Chapter Two
After his breakfast of toast, Harry decided to read until the Weaslys came and picked him up. Or, suddenly as he thought darkly, the death eaters did.
Harry sighed, going up the stairs and pulling out the standard book of spells, grade 5. It couldn't hurt to brush up on what he needed to know.
An owl flew through the window just then, dropping its letter and flying off again. The letter was from Ron, Harry could tell from the handwriting. It said,
"Harry- Change of plans, we're picking you at five and bring all of your stuff. You'll be staying the rest of the summer. -Ron"
Harry nodded to himself and gathered his stuff. He put the small bag in his trunk on top of all the loose parchment. He tied Hedwig's cage to the handle of the trunk, thinking it would be easier to carry.
He sat back down on the bed and picked up the book again. The hours whiled away and soon it was ten to five. He dragged his trunk downstairs, but instead of waiting on the porch, which he might have done if he hadn't had that vision, he waited by the door.
There was a knock suddenly and he jumped. Peeking out the eyehole, he saw that it was Ron and Arthur Weasly.
He opened the door slightly, leaving the chain locked. "Hi Ron, Mr. Weasly." He said, not especially wanting to see them there. Especially as they were probably death eaters.
"Hello Harry." Ron said, "Are you coming?"
"What happened in our second year, in the bathroom?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Er, the polyjuice potion...Harry, what's up with you?" Ron asked.
Harry undid the chain, and stood in the doorway. He peered past them for anyone lurking in the shadows. "Okay, lets go." He said quickly.
As Arthur pulled out a portkey from his coat pocket, a tin can, a black car pulled up into the driveway. The Dursleys were back. They didn't see the Weaslys yet, but they were sure too.
They all got out of the car and started up the driveway. Vernon started yelling for them to get off of his property.
"Off we go then." Arthur said quickly, shrinking Harry's trunk. Harry distinctly saw Aunt Petunia faint just before he touched the Portkey; a beetroot Vernon caught her before she hit the ground.
Harry reached out a hand, holding on tight to his trunk. He couldn't help but think of the previous battle with Voldemort. When Sirius had been lost. He closed his eyes against the swirling colors and kept them closed as they all landed in the front room of number 12 Grimmauld place.
Just being here made Harry feel horrible. He kept his eyes closed as Hermione and Ginny rushed down the stairs to greet him. "Harry?" Ginny asked. "Are you alright?" she asked, peering into his face.
Harry's eyes flew open. "I'm fine, alright?" he snapped angrily. It would do no good to dwell on Sirius.
"Harry, I know this must be hard for you, Sirius being your godfather and all, but-" she stopped suddenly, when she caught Ginny's glare.
"I'm fine, okay?" Harry asked. He could feel his temper rising and he was bursting to yell at someone after the incident with the letter. "You have no idea, so don't even try!" he yelled, stomping up the stairs.
Hermione moved to run after him, but Ginny held her back. "He needs to be alone," she told her.
In the room he normally occupied at the house of Black, Harry flopped down on the bed, breathing heavily. He wanted to do something, to break something. It was his entire fault Sirius was gone. His and no one else's. No one else was thick enough to take the vision seriously.
Before he knew it, he was punching the pillow in his bed, venting his frustration. His anger mounting, he threw it down and looked for something, anything, to vent some more on.
The stone walls surrounding him began to crack, thin likes that branched off and became deeper. The light on the ceiling flickered and the door rattled on its hinges. A chair in the corner turned into a rose and a golden goblet suddenly appeared on the dresser. The room was total chaos, with Harry at the center, sitting on the bed and fuming.
He could vaguely hear the door open and a gasp of surprise. He turned, glaring, to see Remus Lupin, with a wand pointed at him.
"Stupefy!" he said, and Harry slumped over, unconscious.
~*~*~*~*~
When Harry woke up, he was feeling much calmer, but very confused. "What happened?" he asked groggily.
Remus, Hermione and the Weaslys looked down at him. Remus explained, "You have a very powerful temper. If you have no way to dispel your anger, your magic takes control."
"Right, so, let me get this straight," Harry said, sitting up against his pillows. "If I get too mad, I start breaking stuff magically? Why?"
Remus looked thoughtful for a moment. "Have you ever had things happen because you were afraid, like when you were little?" Harry nodded. "Okay, well, the same thing happens here."
