AN: I know you guys are probably all wondering where Harry comes in. Well, it's in this chapterread on to find out where.
Chapter Seven: The Surprise Letter
Five years had passed since that memorable day. Sirius had escaped and was now living with them in their large, beautiful estate, full of magical creatures that Kit, Terence, Jon, Kevin, and Alex trained, in their new home: America. Remus had moved in too, just last year.
At the current moment, it was a gorgeous and peaceful night, and the group was gathering for dinner.
" It's Sirius' night to cook isn't it?" Kit asked, wandering through the halls (Everyone had one night a week to cook dinner).
" Yep. Expect the delicious burnt food we always get," replied Alex as cheerfully as one could be when expecting such a meal.
" Yummy!" said Kit with false enthusiasm. "Where's Jon? He can always talk Sirius into allowing us to go out for dinner."
" I dunno. I heard no noise from his room," replied Alex, heading down the stairs.
" Poor guy. He's been all over those wizard college exams. I'll go check on him," said Kit worriedly heading back up the marble stairs.
Alex watched his sister head back up the stairs. She was just a touch taller, and thinner, (though just as beautiful) than she had been five years ago. He and his brothers were going to have to start fighting off the boys. Alex sighed just thinking about it. They were going to have work to do.
Add the fact that Sirius' godson, Harry, was also moving in with them, and Kevin, Kit and himself were all moving back to England so Kit and Kevin could start attending Hogwarts with Harry and their pen-pals, the Weasleys, and Alex had plenty to fret about.
With a sigh he turned, and continued his journey down to the kitchen, pausing for a moment to put a letter into the "Mail out" box for Harry. Already the awful smell of burnt food was wafting through the house.
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Harry Potter sat beside his cousin Dudley one rainy summer morning. Dudley was gulping down his orange juice so fast Harry was sure he was going to choke. Harry rather hoped he would, because at least then he would get some real food. Today's breakfast consisted of raw carrot sticks and apple slices.
" Do we have to eat this?" Dudley whined. Aunt Petunia looked him over.
" Well, sweetums, we have to if you want to go to Smeltings. However," she said, turning to Harry, " You can give Dudley yours if you're not going to eat it," and before Harry could reply, his food had been snatched away. He sighed.
Life had not been going too well since he had returned from the most interesting and terrifying year ever at Hogwarts. For one thing, his mail had been very limited, coming from only Sirius and Ron, with an occasional few letters from Hagrid, who was away doing Hogwarts business. Hermione hadn't written at all. Harry privately suspected this was because she was in Bulgaria with Viktor Krum.
The other problem was that Harry couldn't phone anyone, due to last summer's problem with the Weasleys. The Dursleys wanted no connection with anyone like that ever again.
Harry, however, did not mind any of this as much as he usually would have. He had found a way to sneak out of the Dursleys' home at night (after he was sure that they were asleep), and fly about on his broomstick. England was exceptionally beautiful at night; thousands of twinkling lights from the cities made it look like a Christmas tree, shining bright with wax candles. Thinking of this, Harry sighed and got up from the table, hoping to get some sleep.
" Where do you think you're going?" asked Aunt Petunia sharply.
" Upstairs, why?" returned Harry coolly. Behind them Dudley gave a tremendous sigh and lurched up from the table, only to fall down again with a crash from slipping on some orange juice.
" Oh my Dudleykins!" shrieked Aunt Petunia. " Oh my poor baby! Are you okay?" While Aunt Petunia checked Dudley over, Harry quietly sneaked out of the kitchen and up into his room, bolting the door after him.
To his surprise, Hedwig, his owl, was waiting there for him with a letter. The letter was from Sirius. Harry carefully opened it, not daring to let his hopes lift. When he saw the contents of the letter, he gasped.
