"Wake up, Mr. Potter. We're almost there."
Harry jerked awake, his eyes foggy. "Wha....? Where are we?" he yawned.
"Almost at Hogwarts, sir." said one of the black suits.
Harry was wide awake now. Putting on his glasses, he looked out the window of the black car, and saw the familiar silhouette of Hogwarts castle against the night sky. "We flew all the way here?" he asked incredulously.
"Mr. Fudge and Professor Dumbledore thought it safer for you, sir."
Harry peered through the tinted glass windows as the car circled near the Forbidden Forest. He was purely amazed at the silent speed of the car - he could barely feel it as it landed and pulled gently to a stop.
The two black suits popped out of the car before Harry had time to blink. Grabbing Hedwig's cage, Harry jumped out himself, welcoming the chance to stretch his legs.
"Careful there, Mr. Potter," one of the black suits told him, taking Hedwig's cage from him.
"I'm alright, thanks," he replied, before promptly tripping, falling flat on his face. His glasses fell off, and Harry could hear the faint clink! of glass. He sighed.
"Mr. Potter! Are you alright??" Harry couldn't be sure, but he could've sworn that yet a third black suit came running up to him, yanking him up gently by his collar and setting him upright.
"Yes, I'm fine....don't move! Where are my glasses??" he asked worriedly. He got down on all fours, patting the ground for them, as he couldn't see anything in the dark. Hitting something solid, round and smooth, he clutched it in his fist and stood up. He sighed as he pocketed the item - he'd have to remember that spell Hermione used to fix things once he got to his room.
"Here they are, Mr. Potter," a black suit said, putting his glasses -- whole and unbroken -- on his face.
Confused, Harry patted his pocket, wondering what the item was he had just pocketed. "Er...thanks," he said. He'd find out later, when it wasn't so dark.
The black suit nodded, then beckoned Harry to follow him. Now that he could see again, Harry noticed 3 more black suits had joined the other 2 already escorting him from this morning, one hardly distinguishable from the other. Shaking his head, he followed them up to the castle, 2 ahead of him, 3 behind, forming a line as if in the army. The wonders would never cease -- if only the Dursleys could see him now! He giggled, imagining what their reaction would be to see their "throwaway" nephew being escorted around like....like he was the Minister of Magic!
They entered the Great Hall. Inside, Harry could see a few more people lingering around. Amazingly enough, these people weren't wearing black suits. Instead, they wore normal sweaters, jeans, boots and other Muggle clothing Harry could easily identify. He didn't understand it. The whole lot of them could easily be overlooked in passing, their clothing and general appearance were that nondescript. What was going on?
"Ah, Harry!" a deep, old voice cried. Harry turned to see Professor Dumbledore sweeping up the length of the Hall, Professors Snape and McGonagall not far behind. Snape, per usual, had a sour look on his face. McGonagall looked a bit worried. Dumbledore, however, looked extremely pleased.
"I see you made the trip safely," he said, patting Harry on the shoulder.
Harry nodded respectfully. "Yes sir. It was an interesting ride."
Dumbledore smiled still more. "Good, good. Well, you must be tired--"
"He slept almost the whole way here, sir," the black suit from this morning interrupted, looking a bit worried. Dumbledore frowned.
"Well, it's late and he still needs his rest. No doubt, he's had enough adventures for one day," Dumbledore replied firmly. Turning his attention back at Harry he said: "Your luggage will be waiting for you in your room."
"Please sir," Harry began, feeling a bit foolish as all eyes in the room turned to him. "Why the rush? I've stayed at the Dursleys before -- not that I mind leaving them early," he added hastily, "but why was I called here in the middle of the summer?"
"All will be explained in due time, Harry," Dumbledore explained in his usual calm manner. "For now, I must escort you to your room and let you get some sleep. It's late, and I have a lot of business to take care of before the school year starts."
"Yes, sir," Harry mumbled, feeling a bit deflated.
Dumbledore gestured to a black suit, but Snape spoke up. "I'll take him to his room, Professor. I don't doubt one of these dolts getting lost inside the castle," he added nastily.
Harry, Professor McGonagall and the rest of the people in the room looked at Snape with some surprise. Even Dumbledore had a faint look of shock. "Alright, Severus," he finally agreed with some reluctance.
Snape gave Harry a nasty look, then swept down the Hall, clearly expecting him to follow him. Harry got a look at the professor's face as he passed him. He couldn't be sure, but Harry could've sworn that Snape was sweating. And looking extremely nervous. It was by far the oddest thing Harry had ever seen. Aside from Mad-Eye Moody, he didn't think he'd ever seen Snape look the slightest bit nervous or uncomfortable before. He was usually too busy making everyone else uncomfortable!
