Chapter 2:
"I can't go back now. You know that right?" Harry said, between a mouthful of pie. "They wont have me. No one has ever kicked Uncle Vernon's arse. Now that it's been done and by one of my friends... nope... He wont have me back."
"Does it matter too you Potter?"
"Hah!" Was all Harry could muster as he took a big gulp of hot chocolate, feeling glad that he would no longer have too live in the hell hole of the Dursley's house, or atleast he hoped so. "Where will I live though? I mean, really, I don't have many choices do I?"
"I have a few ideas Potter, but we will talk too the Order, when they arrive." and as though on cue, the fire place in the study roared too life in a flurry of greens and reds as one by one the more prominent members of the order entered. Tonks, Remus, Snape (bleh), Shacklebolt, Dumbeldore, and several others.
Harry couldn't tell who looked worse out of the group for every one looked absolutely beat. If Harry didn't know any better, he would suspect everyone in the group had taken a massive transformation of sorts, though only one member of the Order ever did and that was at least three days away for him. Lupin looked it too.
"I have emergency business about the Potter boy," Moody growled. "Seems he wont be able too go back too his home with the Dursleys any longer." Everyone in the group looked extremly uneasy, and Harry swore he heard Snape scoff. "Look at him you lot! Don't stare at me! Don't any of Harry's protectors see the massive shiner he has around his eye? Do you know who gave him that? Dursley, that great lump, that is who! Yes, while you where all off flitting about, he was being beaten by his own family!"
"Why didn't you ever tell us Harry?" chimed Tonks and Remus in unison, catching each other off guard. In quick pace, the rest of the Order spoke, demanding an explanation for staying silent through his torments.
Harry knew though what was too be said, he had it all planned, "I am the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be my sacrifice too battle the Dark Lord. Yes, I will defeat him, and simple lashings from an irate relative should be nothing for one of my stature..." Harry thought. "I'm no pussy," was all Harry could muster coherently. "Damn it, it sounded so much better in my head, then what my lips could pass for explanation."
"I do believe if Sirius were here, he would be proud of your speech Harry." Lupin stated.
"Here here!" Tonks agreed. Harry had tried too forget his God father. The beatings helped with that. Whether Vernon or Dudley, Harry didn't feel compelled too act because he knew deep down it was all finished.
"I'll see him soon, he can tell me personally." Harry blurted, which, in the split second of retrospect he was granted, realized, it wasn't the best thing too say. The room became a buzz with the topic of suicide and Harry felt as though every sharp object had just disappeared. "I'm not going to kill my self! I have enough people who would gladly do it for me, so you can stop with the hysterics!"
"Harry, please, listen too reason... Oh... Well, if he says so, I believe him." Tonks beamed, in complete faith of every thing Harry had too say. Lupin on the other hand, seemed genuinely concerned.
"Harry, why this sudden change in attitude? What brought you too accept such abuse as normal?" Harry couldn't contain it any longer, he didn't want too have too be a man at that moment, but want to be a boy; free too speak with his heart and not of his mind.
"I have lost every one I have ever wanted too love. I have put every one around me in danger, and am the reason a boy is dead and not at home. My first kiss came from a girl who was that young man's girlfriend, I feel like a whore. I know every action isn't written in stone, but this is real and I know I wont make it out of this. It's all over, all of it, Ive never even played catch before!" Harry gushed. "Damn the consequences," he thought, as he continued. "I'm supposed too give my all too save a world that left me in hell. Ive burned, and I don't even think there will be a world after I save you all. What happens after I vanquish your Dark Lord, then what? Then I become a "regular man!" What is regular? Ive never been normal. When Hagrid came too get me, for that split second before I realized he would wisk me away too a magickal land, I had hoped I had met death. Thats whats on my mind!" Harry fumed.
"Harry..." Tonks wispered in an attempt too answer for the rest of the dumb struck Order, before Dumbeldore finally explained.