Dear Harry,
I'm writing this very fast, and I hope you will be able to oblige my question. Since I am your godfather, and Remus Lupin is probably the second closest thing you'd have to a godfather, we both want you to come and stay with us for the remaining month and a half. Then you can stay with my siblings for a week in England if you want to, just before school starts (Kit and Kevin will be attending with you). I know it isn't too safe getting you here. However, I have arranged for a transport (though judging by who I'm sending, you might never make it over).
Can you have your things ready by twelve o' clock tomorrow night? Write back immediately.
- Sirius
Harry reached for a quill and piece of parchment, but before his hand closed over it, Aunt Petunia called him.
" You've a letter!" She called. " I'm not going to wait here forever."
Thinking it was from Hermione, Harry rushed down the stairs, snatched the letter, and dashed back up again.
However, it wasn't from Ron or Hermione. The handwriting was unfamiliar and completely different from Hermione's precise hand. Having no clue what it was, Harry turned the letter over in his hand. The return address was from a totally different country, though he wasn't sure which one. Carefully opening the envelope, he pulled out the letter and started to read. Then, on second thought, he picked up the envelope and read:
Harry J. Potter
4 Privet Drive
Little Whinging
Surrey
Interested, Harry picked up the letter and began to read.
Dear Harry,
You and I have never met before, but you've met my older brother and Remus. My name is Alexander Black, and I'm your godfather Sirius' younger brother.
I just wanted to welcome you before you came. I think I'll be picking you up soon, though I don't know for sure.
I do hope I will have the pleasure of meeting you soon. I have heard you will be coming to live with us soon.
I look forward to meeting you on Sunday.
Yours Truly,
Alexander Black
Silently Harry reread the letters again and again. Then he grinned. Quickly he scratched a letter to Sirius, saying he'd be ready for anything that came, and made his way over to the closet and began to pull out his trunk. All of the sudden Harry felt very weary and exhausted. Slowly he drifted over to his bed, which had never looked so inviting, and fell into a dreamless sleep.
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Meanwhile, at the Weasley household, Ron and his family were just sitting down to their normal breakfast. Percy was boring them all with talk about work. Fred and George were being reprimanded for their jokes again, and Ginny was doing her potions homework. Mr. Weasley was explaining to Mrs. Weasley about his newest muggle contraption, even though his wife was paying the least attention possible. Ron sighed and went back to his breakfast. He was almost done. After breakfast he'd go up and see if he had a letter from Kit or Harry. He knew that would cheer him up. Swallowing the last bit of orange juice, Ron swiftly left the table and headed upstairs to his room.
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Professor Snape was sitting in the library, stacks of huge volumes around him. He was currently thumbing through the eighth one, looking for signs of the children he'd seen before.
"Hmmm. I wonderI do wonder," mused Snape, thinking an idea through. The children had had weird eyes. He remembered that well. And the ability to hold one captive in flames, weakening them. Yes, he most certainly remembered that, thought Snape with a shiver, remembering how he had lain there in the road for five hours, trying to move after the strange children had left. He also remembered the pain, and the ultimate pain that came with that fire. Snape shivered again, and began flipping through another volume. Suddenly his eyes fell on something new, and he stopped and began to read.
It has been said that there are beings half-human and half-magical. Yet who are they? No, we are not talking about centaurs. We are talking human one parent and creature the other. The children that come out of these odd marriages have unexplainable power, such as the ability to use magic without wands, or sport other interesting unknown powers. So far only one family has ever been heard of to have this kind of blood in their family.
The rest of the page had been torn out. Snape sighed and reread the paragraph. One familyThe Blacks? Or had the Blacks inherited it from another line? Perhaps from
No, Snape told himself. That's just too weird. But came a nagging voice in the corner of his mind, it all makes perfect sense
"No!" yelled Snape. "No! It doesn't make any sense! It doesn't fit together! So how can it be?" he roared, knocking over stacks of books.
" Professor Snape! This is a LIBRARY! Do be QUIET!" snapped Madam Pomfrey from her desk. "And pick up those books! I will not have my library looking like a mess." Obediently Snape picked up the books, a new idea beginning to form in his mind.
