Chapter Three
"Voldemort's return"
Harry looked down into the backyard of the Burrow from Ron's window. He could see all the Weasleys down there, in a line, from tallest to shortest. Bill, Mr. Weasley, Percy, Charlie, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley, they were staring off toward the garden. One by one Harry could see dark figures in hooded black robes stepping out from the darkness. Harry squinted his eyes to see who they were, he saw that they were each wearing masks under their hoods. Oh my god, Harry thought, Death Eaters. and then he saw Wormtail take off his hood, he wasn't wearing a mask, though he still had his silver hand that Voldemort had given him as a gift for giving him his own hand and bringing him back to power. Harry started to sweat, he began to pound on the window to get the Weasleys attention, but they were already staring directly at the Death Eaters. Then Harry's heart sank as he saw stepping into the middle of the Death Eaters' circle, Voldemort himself. Though Harry was up a few floors and behind a pane of glass, he could hear what was being said. "Give us the boy," Voldemort said. Mr. Weasley stepped forward defiantly and shook his head. "Give us the boy, and you will be spared your lives. Deny us the boy, and your suffering will be great." Voldemort said breathing through the slits where his nose should be. At this, the rest of the Weasleys stepped forward and stood next to Mr. Weasley. Voldemort smiled sadistically and said, "As you wish. Crucio!" It seemed as if all of the Death Eaters had followed their master's lead and had pulled out their wands and muttered the same curse. Harry watched in horror as all nine Weasleys were now on the ground screaming and twitching in pain. This went on for at least two full minutes which, to Harry, seemed an eternity. He wanted to help the Weasleys, wanted to get down and stop Voldemort, wanted to kill Voldemort. He didn't know what to do, didn't know how to get down to the Weasleys. As they struggled to get back to their feet, Harry could see Ginny crying, but he could see in her eyes that no matter what Voldemort did, she would not give in. The pain in Harry's scar was burning so badly, he had tears streaming down his face, both from pain and from seeing the people he loved so much being tortured. and there was nothing Harry could do for them. "Give me the boy," Voldemort said again to Arthur Weasley. Again, Mr. Weasley shook his head. "As you wish, you foolish man," Voldemort pointed his wand at Mrs. Weasley and muttered, "Avada Kedavra." With that, a bright green light flew out of his wand and in an instant, Molly Weasley was dead. Harry screamed just as the other Weasleys did and he pounded his fists against the window with tears flowing out of his eyes. He could see through his water-blurred vision that Mr. Weasley and all the children had fallen to the ground and raised Mrs. Weasley into a sitting position. Harry recognized that expression immediately. The same look was upon Cedric's face the night he had died of that same curse. The dark mark was now hovering over the Burrow. Harry fell to his knees, the pain from his scar was unbearable, and he felt blinded from the combination of hatred, grief, and pain. He pulled himself up on his knees so that he could see out the window. He forced himself to see what was happening. The sight he saw numbed his brain, he couldn't even move, he was frozen with fear. Harry saw each of the remaining Weasleys standing in a row again, each with a Death Eater standing two feet in front of them with their wands outstretched toward each of their hearts. Harry heard the Death Eaters mutter, "Avada Kedavra." And he lost consciousness as the blinding green light flashed and he heard eight thuds hit the ground with a shriek. The shrieking continued as Harry came to. It took him a moment to realize that it had been him screaming. He raised himself up from the bed and clutched his sweaty forehead, the searing pain was overwhelming. He pulled his glasses on and looked around his bedroom. It had been a dream, just a dream. But then the panic set in again as he remembered how whenever he had a dream like that and woke up with a pain from his scar, that the dream usually actually happened. But wait. he had been in the dream, he hadn't been in the other dreams when they had actually happened. As the memory of the dream burned bright in his head, he buried his face in his hands and wept. Harry couldn't stand the thought of losing another mother, another family. He looked up at the window his eyes were red and puffy, the