"Bringing them here to Hogwarts this year....the most preposterous thing I'd ever heard....Death Eaters will be swarming all over the place in a minute....maybe a dementor or two.....all these students here....not safe, not safe at all, no matter what Dumbledore thinks..."
Harry's ears perked up. Death Eaters? Dementors? His body went cold at the thought. He'd had enough of dementors in his 3rd year. He wasn't anxious to repeat the experience.
"Harry Potter! Have you been listening to me??" Snape snapped.
"What?" Harry said, caught off-guard.
Snape gave him an evil look. "I said, you mind your whereabouts, Mr. Potter," he repeated coldly, "out of all the years you've undoubtedly gotten yourself into heaps of trouble -- most of which I've had the unhappy task of not expelling you for -- this is most assuredly NOT the year you want to go around playing the hero. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," Harry answered quietly. He was too tired to make a fuss, and acting up with Snape -- as he'd learned over his past years at Hogwarts -- would only make things worse for him. Harry was determined to not get detention before his first day even started - it would be a new record, even for him.
Satisfied, Snape nodded curtly. "Good. Then I'll leave you to your rest." With that, he swept down the hall again, black robes swishing loudly behind him.
Harry sighed and climbed through the already-open portrait of the Fat Lady -- sound asleep -- into the Gryffindor Common Room. It was strangely quiet. Harry hurried up the stairs to his old room he shared with Neville, Ron and Seamus. Spotting his trunk, he quickly got out a pair of pajamas to wear, and began to change.
"What the....?" his hand hit something hard. Then he remembered the object he'd found outside. Taking it out, he took it closer to his bedside candle to take a closer look.
"Wow!" he breathed, examining the smooth red stone. It gleamed in the light, red pulsating beneath the surface. It had the uncomfortable likeness to blood, but other than that, it was very beautiful. Harry wondered why -- there was nothing outwardly remarkable about it, except that it was big, round and red. Shrugging, Harry buried the stone beneath the rest of his clothes in his trunk. He didn't want anyone else to see it and ask questions he wasn't yet ready to answer. "All in due time," Dumbledore had said. Harry had to agree with him.
He blew out his candle and hopped into bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.
Harry jerked awake, his eyes foggy. "Wha....? Where are we?" he yawned.
"Almost at Hogwarts, sir." said one of the black suits.
Harry was wide awake now. Putting on his glasses, he looked out the window of the black car, and saw the familiar silhouette of Hogwarts castle against the night sky. "We flew all the way here?" he asked incredulously.
"Mr. Fudge and Professor Dumbledore thought it safer for you, sir."
Harry peered through the tinted glass windows as the car circled near the Forbidden Forest. He was purely amazed at the silent speed of the car - he could barely feel it as it landed and pulled gently to a stop.
The two black suits popped out of the car before Harry had time to blink. Grabbing Hedwig's cage, Harry jumped out himself, welcoming the chance to stretch his legs.
"Careful there, Mr. Potter," one of the black suits told him, taking Hedwig's cage from him.
"I'm alright, thanks," he replied, before promptly tripping, falling flat on his face. His glasses fell off, and Harry could hear the faint clink! of glass. He sighed.
"Mr. Potter! Are you alright??" Harry couldn't be sure, but he could've sworn that yet a third black suit came running up to him, yanking him up gently by his collar and setting him upright.
"Yes, I'm fine....don't move! Where are my glasses??" he asked worriedly. He got down on all fours, patting the ground for them, as he couldn't see anything in the dark. Hitting something solid, round and smooth, he clutched it in his fist and stood up. He sighed as he pocketed the item - he'd have to remember that spell Hermione used to fix things once he got to his room.
"Here they are, Mr. Potter," a black suit said, putting his glasses -- whole and unbroken -- on his face.
Confused, Harry patted his pocket, wondering what the item was he had just pocketed. "Er...thanks," he said. He'd find out later, when it wasn't so dark.
The black suit nodded, then beckoned Harry to follow him. Now that he could see again, Harry noticed 3 more black suits had joined the other 2 already escorting him from this morning, one hardly distinguishable from the other. Shaking his head, he followed them up to the castle, 2 ahead of him, 3 behind, forming a line as if in the army. The wonders would never cease -- if only the Dursleys could see him now! He giggled, imagining what their reaction would be to see their "throwaway" nephew being escorted around like....like he was the Minister of Magic!