"It's settled then, you will not return too the Dursley's, Harry." Murmurs of where Harry would stay echoed about the group before Moody finally made his suggestion of, "Number 12, Grimmuald Place." Harry's heart sank and he had too choke back tears. "It is the safest place, and while I may not be the one who should tell you this, but Sirius left the place in his Will to you, amongst other things. As you are not of age yet, we were told not too tell you of your possession. But I'll be damned, Albus, if he stays one more night at the Dursleys!" Moody stood up as he boomed. "Who here will help me escort the boy too his new home? Oh, and those of you who refuse too help, meet me outside... I have a word or two for you." Moody's demeanor and look on his face was the absolute epitome of menace as he stressed his last sentence. The effect he was going for was an obvious success as every member of the order stood up.
Half of the group was too escort Harry too Harry's home, and the other half were to return too the Dursleys and collect his belongings. The plan was put together, and with Moody and Dumbeldore himself attending too the endeavor, Harry knew it would go off without a hitch. Harry could, of course, care less what happened too the Dursleys after that afternoon. He was happy too finally arrive at Grimmauld Place after hours of flight on a borrowed broom; a Nimbus 2000 (Ah, the memories).
The cold was biting, but with the addition of Dumbeldore too the group many spells including warmth and comfort spells were passed about and Harry found this ride to be much more comfortable then the last time he had taken the trip. Even the fact that he was on a ride back too the home that was once a prison of his departed God father, Harry felt as though this trip was what Sirius had wanted, even if he wasn't there too enjoy it. Or atleast, that was what Harry wanted too believe if he was to keep his sanity. He knew he had too fight too find the pleasures in life.
"We're here." Dumbeldore wispered into Harry's ear. Harry realized that he was so tired he must had been dazing in and out on the ride too the house.
"Thank God I didn't fall off my broom." Harry thought before being swiftly interrupted.
"I cast a spell on you allowing you rest as we rode. You merely were connected too the broom, tis' all." smiled Dumbeldore.
"Thanks." Harry murmered, dismounting the broom infront of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The memories of his previous summer that he spent in that house was swimming in his conciousness as he realized that perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as he thought.
"I can't go back now. You know that right?" Harry said, between a mouthful of pie. "They wont have me. No one has ever kicked Uncle Vernon's arse. Now that it's been done and by one of my friends... nope... He wont have me back."
"Does it matter too you Potter?"
"Hah!" Was all Harry could muster as he took a big gulp of hot chocolate, feeling glad that he would no longer have too live in the hell hole of the Dursley's house, or atleast he hoped so. "Where will I live though? I mean, really, I don't have many choices do I?"
"I have a few ideas Potter, but we will talk too the Order, when they arrive." and as though on cue, the fire place in the study roared too life in a flurry of greens and reds as one by one the more prominent members of the order entered. Tonks, Remus, Snape (bleh), Shacklebolt, Dumbeldore, and several others.
Harry couldn't tell who looked worse out of the group for every one looked absolutely beat. If Harry didn't know any better, he would suspect everyone in the group had taken a massive transformation of sorts, though only one member of the Order ever did and that was at least three days away for him. Lupin looked it too.
"I have emergency business about the Potter boy," Moody growled. "Seems he wont be able too go back too his home with the Dursleys any longer." Everyone in the group looked extremly uneasy, and Harry swore he heard Snape scoff. "Look at him you lot! Don't stare at me! Don't any of Harry's protectors see the massive shiner he has around his eye? Do you know who gave him that? Dursley, that great lump, that is who! Yes, while you where all off flitting about, he was being beaten by his own family!"
"Why didn't you ever tell us Harry?" chimed Tonks and Remus in unison, catching each other off guard. In quick pace, the rest of the Order spoke, demanding an explanation for staying silent through his torments.
Harry knew though what was too be said, he had it all planned, "I am the light at the end of the tunnel. It will be my sacrifice too battle the Dark Lord. Yes, I will defeat him, and simple lashings from an irate relative should be nothing for one of my stature..." Harry thought. "I'm no pussy," was all Harry could muster coherently. "Damn it, it sounded so much better in my head, then what my lips could pass for explanation."