pain in his forehead was gone. He wished more than anything that he knew that the Weasleys were all right. I need to write to Sirius about this, I'll do that now he thought. Just then as though a prayer had been answered there was a quiet popping sound behind him. Harry turned to look and it was Mr. Weasley. Harry ran over and hugged Mr. Weasley and it caught him off guard. Harry blushed. "Well, Harry, I'm glad to see you too," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "I apparated here to bring you back to the Burrow with me. Ron got your owl a few minutes ago, and we thought this would be the quickest way." "But, Mr. Weasley, I can't disapparate yet." Harry said with a quivering voice. "Oh, yes I know that Harry," Mr. Weasley said with a smile, "I've brought floo powder. Now come on, get your trunk packed up, and I'll go have a word with your Aunt and Uncle- oh they are interesting! But I'll tell them that you are to go with me for the rest of the summer. All right, Harry?" He gave Harry a pat on the back and headed downstairs. Harry began to pack his trunk immediately no longer thinking of writing Sirius- after all the Weasleys were fine and Sirius was on important business for Dumbledore. He piled all of his books inside the trunk, his parchment and quills and ink next. Then he folded the invisibility cloak that his father had left to him and set it down near the bottom of the trunk, he put his new clothes that were far too big for him on top of the cloak. Now he added his dress robes, he thought they would be too small for him but he could have them altered in Diagon Alley. Then he packed his sneakoscope, his wand, and most important of all, his Firebolt. He pulled his trunk and Hedwig's empty cage down the stairs where Mr. Weasley and Uncle Vernon were having a heated discussion about the usage of his fireplace. Uncle Vernon told him absolutely not! So Mr. Weasley stuffed his pointed wizard hat down on his balding head angrily and muttered what sounded like a hex in the direction of Uncle Vernon. "Well, Harry, we'll just have to walk down the street a bit to another fireplace." Mr. Weasley said pulling one end of Harry's trunk. They left number four Privet Drive and headed down the street. "Er, Mr. Weasley, there are only muggles all around here, I don't think they will understand us wanting to use floo powder on their fireplaces." Harry said uncertainly. "Ah, no, Harry. there is a very good witch that lives in your neighborhood, she was stationed here after You-Know-Who lost his powers and you were brought here. As a matter of fact I do believe you've met her quite a few times. Mrs. Arabella Figg." "Mrs. Figg?" Harry sputtered. "Are you sure? But- but I thought she was just an old lady with a lot of cats! She can't be a- a witch!" "Oh, but I'm sure, Harry, she was placed here for your protection, I'm sure she won't mind us using her fireplace, not at all." Mr. Weasley smiled down at Harry as they walked to Mrs. Figg's house. Harry let out a snort of laughter, if only his Aunt and Uncle knew that all those times they left Harry with that old woman she had been a witch the entire time. They approached her house and knocked on the door, shortly afterward, the little Mrs. Figg answered the door. "Oh 'Ello, 'Arry, ain't seen ya fer a while. 'Ello, Arthur. What can I do fer ya?" Mrs. Figg asked. "Hello, Arabella, we wondered if we might use your fireplace. You see young Harry here isn't old enough to disapparate, so we have to use floo powder." Mr. Weasley told her. "Oh yes, yes! Come right in, and I'll show ya to the fireplace." As they stepped up to the fireplace Mr. Weasley handed Harry a bit of floo powder and he threw it in. "Well, 'Arry, you'll be seeing me sooner than ya think, have a safe trip, and speak loud and clear!" Harry nodded to Mrs. Figg and stepped into the fireplace. "The Burrow!" Harry yelled and he flew into the bright colors as he remembered to tuck in his elbows. Within a few more seconds, he was lying on the floor of the Burrow near the fireplace, covered in soot, looking up into Ron's face. Ron smiled and pulled Harry to his feet. "Hiya Harry! Have a good trip?" Ron slapped Harry on the back knocking him forward a few steps with a cloud of black dust rising from his back, Harry smiled and straightened his glasses. Ron was the youngest boy in the Weasley family, though he was taller than the twins were, he stood about six feet tall now and Harry was a measly five foot seven. As they turned to grin at each other, Ron's father came sliding through the fireplace riding Harry's trunk like a horse.
