Harry Potter and the Curse of the Dark Lord
Special mentions: For all the readers, followers, people who like the story,
Madhav S, smaug, SilverShade, S Abhishek I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Disclaimer: I do not own most characters and the basic structure of the story. Anything familiar belongs to JKR. Mild usage of abusive language is used in the content. . If for any doubts or criticism, please mention in the form of a review. Please be nice and keep it clean. Hope you enjoy reading.
Chapter 2: Surprise
"Mum, where are we going?", Harry asked in a wavering, panic-stricken tone
"This", Petunia was demonstrating the building, "is your parents' home."
"But-"
"Just take this flower. It's a chrysanthemum. It has 'mum' in it. I got it specially for you. Keep it here.", Petunia cut him short as her voice was becoming more and more high pitched as she tried to stop crying, pointing to a grave, having the words engraved
'R.I.P James and Lily Potter. You shall be forever remembered.", Harry read this as he felt a familiarity to the picture in the loft.
She waited patiently for him to place the flower, while she noticed a greyish tabby cat piercingly gazing at.
She turned to her watch showing the time, '4:56 AM'. "Oh dear.", she exclaimed to herself. Vernon would be freshening at 5:30 AM as he does everyday.
She then turned to a sorrowful Harry and told him, "Listen, I really wanted to find a place suitable enough for talk. If we go back there, Vernon would surely be a flaming canon. It's just that, things would not be ever like before. They are not gonna be the same. You're not just an ordinary boy like Dudley. I have known and I still know, it's true. It is just that, (long melodramatic gap, as she heavily breathes and sighs)
You're a wizard, Harry"
"Wait, What? No,I think there is a mis-understanding. I mean, you gotta be kidding me."
"No, It's perfectly clear that you are one.
Do you not remember using the ladder to go to the loft?"
Now Harry was caught red-handed. He tried to cover up.
"N-No, I did not."
"Then why was the ladder stuck in the loft and why were there footsteps?"
Harry looked down in shame for he did not know what to say.
"It's alright. Unless it was Vernon or Dudley. The point is that, the ladder can only allow wizards to climb on it. That's why we always ask you to help us by climbing. Lily never knew it. Poor girl never really got to know that the muggle store sold wizardly items. She never knew that it was that tall dark man, with the earing in disguise. That king man. Oh I forgot to explain. Muggles are non magic folks like me, Vernon, Dudley.
When you climbed the ladder and went into the attic, you might have seen your Identity, didn't you? Wizard blood is different from normal blood. Your parents are magical and you too. You are a pure blood. And that day, when Vernon pulled you by the collar? You know what happened. See you are a wizard and there is no doubt in it. Lily got a letter when she was eleven and a professor from the school you are supposed to go to that is Hogwarts will come and inform you. And just be informed that you will get it soon." Petunia said
There was a leap of excitement as Harry hugged Petunia on hearing this. "Mum, but why aren't you a wizard?"
"Things cannot change the way they're supposed to be. Not everyone in the world is lucky. But I am lucky enough to have a son like you. What else would I want?", Petunia consoled him and stroked his forehead which bore the scar. Turning to her watch, she might have fainted in her shock, but luckily not.
"OH GOD! IT'S 5:00 AM! VERNON! DUDLEY! WE ARE TOAST! COME HARRY LET'S GO! NOW NOW!", she screamed while taking him with her and ran out of sight.
After a few minutes of a possibly melodramatic silence, a hoarse, probably aged or wise voice was heard, like a pin dropped in silence, followed by a feminine, aged, stern voice.
"See Minevra? I told you. She takes care of him so well, he calls her mom, despite the fact, he knows that she isn't his real mother.", an old voice calmly said.
"I am appalled, Albus. Indeed muggles are actually good people. Why couldn't you just let me do it?"
"I do appreciate your thoughts, Minevra. But 'things cannot change the way they are supposed to be' as she herself claims."
"But it's better for her. Not because I say so. But because she deserves more than being tortured with two (gives a disgusted, pained face) indignant muggles. Atleast so that Potter could have a better life?"
"No. Not perhaps now. When time comes things will change the way they should be, Do not worry, Minevra. The thought is always at the back of my head. I can change my mind anytime. Anytime but now."
"When should we give him his letter?", Mcgonagall asked changing the topic in a pretty curious voice, obviously because she was too exasperated to continue the topic.