"Your magic and your emotions are close together in your mind, body and soul. When you feel a strong emotion, they fuse together because you have so much of each. Following me here?"
Harry nodded. This was interesting. "Does this happen to everyone?"
Remus wasn't sure how to answer that one without offending anyone. "Well, it usually only happens with very powerful wizards, like yourself."
Harry thought about this for a moment. So he was a very powerful wizard? He supposed he was actually, from hearing the prophecy from Dumbledore.
Remus nodded, mostly to himself. "Which is why I think someone ought to be teaching you to control your temper."
"And that would be.?" Harry asked, all thoughts of Sirius temporarily forgotten.
"Yours truly. First lesson will be tomorrow after-well, tomorrow." Remus broke off. He didn't think it was a good time to bring up the funeral; especially considering Harry was in a better mood now. If he thought about it, he was likely to go flying off the handle again.
"Good to see you're alright, Harry dear," Mrs. Weasly spoke up. "Dinner is ready."
Everyone traipsed downstairs, except Ron and Hermione. They turned to go. "Are you coming, Harry?" Hermione asked softly. Harry shrugged. He opened his mouth to say no, he was going to sleep, but his stomach growled, giving him away.
Harry blushed a little, and Hermione smiled at him. "I guess that's a yes."
Harry started to get up, grinning at Hermione. But the two locked eyes and froze like that for a moment.
Ron cleared his throat, reminding them of his presence. Both Hermione and Harry blushed. Harry got up off of the bed and made his way to the kitchen, in between his two best friends.
Dinner was wonderful, as was all Mrs. Weasly's cooking. He chatted with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny about how their respective summers had been going so far.
When dinner was over, they carried their plates to the sink and went upstairs.
"Fancy a game of chess?" Ron asked Harry.
Harry shrugged. "I guess," he said, yawning.
Ron got out his chessboard. Harry's mind wasn't on the game and Ron beat him quickly.
"Penny for your thoughts?" wondered Hermione, looking up from her book.
"It's nothing," Harry replied. "Just a little tired, I think I'll turn in early." Yawning, Harry left the room, heading for his and Ron's.
He changed quickly, hoping for a sleepless night.
After his breakfast of toast, Harry decided to read until the Weaslys came and picked him up. Or, suddenly as he thought darkly, the death eaters did.
Harry sighed, going up the stairs and pulling out the standard book of spells, grade 5. It couldn't hurt to brush up on what he needed to know.
An owl flew through the window just then, dropping its letter and flying off again. The letter was from Ron, Harry could tell from the handwriting. It said,
"Harry- Change of plans, we're picking you at five and bring all of your stuff. You'll be staying the rest of the summer. -Ron"
Harry nodded to himself and gathered his stuff. He put the small bag in his trunk on top of all the loose parchment. He tied Hedwig's cage to the handle of the trunk, thinking it would be easier to carry.
He sat back down on the bed and picked up the book again. The hours whiled away and soon it was ten to five. He dragged his trunk downstairs, but instead of waiting on the porch, which he might have done if he hadn't had that vision, he waited by the door.
There was a knock suddenly and he jumped. Peeking out the eyehole, he saw that it was Ron and Arthur Weasly.
He opened the door slightly, leaving the chain locked. "Hi Ron, Mr. Weasly." He said, not especially wanting to see them there. Especially as they were probably death eaters.
"Hello Harry." Ron said, "Are you coming?"
"What happened in our second year, in the bathroom?" Harry asked suspiciously.
"Er, the polyjuice potion...Harry, what's up with you?" Ron asked.
Harry undid the chain, and stood in the doorway. He peered past them for anyone lurking in the shadows. "Okay, lets go." He said quickly.
As Arthur pulled out a portkey from his coat pocket, a tin can, a black car pulled up into the driveway. The Dursleys were back. They didn't see the Weaslys yet, but they were sure too.
They all got out of the car and started up the driveway. Vernon started yelling for them to get off of his property.
"Off we go then." Arthur said quickly, shrinking Harry's trunk. Harry distinctly saw Aunt Petunia faint just before he touched the Portkey; a beetroot Vernon caught her before she hit the ground.
Harry reached out a hand, holding on tight to his trunk. He couldn't help but think of the previous battle with Voldemort. When Sirius had been lost. He closed his eyes against the swirling colors and kept them closed as they all landed in the front room of number 12 Grimmauld place.
