Harry shrugged off the feeling that something could be wrong, and started
getting his things together, since they were leaving soon. Soon they were
all packed into the Weasley's new car and on their way to King's Cross
Station. They arrived a good 20 minutes before the train was due to leave.
Harry was extremely anxious to get safely aboard the train, and was looking
around for Dumbledore everywhere. Mr. Weasley looked very stressed, and
Mrs. Weasley looked nervous. They each went on either side of him as they
walked through the barrier between Platforms 9 and 10. Within seconds, they
were standing on Platform 9 3/4 before a scarlet steam engine, the Hogwarts
Express. With one quick glance around, Harry saw Dumbledore striding
quickly towards him. Dumbledore looked anxious and relieved that they had
arrived. He grasped Harry's hand and pulled him over towards the train.
Before they got on board, Dumbledore kneeled down in front of Harry, and
looked deep into his eyes.
*
"Harry, I need you to listen to me and understand." Dumbledore began, his hand firmly gripped on Harry's shoulder. "It's about Sirius."
Harry blinked. No, he thought. Please, don't let something bad have happened.
"Harry, this morning - " he paused uncomfortably, although trying to find a way to put it into words. He gulped, and continued talking. "This morning, Sirius was shot. It happened early, just after dawn. He -"
"Is he -" Harry whispered. "dead?"
"No," Dumbledore said, still looking deep into his eyes.
Harry felt his eyes swell up with tears and his throat begin to tighten. What could have happened?
"He was shot when he was in the form of a dog." Dumbledore said. "It happened in a farm field near Professor Lupin's house. Remus was currently a wolf, and they needed food. Sirius decided to try and steal some from a nearby farm, and when he was running away from an angry farmer, he got shot."
"Where?" Harry said, his voice shaking with anger.
"In the chest." Dumbledore answered. "He has a punctured lung. Harry -"
Harry turned away. He couldn't believe it. Sirius was the only family Harry had ever had who appreciated him. Harry was constantly looking forward to the day when Sirius' name might be cleared and he could leave the Dursley's forever. A silent tear streamed down his face.
"Harry," Dumbledore said softly. "They don't think that he's going to make it."
"Where - where is he?" Harry stuttered. "And how long does he have?"
"He's in the hospital wing at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said quietly. "You can see him when you arrive there. And -"
Dumbledore paused, and then whispered, "They don't think he's going to make it through the night."
At this point, Harry couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears began streaming down his face and he began to sob. Dumbledore pulled him close into a tight hug, and Harry felt overwhelmed with a fatherly-type of love. When they let go, Harry looked into Dumbledore's light blue eyes. He had never seen Dumbledore look so sad and distraught.
He slowly stood up. "I'll meet you off the train when we arrive at Hogwarts and we will go straight to see Sirius."
"OK." Harry said in barely a whisper. He was at a loss for words; this had come as such a
shock. He had a very bad feeling about his year to come at Hogwarts.
*
"Harry, I need you to listen to me and understand." Dumbledore began, his hand firmly gripped on Harry's shoulder. "It's about Sirius."
Harry blinked. No, he thought. Please, don't let something bad have happened.
"Harry, this morning - " he paused uncomfortably, although trying to find a way to put it into words. He gulped, and continued talking. "This morning, Sirius was shot. It happened early, just after dawn. He -"
"Is he -" Harry whispered. "dead?"
"No," Dumbledore said, still looking deep into his eyes.
Harry felt his eyes swell up with tears and his throat begin to tighten. What could have happened?
"He was shot when he was in the form of a dog." Dumbledore said. "It happened in a farm field near Professor Lupin's house. Remus was currently a wolf, and they needed food. Sirius decided to try and steal some from a nearby farm, and when he was running away from an angry farmer, he got shot."
"Where?" Harry said, his voice shaking with anger.
"In the chest." Dumbledore answered. "He has a punctured lung. Harry -"
Harry turned away. He couldn't believe it. Sirius was the only family Harry had ever had who appreciated him. Harry was constantly looking forward to the day when Sirius' name might be cleared and he could leave the Dursley's forever. A silent tear streamed down his face.
"Harry," Dumbledore said softly. "They don't think that he's going to make it."
"Where - where is he?" Harry stuttered. "And how long does he have?"
"He's in the hospital wing at Hogwarts." Dumbledore said quietly. "You can see him when you arrive there. And -"
Dumbledore paused, and then whispered, "They don't think he's going to make it through the night."
At this point, Harry couldn't hold it in any longer. Tears began streaming down his face and he began to sob. Dumbledore pulled him close into a tight hug, and Harry felt overwhelmed with a fatherly-type of love. When they let go, Harry looked into Dumbledore's light blue eyes. He had never seen Dumbledore look so sad and distraught.
He slowly stood up. "I'll meet you off the train when we arrive at Hogwarts and we will go straight to see Sirius."
"OK." Harry said in barely a whisper. He was at a loss for words; this had come as such a
shock. He had a very bad feeling about his year to come at Hogwarts.