"Yee-Haw!" Mr. Weasley howled, as Harry and Ron hunched over with laughter. "Right then," Mr. Weasley said as he stood up and brushed himself off. "Here's your trunk, Harry." Just then Ron grabbed Harry and spun him around. "Harry you're not going to believe what's happened!" Ron pulled Harry up the stairs to his room and then they slammed the door behind them. "Okay, now, Harry, shut your eyes, all right?" Harry shut his eyes, bewildered, as Ron ran over to his orange colored closet and pulled something out. "All right, Harry, open up!" Ron stood before Harry holding a new Nimbus Two-Thousand. "Isn't it great, Harry? I don't know who gave it to me! I just woke up one morning and it was sitting at the end of my bed, with a tag that said 'To Ron'! Maybe it was Charlie, or Mum and Dad, don't know how they could have afforded it though, it's just been a mystery!" Harry congratulated Ron as Fred and George came into the room. "Hey, Ron, mum said she wants to see you in the kitchen," George said as he handled the new broomstick. Ron went running down the stairs. Fred turned to Harry and said, "Well, you know, Harry. we got him some new dress robes like you requested, but we just couldn't help getting the poor git a new broomstick too. well it's not exactly the latest model but it was the best one we could afford. George and I upgraded too, I'm surprised the little prat hadn't figured it out yet, us with new brooms too and all. But don't worry, we still have plenty of those galleons you invested in our joke shop. We've been inventing new jokes all summer!" Just then Ron came bumbling up the stairs and scowled at George, "You prat, mum isn't even here!" George grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "How 'bout a game of Quidditch before dinner?" Fred said as Ron took his Nimbus Two-Thousand back. They all agreed and went out to the field and played for hours until Mrs. Weasley called them back into the house for dinner.
Harry looked down into the backyard of the Burrow from Ron's window. He could see all the Weasleys down there, in a line, from tallest to shortest. Bill, Mr. Weasley, Percy, Charlie, Ron, Fred, George, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley, they were staring off toward the garden. One by one Harry could see dark figures in hooded black robes stepping out from the darkness. Harry squinted his eyes to see who they were, he saw that they were each wearing masks under their hoods. Oh my god, Harry thought, Death Eaters. and then he saw Wormtail take off his hood, he wasn't wearing a mask, though he still had his silver hand that Voldemort had given him as a gift for giving him his own hand and bringing him back to power. Harry started to sweat, he began to pound on the window to get the Weasleys attention, but they were already staring directly at the Death Eaters. Then Harry's heart sank as he saw stepping into the middle of the Death Eaters' circle, Voldemort himself. Though Harry was up a few floors and behind a pane of glass, he could hear what was being said. "Give us the boy," Voldemort said. Mr. Weasley stepped forward defiantly and shook his head. "Give us the boy, and you will be spared your lives. Deny us the boy, and your suffering will be great." Voldemort said breathing through the slits where his nose should be. At this, the rest of the Weasleys stepped forward and stood next to Mr. Weasley. Voldemort smiled sadistically and said, "As you wish. Crucio!" It seemed as if all of the Death Eaters had followed their master's lead and had pulled out their wands and muttered the same curse. Harry watched in horror as all nine Weasleys were now on the ground screaming and twitching in pain. This went on for at least two full minutes which, to Harry, seemed an eternity. He wanted to help the Weasleys, wanted to get down and stop Voldemort, wanted to kill Voldemort. He didn't know what to do, didn't know how to get down to the Weasleys. As they struggled to get back to their feet, Harry could see Ginny crying, but he could see in her eyes that no matter what Voldemort did, she would not give in. The pain in Harry's scar was burning so badly, he had tears streaming down his face, both from pain and from seeing the people he loved so much being tortured. and there was nothing Harry could do for them. "Give me the boy," Voldemort said again to Arthur