Okay, not a whole lot happens in this chapter, but it kind of sets up the
next. I'll hopefully have another chapter or two by this weekend. -Kelroy
Harry Potter and the Ring of Andros
Chapter 4: The House of Potter
Before Harry knew what he was doing he was running up the street, dragging his trunk on the road behind him. He reached the fifth house on the left and stopped directly in front of it. It was exactly as it looked in his photo album, only older, and poorly kept. It didn't look like anyone had lived there since Harry and his parents. There were cracks in the windows, and the red paint on the front door was almost completely gone.
Harry slowly made his way up the front walk, still in disbelief. The grass in the front yard had grown wildly, barely making room for him to make his way to the front door. By this time, the Dursleys had caught up and were tripping over the tall grass.
"And just where are we now?" asked Uncle Vernon in a very fatigued voice.
"This is my house," said Harry, still unable to tear his eyes away from it.
He slowly reached for the door handle and turned it gently in fear of breaking the door right off its hinges. The door creaked loudly and swung open to reveal what looked like a disaster area. Furniture was turned over and out of place. The entire house was covered in dust.
"This is where my father died," he said aloud to himself.
The Dursleys stood silently. Even they had to understand the magnitude of the situation. Harry suddenly dropped his trunk and ran upstairs. It was as if he knew the house already. He turned the sharp corner at the top of the stairs and made for the first room on his right. It was his own room.
His crib was still untouched, but like everything else in the house, was covered in several layers of dust. There were stuffed animals and small magical toys that no longer worked. Harry sat down in the middle of the floor and began to cry. It was all too much. He had never been so overcome with emotion in his life; such sadness for the life that was taken from him, and such anger towards the man who took it.
Harry sat for a moment longer and then got to his feet. Harry knew that Dumbledore could be here at any minute, and he didn't want to be seen in such a state. Harry walked back downstairs where Uncle Vernon and Dudley were moving furniture back into its places, obviously on Aunt Petunia's command. Harry hadn't stopped to think about it when he first arrived, but this house had to be similar to Aunt Petunia's worst nightmare.
The four of them worked for more than an hour in silence, with the exception of Dudley's complaints every five minutes. The living room and the kitchen were back in order, but everything was still covered in dust. Suddenly several loud cracks came from outside and the front door burst open. The Dursleys all flinched in unison and Harry reached for his wand and raised it towards the strangers. There were two witches, both very short and plump, followed by a very old and thin wizard.
"Easy there boy," said one of the witches, "We're just here to clean."
"Who are you? Who sent you?" asked Harry quickly.
"Penny's Magical Cleaning Service, no job to big," replied the witch animatedly as she reached for a piece of parchment, "and the name on the bill is to a. ah yes here it is: Minerva McGonagall."
"Wait a minute," said the other witch suddenly, "You're Harry Potter!"
"I don't believe it," cried the tall wizard, "It is! It is!"
The three suddenly rushed forward and began shaking Harry's hand violently, telling him how they had hoped to one day be able to meet him, and how they just knew he would vanquish the Dark Lord again. Harry had grown used to this by now, but the Dursleys were certainly taken off guard. They never knew how famous Harry was in this world; they had always seen him as a nuisance.
After about five minutes of hand shaking and votes of confidence, Penny and her crew got to work. The Dursleys were dumbfounded at the sights they saw, and Harry had to admit, he was also amazed at the efficiency with which they worked. The living room was finished in a matter of minutes, allowing everyone to finally sit down. Petunia and Vernon each took a fluffy armchair and Dudley lied down on the couch, fitting as much of himself on it as he could. Harry sat down on his trunk and waited; he knew that Vernon wouldn't stay quiet for much longer.
"I knew we should have gotten rid of him as soon as he showed up on the doorstep," said Uncle Vernon finally, "We've been tossed our of our own home, and made to live in this. this. "
He was cut off by Penny and the others, who had re-entered the room and seemed to be finished.
"That should do it," she said with a broad smile, "and again it was such a pleasure to finally meet you. I simply can't wait 'til I get home and tell the children."
Harry shook hands with all three of them, and they made their way towards the door. Just as Harry said his final "thank you" and closed the door, several more loud cracks erupted from the kitchen. Harry turned around and saw Dumbledore, Mad-Eye Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, and Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Hello Harry," said Remus quietly.
"Hi," replied Harry.
"Alright Harry?" asked Tonks in a sort of half smile.
"I'm fine," said Harry very confused. He had never seen Tonks when she wasn't as happy as she could be; and why was Remus so quiet.
"Harry, we must return you to headquarters," said Dumbledore finally, "The Dursleys will remain here. Kingsley has agreed to stand guard for them tonight."
"But I've only just arrived."
"We haven't much time," interrupted Moody.
"I will explain everything to you at headquarters Harry," said Dumbledore, "We must leave."
Moody walked forward and rapped Harry with the tip of his wand, and Harry felt the familiar sensation of the Disillusionment Charm. Harry removed his Firebolt from his trunk, which was then tied to Tonks's broom. The others performed the charm on themselves, including Dumbledore, who Harry suddenly realized would be riding a broom.
They all made their way out on to the terrace behind the house.
"Okay Harry," said Mad-Eye, "you follow Tonks, and the other three of us will circle you. We couldn't spare as many as I would like for this mission, but Dumbledore agreed to come along so we should be fine. Ready now?"
Harry and the others kicked off from the ground towards the now dark sky. Even though Harry hadn't been able to fly his broom since he had been banned from quidditch last year, he couldn't really enjoy it. He couldn't help the feeling that something horrible had happened.
