages from the cupboard, before throwing the old one in the trash. After Remus had re-wrapped Harry's hand, the kids went to finish packing.
Next chapter, we return to Hogwarts!