Weasley. Again, Mr. Weasley shook his head. "As you wish, you foolish man," Voldemort pointed his wand at Mrs. Weasley and muttered, "Avada Kedavra." With that, a bright green light flew out of his wand and in an instant, Molly Weasley was dead. Harry screamed just as the other Weasleys did and he pounded his fists against the window with tears flowing out of his eyes. He could see through his water-blurred vision that Mr. Weasley and all the children had fallen to the ground and raised Mrs. Weasley into a sitting position. Harry recognized that expression immediately. The same look was upon Cedric's face the night he had died of that same curse. The dark mark was now hovering over the Burrow. Harry fell to his knees, the pain from his scar was unbearable, and he felt blinded from the combination of hatred, grief, and pain. He pulled himself up on his knees so that he could see out the window. He forced himself to see what was happening. The sight he saw numbed his brain, he couldn't even move, he was frozen with fear. Harry saw each of the remaining Weasleys standing in a row again, each with a Death Eater standing two feet in front of them with their wands outstretched toward each of their hearts. Harry heard the Death Eaters mutter, "Avada Kedavra." And he lost consciousness as the blinding green light flashed and he heard eight thuds hit the ground with a shriek. The shrieking continued as Harry came to. It took him a moment to realize that it had been him screaming. He raised himself up from the bed and clutched his sweaty forehead, the searing pain was overwhelming. He pulled his glasses on and looked around his bedroom. It had been a dream, just a dream. But then the panic set in again as he remembered how whenever he had a dream like that and woke up with a pain from his scar, that the dream usually actually happened. But wait. he had been in the dream, he hadn't been in the other dreams when they had actually happened. As the memory of the dream burned bright in his head, he buried his face in his hands and wept. Harry couldn't stand the thought of losing another mother, another family. He looked up at the window his eyes were red and puffy, the pain in his forehead was gone. He wished more than anything that he knew that the Weasleys were all right. I need to write to Sirius about this, I'll do that now he thought. Just then as though a prayer had been answered there was a quiet popping sound behind him. Harry turned to look and it was Mr. Weasley. Harry ran over and hugged Mr. Weasley and it caught him off guard. Harry blushed. "Well, Harry, I'm glad to see you too," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "I apparated here to bring you back to the Burrow with me. Ron got your owl a few minutes ago, and we thought this would be the quickest way." "But, Mr. Weasley, I can't disapparate yet." Harry said with a quivering voice. "Oh, yes I know that Harry," Mr. Weasley said with a smile, "I've brought floo powder. Now come on, get your trunk packed up, and I'll go have a word with your Aunt and Uncle- oh they are interesting! But I'll tell them that you are to go with me for the rest of the summer. All right, Harry?" He gave Harry a pat on the back and headed downstairs. Harry began to pack his trunk immediately no longer thinking of writing Sirius- after all the Weasleys were fine and Sirius was on important business for Dumbledore. He piled all of his books inside the trunk, his parchment and quills and ink next. Then he folded the invisibility cloak that his father had left to him and set it down near the bottom of the trunk, he put his new clothes that were far too big for him on top of the cloak. Now he added his dress robes, he thought they would be too small for him but he could have them altered in Diagon Alley. Then he packed his sneakoscope, his wand, and most important of all, his Firebolt. He pulled his trunk and Hedwig's empty cage down the stairs where Mr. Weasley and Uncle Vernon were having a heated discussion about the usage of his fireplace. Uncle Vernon told him absolutely not! So Mr. Weasley stuffed his pointed wizard hat down on his balding head angrily and muttered what sounded like a hex in the direction of Uncle Vernon. "Well, Harry, we'll just have to walk down the street a bit to another fireplace." Mr. Weasley said pulling one end of Harry's trunk. They left number