Harry Potter and the Ring of Andros
Chapter 4: The House of Potter
Before Harry knew what he was doing he was running up the street, dragging his trunk on the road behind him. He reached the fifth house on the left and stopped directly in front of it. It was exactly as it looked in his photo album, only older, and poorly kept. It didn't look like anyone had lived there since Harry and his parents. There were cracks in the windows, and the red paint on the front door was almost completely gone.
Harry slowly made his way up the front walk, still in disbelief. The grass in the front yard had grown wildly, barely making room for him to make his way to the front door. By this time, the Dursleys had caught up and were tripping over the tall grass.
"And just where are we now?" asked Uncle Vernon in a very fatigued voice.
"This is my house," said Harry, still unable to tear his eyes away from it.
He slowly reached for the door handle and turned it gently in fear of breaking the door right off its hinges. The door creaked loudly and swung open to reveal what looked like a disaster area. Furniture was turned over and out of place. The entire house was covered in dust.
"This is where my father died," he said aloud to himself.
The Dursleys stood silently. Even they had to understand the magnitude of the situation. Harry suddenly dropped his trunk and ran upstairs. It was as if he knew the house already. He turned the sharp corner at the top of the stairs and made for the first room on his right. It was his own room.
His crib was still untouched, but like everything else in the house, was covered in several layers of dust. There were stuffed animals and small magical toys that no longer worked. Harry sat down in the middle of the floor and began to cry. It was all too much. He had never been so overcome with emotion in his life; such sadness for the life that was taken from him, and such anger towards the man who took it.
Harry sat for a moment longer and then got to his feet. Harry knew that Dumbledore could be here at any minute, and he didn't want to be seen in such a state. Harry walked back downstairs where Uncle Vernon and Dudley were moving furniture back into its places, obviously on Aunt Petunia's command. Harry hadn't stopped to think about it when he first arrived, but this house had to be similar to Aunt Petunia's worst nightmare.
The four of them worked for more than an hour in silence, with the exception of Dudley's complaints every five minutes. The living room and the kitchen were back in order, but everything was still covered in dust. Suddenly several loud cracks came from outside and the front door burst open. The Dursleys all flinched in unison and Harry reached for his wand and raised it towards the strangers. There were two witches, both very short and plump, followed by a very old and thin wizard.
"Easy there boy," said one of the witches, "We're just here to clean."
"Who are you? Who sent you?" asked Harry quickly.
"Penny's Magical Cleaning Service, no job to big," replied the witch animatedly as she reached for a piece of parchment, "and the name on the bill is to a. ah yes here it is: Minerva McGonagall."
"Wait a minute," said the other witch suddenly, "You're Harry Potter!"
"I don't believe it," cried the tall wizard, "It is! It is!"
The three suddenly rushed forward and began shaking Harry's hand violently, telling him how they had hoped to one day be able to meet him, and how they just knew he would vanquish the Dark Lord again. Harry had grown used to this by now, but the Dursleys were certainly taken off guard. They never knew how famous Harry was in this world; they had always seen him as a nuisance.
After about five minutes of hand shaking and votes of confidence, Penny and her crew got to work. The Dursleys were dumbfounded at the sights they saw, and Harry had to admit, he was also amazed at the efficiency with which they worked. The living room was finished in a matter of minutes, allowing everyone to finally sit down. Petunia and Vernon each took a fluffy armchair and Dudley lied down on the couch, fitting as much of himself on it as he could. Harry sat down on his trunk and waited; he knew that Vernon wouldn't stay quiet for much longer.
"I knew we should have gotten rid of him as soon as he showed up on the doorstep," said Uncle Vernon finally, "We've been tossed our of our own home, and made to live in this. this. "
He was cut off by Penny and the others, who had re-entered the room and seemed to be finished.
"That should do it," she said with a broad smile, "and again it was such a pleasure to finally meet you. I simply can't wait 'til I get home and tell the children."
Harry shook hands with all three of them, and they made their way towards the door. Just as Harry said his final "thank you" and closed the door, several more loud cracks erupted from the kitchen. Harry turned around and saw Dumbledore, Mad-Eye Moody, Nymphadora Tonks, Remus Lupin, and Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Hello Harry," said Remus quietly.
"Hi," replied Harry.
"Alright Harry?" asked Tonks in a sort of half smile.
"I'm fine," said Harry very confused. He had never seen Tonks when she wasn't as happy as she could be; and why was Remus so quiet.
"Harry, we must return you to headquarters," said Dumbledore finally, "The Dursleys will remain here. Kingsley has agreed to stand guard for them tonight."
"But I've only just arrived."
"We haven't much time," interrupted Moody.
"I will explain everything to you at headquarters Harry," said Dumbledore, "We must leave."
Moody walked forward and rapped Harry with the tip of his wand, and Harry felt the familiar sensation of the Disillusionment Charm. Harry removed his Firebolt from his trunk, which was then tied to Tonks's broom. The others performed the charm on themselves, including Dumbledore, who Harry suddenly realized would be riding a broom.
They all made their way out on to the terrace behind the house.
"Okay Harry," said Mad-Eye, "you follow Tonks, and the other three of us will circle you. We couldn't spare as many as I would like for this mission, but Dumbledore agreed to come along so we should be fine. Ready now?"
Harry and the others kicked off from the ground towards the now dark sky. Even though Harry hadn't been able to fly his broom since he had been banned from quidditch last year, he couldn't really enjoy it. He couldn't help the feeling that something horrible had happened.