Alright chapter 10. Happy New Year. I'm tired and haven't got much to say. Please enjoy and review.
Sirius wasn't sure what was worse - the evil of Grimmauld Place, or the perfection of Privet Drive. Everything looked the same. Same cars, same lawns - even the mailboxes. It was abnormally quiet, though Sirius swore he saw more than one person peeking out their window, gawking at the three strangers.
"Seems like the perfect place for a Nightmare on Elm Street." said Remus as they followed Dumbledore down the street.
"Moony, Harry lives here." said Sirius. "Do you mind saving the Muggle horror films references for after he's living with us?"
Remus shrugged. "You mean living in the haunted house?"
Sirius glared at him.
"Here we are." said Dumbledore, leading them up the driveway of one of the houses. This one was labeled Number 4.
Sirius tensed at the sound of shouting and crying inside.
"But I want it!" a little boy was screaming.
"I do not believe that is Harry." Dumbledore assured him. He reached up and pressed the doorbell.
Almost immediately, silence fell inside the house. A few seconds later, a horse-faced woman opened the door.
"How may I he-" She froze as she realized who was on her doorstep.
"Petunia!" greeted Sirius with a smirk. "How are you, love?"
Petunia Dursley said nothing as the three wizards entered her home.
"Petunia, darling, who is it?" someone asked from the sitting room.
"Oh, just some old friends." said Remus before Petunia could reply.
Vernon joined his wife in the entry hall, not recognizing the voice of the so-called "old friend".
"You people! What are you doing in my house?"
"We have come for Harry." said Dumbledore calmly.
"Well, it's about time!" said Vernon gruffly.
"And why is that, Dursley?" Sirius was no longer fake-smiling. His eyes had narrowed and his teeth clenched.
"He's an ungrateful little freak, that's why." Dursley said boldly.
"How dare-"
Remus grabbed Sirius by the arm and nearly threw him behind himself and Dumbledore. "Where is Harry?"
"Out in the garden." said Petunia stiffly. Just then, a voice called from the sitting room.
"Mummy! I want my juice!"
"Coming, Duddykins!" Petunia called, returning to the sitting room.
Sirius wanted to vomit.
"I suppose that leaves you to show us to the garden." said Dumbledore to Vernon, who grumbled under his breath as he led them to the back door.
"Why's Harry out in the heat while the Dursley's own child is inside demanding juice?" Sirius whispered to Remus.
Remus said nothing, but Sirius could see his brow was furrowed. Remus' muscles were stiff, so Sirius took hold of his clenched hand. Remus relaxed, taking a deep breath before stepping outside. Sirius followed suit.
He felt the breath sucked out of him as he caught sight of the tiny boy bent over the flower bed, weeding the garden.
Though he was covered from head to toe in dirt, the mop of messy black hair on his head and the glint of round glasses on his face were noticeable.
As Vernon called him, the boy looked up, bouncing to his feet nervously.
Remus squeezed his hand as they both caught sight of Lily's green eyes, full of fear. Why was he scared?
"Yes, Uncle Vernon?" The little boy said.
"I've got good news, boy. You're going away with a bunch of other freaks just like you." Vernon motioned to the three wizards.
"Thank you for that… unconventional introduction, Mr. Dursley." said Dumbledore, a touch of annoyance in his voice. "I believe you can return to the house to collect his things now."
Vernon said nothing and went back in the house, slamming the door behind him.
Harry didn't move, merely staring at the ground.
Sirius hesitantly took a few steps forward and knelt down so he was eye-level with the child.
"Harry?" said Sirius.
At the sound of his name, he looked up, the fear in his eyes even more prominent than before.
"Hello, Harry." said Remus, kneeling down next to Sirius, the gentlest of smiles on his face. "My name is Remus Lupin, and this Sirius Black."
"Hello…" said Harry, almost too quiet to hear.
"And that well-dressed fellow over there is Albus Dumbledore." said Sirius, pointing with his thumb at the Headmaster. "We were friends of your parents."
"You were?" asked Harry, eyes widening into curiosity.
"Yes, and I can assure you they were not freaks. And neither are you." Sirius reached out, offering his hand to the child. "Would you like to come with us?"
Harry studied the hand, indecision in his eyes.
The door opened again and Vernon threw a plastic bag to Dumbledore, who surprisingly caught it.
"That's all of his stuff." said Vernon, slamming the door again.
Sirius glared at the closed door, until something touched his outstretched hand. He turned to his godson, and smiled as Harry's fingers curled around Sirius' palm.
"Well, I guess it's time to go, then." Sirius said, standing up.
"We will need to leave the property to Apparate back." said Dumbledore. "We can meet in Hogsmeade."
Remus took Harry's other hand and the three of them followed Dumbledore through the gate back to the road.
Harry didn't look at either of them as he walked between them. He stared straight ahead, tripping every now and then but catching himself. When they reached an empty alleyway, he finally glanced up at Sirius, fear in his eyes.
"Don't worry, Harry." Remus gave him another gentle smile. "Do you remember what Sirius said?"
Harry thought. "He said I'm not a freak."
"That's right, Harry. You're not a freak, but you aren't exactly what the people here would call normal." Remus explained. "And what we're about to do is one of those not-normal things."
"It's called Apparating." Sirius said. "I'm going to pick you up, and when I turn around, we'll be somewhere else, okay?"
For a moment, it looked like it might not be okay. But then Harry nodded and let Sirius pick him up. He held on tight to the man.
"Ready?" He felt Harry nod into his shoulder. "One… two… three!" Sirius turned on his heel and felt the familiar compression. A split second later he was in a private room in the Hog's Head.
"Harry? You alright?" Sirius gently sat Harry down on the bed. The boy looked like he was about to vomit. "Sorry about that. The first few times is always difficult."
Remus appeared with a pop a moment later, followed by Dumbledore.
Harry looked up. "How did we get here?"
"I told you, we Apparated." Sirius explained.
"But where are we?" asked Harry.
"The Hog's Head in Hogsmeade." said Remus. "Which is somewhere in Scotland…"
"Scotland? But my teacher said Surrey was in England…" Harry said.
"Apparition can take you long distances easily." said Sirius.
"Like teleporting?" asked Harry.
Only Remus knew what he meant. "Yes, very much like that."
"But how?"
Sirius knelt down in front of the bed. "Harry, do you believe in magic?"
Harry looked away. "Uncle Vernon says there's no such thing as magic."
Sirius reached up and turned Harry's head so he was looking at them. "And what do you say?"
Harry thought for a few moments. "I don't know… Sometimes… things happen and I… can't explain them."
Sirius smiled. "Like how we got from England to Scotland in seconds?"
Harry smiled for the first time. "Yeah, like that."
"Well, Harry, what if we told you that was real magic?" Remus asked.
Harry's eyes widened. "Magic is real?" He looked at each of them, from Sirius' handsome face to Remus' gentle one, to Dumbledore's twinkling eyes.
He finally looked back at Sirius, who felt the true magic was in his godson's smile.
"Yes, Harry. It is very, very real."