"Soon.", Albus replied
"Why are you always so ambiguous in everything you say?", Mcgonagall asked in a pretty fierce, yet calm manner.
"Alright Minevra, today it shall be somehow revealed to Harry.", Dumbledore said in an a lightly amused manner. "Shall we leave?"
"Yes please, Albus."
Albus threw a green powder like substance in the air, holding tight to Minevra
and they vanished into thin air with green powder filling the air.
After the train journey
Harry was fast asleep. "What could he be dreaming about?", She wondered as she stroked his forehead. It was 5:12 AM as the dawn freshened, the birds were still slumbering. The dark sky was slowly changing colours, to perhaps a lighter shade of blue. She was just about to close her sleepy, greyish hazel eyes when,
"KINGCROSS STATION ARRIVED. PASSENGERS KINDLY VACATE FROM THE TRAIN. Thank you."
She then tried to wake Harry. "Poor boy needed some sleep", she muttered. She pulled him out, making a frankly unsuccessful attempt of carrying him all the way to the car. She carefully laid him on the seat and tied his belt as she seated herself comfortably before racing faster than the crash landing of an aeroplane. It was probably the pace at which she drove that woke up Harry. It was three and a half minutes before they reached Privet Drive. Eventually the car came to a halt. She then stared at her watch.
"5:23. We reached here seven minutes early. That was quick.", she exclaimed. They untied their seat-belt as they got down. Soon Petunia settled herself in the hall, drowning in the cozy sofa.
"Go and change, Harry.", she said.
Harry immediately ran to his bedroom, just to see a fat, red, neck-less Vernon angrily staring at him.
"Where did you go?", Vernon said angrily
Harry looked behind him and at the floor and glanced toward the ceiling.
"I'M TALKING TO YOU, CHICKEN HEAD! I AIN'T THAT CRAZY TO TALK TO THE WALLS LIKE YOUR MOTHER!"
"My mother is not crazy. At least not as crazy as you.", Harry said calmly, yet sternly.
Vernon was almost about to hold him up by his collar until he realized what happened the other day.
"Listen, kid. Just answer me, nothing else. Where did you go."
"The church."
Vernon, looked like he was going to strangle him, but instead laughed in a sly or controlled manner.
"I asked for the truth. Not some random place Petunia told you.", he said in a fake amused manner.
"I am, telling the truth. It's up to you to believe it or not."
"I AIN'T AFRAID OF YOU, PRUNE. IF YOU ARE NOT GOING TO TELL ME THE TRUTH RIGHT NOW I'M GONNA-"
"ENOUGH, VERNON. I'VE HEARD ENOUGH.", Petunia screamed, wiping her sobs as she came into picture
"BUT THIS SILLY, CRAZY BOY-"
Petunia cut him short by directing her palm towards him. Wiping her tears, in a pale face and a blocked nose,
"Get out.", she firmly said.
"But-?
"GET OUT."
"Darling, just let me-",
"I said out"
Vernon stood dead, perplexed, yet thoroughly appalled as he dispersed as he shut the door behind him.
After a few moments, Petunia said,
"So how was St. Mary's today, Harry?", with her eyes pointing towards the door.
"But I thought, we went to Kingkross.", Harry said
"Aaah Hmmph", a silent, rough voice from behind the door exclaimed
"Why on earth did I say that?", Harry thought.
"Well, the board sign was pointing to Kingkross which was thirty miles from the church. I think you got a bit confused, didn't you?"
"Oh? Umm yeah. I thought Kingkross was the name of the church.", Harry said
"Oh dear. Its alright Harry. People do make mistakes often.", she said in an amused manner
"Oh darn! So that rat squeaked the truth? Oh well.", Vernon told himself without realizing that Petunia and Harry were in the room. as he walked upstairs to wake up Dudley.
Once the footsteps were inaudible, Petunia broke the silence,
"Phew, that was close."
"I'm sorry, mum"
"No-No its alright, Harry."
"I could have never noticed."
"Your uncle, sigh. He's always like that. He will get his work done before anything else. First priority. Keep a watch out for Vernon after anything like this, next time. Once you're caught, you can't escape. Like a chicken in a slaughter house.", Petunia said in an amused manner, while she dispersed from Harry's sight, gently closing the door behind her.