four Privet Drive and headed down the street. "Er, Mr. Weasley, there are only muggles all around here, I don't think they will understand us wanting to use floo powder on their fireplaces." Harry said uncertainly. "Ah, no, Harry. there is a very good witch that lives in your neighborhood, she was stationed here after You-Know-Who lost his powers and you were brought here. As a matter of fact I do believe you've met her quite a few times. Mrs. Arabella Figg." "Mrs. Figg?" Harry sputtered. "Are you sure? But- but I thought she was just an old lady with a lot of cats! She can't be a- a witch!" "Oh, but I'm sure, Harry, she was placed here for your protection, I'm sure she won't mind us using her fireplace, not at all." Mr. Weasley smiled down at Harry as they walked to Mrs. Figg's house. Harry let out a snort of laughter, if only his Aunt and Uncle knew that all those times they left Harry with that old woman she had been a witch the entire time. They approached her house and knocked on the door, shortly afterward, the little Mrs. Figg answered the door. "Oh 'Ello, 'Arry, ain't seen ya fer a while. 'Ello, Arthur. What can I do fer ya?" Mrs. Figg asked. "Hello, Arabella, we wondered if we might use your fireplace. You see young Harry here isn't old enough to disapparate, so we have to use floo powder." Mr. Weasley told her. "Oh yes, yes! Come right in, and I'll show ya to the fireplace." As they stepped up to the fireplace Mr. Weasley handed Harry a bit of floo powder and he threw it in. "Well, 'Arry, you'll be seeing me sooner than ya think, have a safe trip, and speak loud and clear!" Harry nodded to Mrs. Figg and stepped into the fireplace. "The Burrow!" Harry yelled and he flew into the bright colors as he remembered to tuck in his elbows. Within a few more seconds, he was lying on the floor of the Burrow near the fireplace, covered in soot, looking up into Ron's face. Ron smiled and pulled Harry to his feet. "Hiya Harry! Have a good trip?" Ron slapped Harry on the back knocking him forward a few steps with a cloud of black dust rising from his back, Harry smiled and straightened his glasses. Ron was the youngest boy in the Weasley family, though he was taller than the twins were, he stood about six feet tall now and Harry was a measly five foot seven. As they turned to grin at each other, Ron's father came sliding through the fireplace riding Harry's trunk like a horse.
"Yee-Haw!" Mr. Weasley howled, as Harry and Ron hunched over with laughter. "Right then," Mr. Weasley said as he stood up and brushed himself off. "Here's your trunk, Harry." Just then Ron grabbed Harry and spun him around. "Harry you're not going to believe what's happened!" Ron pulled Harry up the stairs to his room and then they slammed the door behind them. "Okay, now, Harry, shut your eyes, all right?" Harry shut his eyes, bewildered, as Ron ran over to his orange colored closet and pulled something out. "All right, Harry, open up!" Ron stood before Harry holding a new Nimbus Two-Thousand. "Isn't it great, Harry? I don't know who gave it to me! I just woke up one morning and it was sitting at the end of my bed, with a tag that said 'To Ron'! Maybe it was Charlie, or Mum and Dad, don't know how they could have afforded it though, it's just been a mystery!" Harry congratulated Ron as Fred and George came into the room. "Hey, Ron, mum said she wants to see you in the kitchen," George said as he handled the new broomstick. Ron went running down the stairs. Fred turned to Harry and said, "Well, you know, Harry. we got him some new dress robes like you requested, but we just couldn't help getting the poor git a new broomstick too. well it's not exactly the latest model but it was the best one we could afford. George and I upgraded too, I'm surprised the little prat hadn't figured it out yet, us with new brooms too and all. But don't worry, we still have plenty of those galleons you invested in our joke shop. We've been inventing new jokes all summer!" Just then Ron came bumbling up the stairs and scowled at George, "You prat, mum isn't even here!" George grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "How 'bout a game of Quidditch before dinner?" Fred said as Ron took his Nimbus Two-Thousand back. They all agreed and went out to the field and played for hours until Mrs. Weasley called them back into the house for dinner.