Just being here made Harry feel horrible. He kept his eyes closed as Hermione and Ginny rushed down the stairs to greet him. "Harry?" Ginny asked. "Are you alright?" she asked, peering into his face.
Harry's eyes flew open. "I'm fine, alright?" he snapped angrily. It would do no good to dwell on Sirius.
"Harry, I know this must be hard for you, Sirius being your godfather and all, but-" she stopped suddenly, when she caught Ginny's glare.
"I'm fine, okay?" Harry asked. He could feel his temper rising and he was bursting to yell at someone after the incident with the letter. "You have no idea, so don't even try!" he yelled, stomping up the stairs.
Hermione moved to run after him, but Ginny held her back. "He needs to be alone," she told her.
In the room he normally occupied at the house of Black, Harry flopped down on the bed, breathing heavily. He wanted to do something, to break something. It was his entire fault Sirius was gone. His and no one else's. No one else was thick enough to take the vision seriously.
Before he knew it, he was punching the pillow in his bed, venting his frustration. His anger mounting, he threw it down and looked for something, anything, to vent some more on.
The stone walls surrounding him began to crack, thin likes that branched off and became deeper. The light on the ceiling flickered and the door rattled on its hinges. A chair in the corner turned into a rose and a golden goblet suddenly appeared on the dresser. The room was total chaos, with Harry at the center, sitting on the bed and fuming.
He could vaguely hear the door open and a gasp of surprise. He turned, glaring, to see Remus Lupin, with a wand pointed at him.
"Stupefy!" he said, and Harry slumped over, unconscious.
~*~*~*~*~
When Harry woke up, he was feeling much calmer, but very confused. "What happened?" he asked groggily.
Remus, Hermione and the Weaslys looked down at him. Remus explained, "You have a very powerful temper. If you have no way to dispel your anger, your magic takes control."
"Right, so, let me get this straight," Harry said, sitting up against his pillows. "If I get too mad, I start breaking stuff magically? Why?"
Remus looked thoughtful for a moment. "Have you ever had things happen because you were afraid, like when you were little?" Harry nodded. "Okay, well, the same thing happens here."
"Your magic and your emotions are close together in your mind, body and soul. When you feel a strong emotion, they fuse together because you have so much of each. Following me here?"
Harry nodded. This was interesting. "Does this happen to everyone?"
Remus wasn't sure how to answer that one without offending anyone. "Well, it usually only happens with very powerful wizards, like yourself."
Harry thought about this for a moment. So he was a very powerful wizard? He supposed he was actually, from hearing the prophecy from Dumbledore.
Remus nodded, mostly to himself. "Which is why I think someone ought to be teaching you to control your temper."
"And that would be.?" Harry asked, all thoughts of Sirius temporarily forgotten.
"Yours truly. First lesson will be tomorrow after-well, tomorrow." Remus broke off. He didn't think it was a good time to bring up the funeral; especially considering Harry was in a better mood now. If he thought about it, he was likely to go flying off the handle again.
"Good to see you're alright, Harry dear," Mrs. Weasly spoke up. "Dinner is ready."
Everyone traipsed downstairs, except Ron and Hermione. They turned to go. "Are you coming, Harry?" Hermione asked softly. Harry shrugged. He opened his mouth to say no, he was going to sleep, but his stomach growled, giving him away.
Harry blushed a little, and Hermione smiled at him. "I guess that's a yes."
Harry started to get up, grinning at Hermione. But the two locked eyes and froze like that for a moment.
Ron cleared his throat, reminding them of his presence. Both Hermione and Harry blushed. Harry got up off of the bed and made his way to the kitchen, in between his two best friends.
Dinner was wonderful, as was all Mrs. Weasly's cooking. He chatted with Ron, Hermione, and Ginny about how their respective summers had been going so far.
When dinner was over, they carried their plates to the sink and went upstairs.
"Fancy a game of chess?" Ron asked Harry.
Harry shrugged. "I guess," he said, yawning.
Ron got out his chessboard. Harry's mind wasn't on the game and Ron beat him quickly.
"Penny for your thoughts?" wondered Hermione, looking up from her book.
"It's nothing," Harry replied. "Just a little tired, I think I'll turn in early." Yawning, Harry left the room, heading for his and Ron's.
He changed quickly, hoping for a sleepless night.