It was 7:00 PM, as Vernon was watching the cricket match between Australia and London.
"Aww Damn. What's wrong with you today?", Vernon screamed at the players of London from his half broken sofa.
Things were as normal as ever. Dudley was now making a fuss about buying the latest model of his video gamer. And in the room in all silence was Harry.
As he began to change he became pensive and thought for a while. He still could never believe the fact that finally for once, for that once in a blue moon, his mother picked up the courage to yell at Vernon, and definitely her amazing attitude of observing. If not for that, they would have been toast. Hard, over-cooked or perhaps excessively burnt toast. And Vernon, he was always like that. But coming to think of it. Letters, Hogwarts, new School, actually good friends, teachers, magic, spells, books, powers and a famous Harry.
"I wish, I can get me letter now. Wait, let me count that. On a count of five, let something good happen.
Five, Four , Three, Two, One, Zer-", and suddenly the bell rang.
Harry ran down but before getting the door, he was pushed by Dudley.
"Move out of the way, Hairy."
He opened the door and saw a tall old man in purple robes with a 2 foot long, white beard, wearing weird moon shaped glasses and a long hat, having a funny looking stick in his pocket, a friendly smile and a lighter, perhaps like a golden, decorated cigarette box in his thin hand whose veins were definitely visible
Harry was pushed into his bedroom and locked up.
"Whad'ya want old man?", Dudley asked
"And you must be Dudley, the Dursley child, brother of Harry Potter? A little overgrown than I expected. Aah. Pleased to meet you, child. I am Albus. You can call me Dumbledore.", the man said in a pleasant, friendly tone to Dudley.
"I asked you what you want, weirdo. Not for you to talk some rubbish like a loser.", Dudley shrieked
"Oh dear! Nothing like your mother, are you, Dudley? Well I'm afraid, but I apologize. Tarantangallera", the man said, while taking the stick and pointing it at Dudley. Poor Dudley lost control. He began dancing, faster, faster, faster and faster. He could not stop dancing. Things were not alright.
"Alright, who's that? Aah you! How dare you? I will-"
"Aah. You must be Vernon, wife of Petunia. Well let's see. Perhaps this shall do good. Hmm, Wingardium Leviosa",
There was Vernon, soaring higher and higher as the man pointed his wand toward the extensively overgrown pig, until he jerked his wand and thus caused the huge 'thump' on the floor.
Harry had been over hearing the conversation and found this the right chance to see what happened. He ran down, faster than a jet and stopped dead to see Vernon lying on his face and a hyper active Dudley. He was going to smile and laugh loudly until he saw the old man and his expression turned concerned.
"I'm sorry, sir They are always like that," said a concerned Harry, as he struggled pulling Vernon on to the sofa and pushing a dancing Dudley to his bedroom.
"Phew. Oh please make yourself comfortable while I bring mom down. And er- I'm sorry sir. I'm used to them doing that to me. Er- Okay I will go upstairs. Thanks a lot sir," said a tensed, almost hyper, nervous Harry who ran upstairs like a jet to fetch his mother.
There sat a pensive Albus Dumbledore in the comfortable sofa as he apparated with Vernon and lay him on his bed and returned back in the drawing room.
"I could see that smile on his face when he saw those two poor muggles. Aah. Gone are the days when I could grin like that with a family torn apart. So much like his mother. Calm. Well not exactly calm. Not right now at least. Understanding, well not quite but still good enough, concerned, well brought up, ever happy like his mother, handsome like his father. And those friendly green eyes! And all thanks to a caring step mother. Fine a lady as Petunia. Always at the back. Perhaps when time permits. Oh why are you standing there, still like a rock or perhaps a pillar. They do have a nice house. The other muggles have gone to retire for the day. Well except Petunia maybe. Comfortable, warm chair. It is perfectly normal. Come and sit here won't you. He will be here soon enough," said Dumbledore.
A man in dark robes entered the room and settled next to Dumbledore.
"So when will the-"
"Er- Oh you were talking? I'm sorry to disturb you both. Here's mum. Mum? Where are you? Oh dear,"questioned Harry, cutting the man's words short
After a few moments of silence a well dressed Petunia entered the hall.
"Pleased to see you again, sir. Wait, Oh dear. Oh my goodne-," screamed Petunia before she fainted as she was caught by Harry.