Chapter 2: The Voice

Nothing belongs to me except the stuff that does.

Chapter 2: The Voice

Harry Potter was back at the Dursleys, who had looked extremely displeased to see him this year. They'd hardly spoken to him since he'd gotten back from Hogwarts. Harry couldn't understand why. Surely they, being Muggles, couldn't have heard about the Triwizard Tournament and Harry's encounter with Voldemort. If they knew about that, Harry was certain they wouldn't have as much as let him back in their sight. They insisted on being normal, and Harry, to them, was anything but normal. Harry wouldn't have even been there if it weren't for Dumbledore insisting that he go to their house instead of to the Weasleys who had invited him to stay at their house for the summer. "At least for at first," Dumbledore had said. That's all he would say, except that Harry might be able to go to the Weasleys later in the summer.

"Why didn't you just go there right away?" Uncle Vernon would complain. "I don't want those crazy lunatics back here again!" he remembered the year before when Fred and George Weasley had given Harry's cousin, Dudley a piece of candy that made his tongue grow huge. Harry and the Weasleys had found this hilarious, but Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had been terrified. Maybe that's why they're acting strange to me, thought Harry.

Everyday, he awaited mail from Dumbledore, saying that he could go to the Weasleys. It had been a week since school had ended and he hadn't heard a thing from any of his friends, or Dumbledore. Hermione, he expected, had probably went to visit Viktor Krum, who invited her to visit him for the summer, since they'd become friends, or maybe more, during the last school year. Sirius had gone off to live with his old friend, and Harry's old Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin. Dumbledore had put the two of them in charge of gathering people to be on the good side when Voldemort's power rose. Harry suspected that Hagrid had also become involved in the whole situation. He wasn't sure why he hadn't heard from Ron, but it could have been because his dad worked for the Ministry of Magic and with all the commotion going on lately, they were probably very busy.

Harry thought of Cornilieus Fudge. He wondered if he still didn't believe that Voldemort was back. He wondered if the Ministry was even doing any of the things Dumbledore had advised to take precaution. Harry longed to be back in the wizarding world where he would be able to receive news and be aware of what was going on. For all he knew, right now Voldemort could be planning to attack him and kill him right at this very place, and he knew nothing about it. The thought made him shudder.

He was startled to hear a tapping noise on the window. It was an owl. Harry let it into his room. He removed the letter from it and opened it. It was from Sirius.

Hello Harry.

I hope you are well. I have been worried about you since your incident with You Know Who. I have arrived at where I said I'd be going. We're getting to work on what we were instructed to do. I'll let you know any news I hear since I'm sure you won't be able to receive it easily where you are right now. I'm sorry you had to go to the Dursleys' but it was Dumbledore's orders and I'm sure he has good reason. Be sure you stay at there until Dumbledore gives you permission to leave. Keep your eyes open for anything unusual and let someone know if anything about your scar comes up again. Be careful. I will try to see you soon.

Sirius

Harry sighed and put the letter away. It seemed he had to live in constant fear for his life lately. He knew it was no joke as he knew better than anyone that Voldemort wanted more than anything to see him dead. He still didn't want to worry. He wanted to go to the Weasleys' and stay with Ron and his family. They seemed like the closest thing to family that he had. Much more like family than the Dursleys, who were related by blood, but really didn't care a thing about what happened to him. If he told them that Voldemort wanted to kill him, they'd probably personally deliver Harry to him and let him kill him just so they wouldn't have to put up with him and his being "abnormal." If only my parents were still alive the thought drifted into the back of Harry's mind. No he pushed the thought away. There's no way to bring them back. Just stop thinking about it. All it will bring to you is sadness.

Harry glanced at the clock. It was getting late. He decided to go to bed. It had been hard for him to sleep every since he'd had to fight Voldemort. His subconscious mind was filled with horrible thoughts of fear and danger. The most difficult time to get rid of them was when he was sleeping. They didn't really scare him. They were more annoying than frightening. Just bad enough that he had a difficult time sleeping.

He lay down and closed his eyes. He pictured a pair of red glowing eyes before he drifted off to sleep.

"You are not going to do anything!" bellowed Voldemort's horrible voice. "Harry Potter will be mine this time and there's nothing you can do to stop me!"

"I will!" shouted another voice of a person who couldn't be seen clearly. "You will never get away with this!"

"I'll get away with it," cackled Voldemort. "And you're going to help me. Aren't you?"

"No!" the other voice shouted. "I will never go to your side! You won't kill Harry!"

"Don't bet on it," said Voldemort. He raised his wand. "Imperio!"

Harry awoke suddenly. His scar burned. Not this again, he thought. He remembered the dream. The voice of the person that Voldemort had put the Imperious Curse on. He knew that voice. He couldn't think of who it was, but he knew he recognized it. He thought and thought. It wouldn't come to his mind. Finally, he gave up. The burning in his scar had faded now. He wondered if he should tell anyone about it. If he told Professor Dumbledore, he'd never let Harry go stay with Ron. And if he told Sirius, he'd most likely tell Dumbledore. Harry wondered if it would be safe to not tell anyone.

He couldn't get the voice he'd heard in his dream out of his mind. Had it been a dream? Or had it been real? Harry recalled the dream he'd had last year before school started. The man that Voldemort had killed in the dream had really been dead. He was one of the figures that had come out of Voldemort's wand. So was it possible that his dreams weren't really dreams at all, but really him seeing what kind of torture Voldemort was inflicting on innocent people? He hated to think that as much as it seemed real. That voice. He had known that voice. It was so familiar, yet he just couldn't place who it was.

An owl arrived just then. Harry recognized it as Ron's owl, Pigwidgeon. He let it in the window. The tiny owl was struggling with a large package. Harry opened. There were two meat pies and some fudge from Mrs. Weasley, along with a note.

Harry,

I hope you are okay at the Dursleys'. I thought you might be hungry, so I am sending some food. I'll send you more soon. I would have sent it now, but little Pigwidgeon can't carry much at a time. We are hoping you can come to stay with us soon, but don't do anything until you have permission from Dumbledore. Be careful. Be sure to let Dumbledore or Sirius know if anything strange happens.

Take care,

Mrs. Weasley

Harry refolded the letter. He thought about what it said. Be careful and be sure to let someone know if anything strange happens. Her letter basically said the same thing that Sirius's had said. Harry wondered if he should tell someone about his scar hurting. Really, he knew he should tell someone. He was just neglecting it because he didn't want to see their reactions. Everyone would be afraid for him and he wouldn't be able to do anything.

He noticed another letter with the package Mrs. Weasley had sent. This one was from Ron.

Harry,

Hey, how are you? Things are not so good here. My dad and Percy have been working almost nonstop at the ministry. It's been that way since everyone's been saying that You Know Who is back. At least Rita Skeeter isn't around to write awful stories about everything that's going on though. So, has anything weird happened to you since school got out? My mum's been real worried about you. I hope Dumbledore lets you come and stay with us soon. I know you've probably heard this a lot lately but be careful.

Your friend,

Ron

Harry wondered if he should tell Ron about the dream and his scar hurting. He figured he could count on Ron keeping his mouth shut about it, and he'd be someone to talk to. Then Harry remembered how worried Mrs. Weasley was about him. She'd probably read any letters he sent to Ron, and telling her would be just like telling Dumbledore or Sirius. This got him nowhere. He ruled out telling Hermione quickly, as she tended to overreact in situations like that. She'd tell him to tell Dumbledore anyway. Harry sighed. It looked as though for now he wouldn't be telling anyone.