"I do believe if Sirius were here, he would be proud of your speech Harry." Lupin stated.
"Here here!" Tonks agreed. Harry had tried too forget his God father. The beatings helped with that. Whether Vernon or Dudley, Harry didn't feel compelled too act because he knew deep down it was all finished.
"I'll see him soon, he can tell me personally." Harry blurted, which, in the split second of retrospect he was granted, realized, it wasn't the best thing too say. The room became a buzz with the topic of suicide and Harry felt as though every sharp object had just disappeared. "I'm not going to kill my self! I have enough people who would gladly do it for me, so you can stop with the hysterics!"
"Harry, please, listen too reason... Oh... Well, if he says so, I believe him." Tonks beamed, in complete faith of every thing Harry had too say. Lupin on the other hand, seemed genuinely concerned.
"Harry, why this sudden change in attitude? What brought you too accept such abuse as normal?" Harry couldn't contain it any longer, he didn't want too have too be a man at that moment, but want to be a boy; free too speak with his heart and not of his mind.
"I have lost every one I have ever wanted too love. I have put every one around me in danger, and am the reason a boy is dead and not at home. My first kiss came from a girl who was that young man's girlfriend, I feel like a whore. I know every action isn't written in stone, but this is real and I know I wont make it out of this. It's all over, all of it, Ive never even played catch before!" Harry gushed. "Damn the consequences," he thought, as he continued. "I'm supposed too give my all too save a world that left me in hell. Ive burned, and I don't even think there will be a world after I save you all. What happens after I vanquish your Dark Lord, then what? Then I become a "regular man!" What is regular? Ive never been normal. When Hagrid came too get me, for that split second before I realized he would wisk me away too a magickal land, I had hoped I had met death. Thats whats on my mind!" Harry fumed.
"Harry..." Tonks wispered in an attempt too answer for the rest of the dumb struck Order, before Dumbeldore finally explained.
"It's settled then, you will not return too the Dursley's, Harry." Murmurs of where Harry would stay echoed about the group before Moody finally made his suggestion of, "Number 12, Grimmuald Place." Harry's heart sank and he had too choke back tears. "It is the safest place, and while I may not be the one who should tell you this, but Sirius left the place in his Will to you, amongst other things. As you are not of age yet, we were told not too tell you of your possession. But I'll be damned, Albus, if he stays one more night at the Dursleys!" Moody stood up as he boomed. "Who here will help me escort the boy too his new home? Oh, and those of you who refuse too help, meet me outside... I have a word or two for you." Moody's demeanor and look on his face was the absolute epitome of menace as he stressed his last sentence. The effect he was going for was an obvious success as every member of the order stood up.
Half of the group was too escort Harry too Harry's home, and the other half were to return too the Dursleys and collect his belongings. The plan was put together, and with Moody and Dumbeldore himself attending too the endeavor, Harry knew it would go off without a hitch. Harry could, of course, care less what happened too the Dursleys after that afternoon. He was happy too finally arrive at Grimmauld Place after hours of flight on a borrowed broom; a Nimbus 2000 (Ah, the memories).
The cold was biting, but with the addition of Dumbeldore too the group many spells including warmth and comfort spells were passed about and Harry found this ride to be much more comfortable then the last time he had taken the trip. Even the fact that he was on a ride back too the home that was once a prison of his departed God father, Harry felt as though this trip was what Sirius had wanted, even if he wasn't there too enjoy it. Or atleast, that was what Harry wanted too believe if he was to keep his sanity. He knew he had too fight too find the pleasures in life.
"We're here." Dumbeldore wispered into Harry's ear. Harry realized that he was so tired he must had been dazing in and out on the ride too the house.
"Thank God I didn't fall off my broom." Harry thought before being swiftly interrupted.
"I cast a spell on you allowing you rest as we rode. You merely were connected too the broom, tis' all." smiled Dumbeldore.
"Thanks." Harry murmered, dismounting the broom infront of Number 12 Grimmauld Place. The memories of his previous summer that he spent in that house was swimming in his conciousness as he realized that perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as he thought.