They entered the Great Hall. Inside, Harry could see a few more people lingering around. Amazingly enough, these people weren't wearing black suits. Instead, they wore normal sweaters, jeans, boots and other Muggle clothing Harry could easily identify. He didn't understand it. The whole lot of them could easily be overlooked in passing, their clothing and general appearance were that nondescript. What was going on?
"Ah, Harry!" a deep, old voice cried. Harry turned to see Professor Dumbledore sweeping up the length of the Hall, Professors Snape and McGonagall not far behind. Snape, per usual, had a sour look on his face. McGonagall looked a bit worried. Dumbledore, however, looked extremely pleased.
"I see you made the trip safely," he said, patting Harry on the shoulder.
Harry nodded respectfully. "Yes sir. It was an interesting ride."
Dumbledore smiled still more. "Good, good. Well, you must be tired--"
"He slept almost the whole way here, sir," the black suit from this morning interrupted, looking a bit worried. Dumbledore frowned.
"Well, it's late and he still needs his rest. No doubt, he's had enough adventures for one day," Dumbledore replied firmly. Turning his attention back at Harry he said: "Your luggage will be waiting for you in your room."
"Please sir," Harry began, feeling a bit foolish as all eyes in the room turned to him. "Why the rush? I've stayed at the Dursleys before -- not that I mind leaving them early," he added hastily, "but why was I called here in the middle of the summer?"
"All will be explained in due time, Harry," Dumbledore explained in his usual calm manner. "For now, I must escort you to your room and let you get some sleep. It's late, and I have a lot of business to take care of before the school year starts."
"Yes, sir," Harry mumbled, feeling a bit deflated.
Dumbledore gestured to a black suit, but Snape spoke up. "I'll take him to his room, Professor. I don't doubt one of these dolts getting lost inside the castle," he added nastily.
Harry, Professor McGonagall and the rest of the people in the room looked at Snape with some surprise. Even Dumbledore had a faint look of shock. "Alright, Severus," he finally agreed with some reluctance.
Snape gave Harry a nasty look, then swept down the Hall, clearly expecting him to follow him. Harry got a look at the professor's face as he passed him. He couldn't be sure, but Harry could've sworn that Snape was sweating. And looking extremely nervous. It was by far the oddest thing Harry had ever seen. Aside from Mad-Eye Moody, he didn't think he'd ever seen Snape look the slightest bit nervous or uncomfortable before. He was usually too busy making everyone else uncomfortable!
"Bringing them here to Hogwarts this year....the most preposterous thing I'd ever heard....Death Eaters will be swarming all over the place in a minute....maybe a dementor or two.....all these students here....not safe, not safe at all, no matter what Dumbledore thinks..."
Harry's ears perked up. Death Eaters? Dementors? His body went cold at the thought. He'd had enough of dementors in his 3rd year. He wasn't anxious to repeat the experience.
"Harry Potter! Have you been listening to me??" Snape snapped.
"What?" Harry said, caught off-guard.
Snape gave him an evil look. "I said, you mind your whereabouts, Mr. Potter," he repeated coldly, "out of all the years you've undoubtedly gotten yourself into heaps of trouble -- most of which I've had the unhappy task of not expelling you for -- this is most assuredly NOT the year you want to go around playing the hero. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir," Harry answered quietly. He was too tired to make a fuss, and acting up with Snape -- as he'd learned over his past years at Hogwarts -- would only make things worse for him. Harry was determined to not get detention before his first day even started - it would be a new record, even for him.
Satisfied, Snape nodded curtly. "Good. Then I'll leave you to your rest." With that, he swept down the hall again, black robes swishing loudly behind him.
Harry sighed and climbed through the already-open portrait of the Fat Lady -- sound asleep -- into the Gryffindor Common Room. It was strangely quiet. Harry hurried up the stairs to his old room he shared with Neville, Ron and Seamus. Spotting his trunk, he quickly got out a pair of pajamas to wear, and began to change.
"What the....?" his hand hit something hard. Then he remembered the object he'd found outside. Taking it out, he took it closer to his bedside candle to take a closer look.
"Wow!" he breathed, examining the smooth red stone. It gleamed in the light, red pulsating beneath the surface. It had the uncomfortable likeness to blood, but other than that, it was very beautiful. Harry wondered why -- there was nothing outwardly remarkable about it, except that it was big, round and red. Shrugging, Harry buried the stone beneath the rest of his clothes in his trunk. He didn't want anyone else to see it and ask questions he wasn't yet ready to answer. "All in due time," Dumbledore had said. Harry had to agree with him.
He blew out his candle and hopped into bed. He was asleep before his head hit the pillow.