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A/N Well, enjoy yourself by reading this! This is by far the longest chapter.Then please kindly review!
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Chapter 6 The First and Last Real Meeting with Mrs. Figg
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Someone pulled Harry behind a tree and covered his mouth to silent him.
¡¥It¡¦s Mrs. Figg.¡¦ The voice that usually only used on fussing about cats was oddly authoritative and calm.
Harry could hardly comprehend what happened next. The death eaters chasing Harry ran straight pass the spot on which Harry and Mrs. Figg were standing, completely oblivious of their presence. Harry had not heard Mrs. Figg muttered any spell on them, so they should not be invisible¡KHarry felt that his brain could not function properly at the lack of air.
¡¥Dear, sit down first.¡¦ The hands on Harry¡¦s mouth and arm were removed. Harry for the first time noticed that Mrs. Figg and he were standing inside a circle of diameter roughly one meter drawn on the ground with a white line. It reminded Harry of the age line drawn by Professor Dumbledore in the last year.
Harry obeyed Mrs. Figg¡¦s word ¡V not that he really had that much strength left to keep standing ¡V and sat down, facing the old woman that he thought he knew for most of his life. Mrs. Figg was in her white nightgown and her silvery white hair was a bit loose and dishevelled¡Kbut what attracted Harry¡¦s attention most was her expression. It was of a wise old woman¡¦s determined face. Was it really the Mrs. Figg Harry had known for so long? The same old lady whom Harry had thought was incapable of running or even walking at a great speed for the matter? But then Harry knew it would not be hard for the old lady sitting in front of him to battle with death eaters.
¡¥Harry, are you hurt?¡¦ Mrs. Figg¡¦s voice drew back Harry¡¦s attention. Harry shook his head.
¡¥I¡¦m sorry that I¡¦ve not told you earlier¡K that I¡¦m a witch.¡¦ Harry knew from the sincere expression on Mrs. Figg¡¦s face that the answer he had been anticipating since Sirius mentioned Mrs. Figg¡¦s name would finally be given to him. ¡¥I was an auror. I wanted so much to tell you about all these, but Dumbledore forbid me to do so because of the stupid need of secrecy.¡¦ Mrs. Figg said with a slight scowl.
What Harry felt upon Mrs. Figg¡¦s word was complicated. Needless to say he was surprised to know that she was a witch. He felt relieved that he found someone who would help him, but to know that of all the years that he had spent with the muggles, one of them ¡V a witch ¡V was so near him! But perhaps it was not the time for this.
¡¥Have you seen Sirius? Why can¡¦t the death eaters see us?¡¦
¡¥I¡¦ve not seen him, dear. But I¡¦m sure that he¡¦ll be just fine.¡¦ Noticing the stress in Harry¡¦s tone, Mrs. Figg put her hand gently on Harry¡¦s shoulder and answered his question. ¡¥We are now in a temporary protection ward drawn by me. No one can hear or see us¡Khowever, this is very power draining. I cannot hold it up for much longer. Anyway let me first explain a few things. As you have probably guessed, I was sent ¡V actually I have volunteered ¡V to live near you to protect you. I¡¦ve heard the commotion at your house and wanted to get to you, but then I noticed that I could not because my house was also surrounded by ten or more death eaters. I don¡¦t know why, but they know of my existence when you yourself don¡¦t. They did attack with careful planning. First of all they had fooled the ministry members because your house should be under constant surveillance by the ministry¡Kand the protection at your house should not be that weak. Are your aunt and your cousin alright?¡¦
¡¥I think so¡Kthough my aunt is not at home at the moment.¡¦
¡¥Not at home? Tell me more about it.¡¦
¡¥She is out with her friends on a trip¡KI don¡¦t really know about the details. She received a phone call this afternoon from her high school friends and then just decided to go.¡¦
¡¥I see¡K¡¦ Voldemort really wanted to get this child, but why? Arabella asked herself. The death eaters had not meant to kill Harry¡Kmaybe Voldemort wanted to torture and then kill the poor boy himself. She definitely would not let that happen. She studied Harry for a moment. He seemed so young and tired. He must be exhausted both physically and mentally. And not to mention that he was too skinny for her liking¡K if she had got the chance, she would dearly love to show and fill Harry with her delicious cooking which both James and Lily had loved¡K
¡¥Err¡Ksorry to disturb you, but what should we do now?¡¦ Harry couldn¡¦t help but asked as Mrs. Figg seemed so absorbed in her own thought. They really had to hurry. They had to find out where Sirius was also.
¡¥Oh, sorry. Old woman can be forgetful and cannot focus on one thing very well sometimes¡Kthere was a time when I forgot to tell my photos not to move¡Kand they were seen by muggle neighbours when we were having dinner. It caused me a lot of trouble as I needed to use the memory charm on them all¡KI was hopeless at memory charm.¡¦ She kept muttering to herself more than to Harry as she put her hand in her nightgown pocket and searched for a while. Then she pulled out a tiny bag.
¡¥Here, take this.¡¦ Harry took the bag from her.
¡¥This is floo powder. Get to my house and get to Hogwarts by this.¡¦
¡¥What about you? And Sirius?¡¦
¡¥Don¡¦t worry. I¡¦ll go and find him.¡¦
Then they stopped and listened intently as footsteps approached them. Five death eaters came running their way. Shouts could be heard from the surrounding. Is it Sirius? Harry thought with a feeling of forbiddance. They discovered him?
The death eaters searched the area frantically. A tall one shouted, ¡¥We¡¦ll be all dead if we don¡¦t get the boy tonight. Hurry up!¡¦ Maybe that was the leader of the group? Harry was sure that Voldemort wasn¡¦t there because his scar didn¡¦t hurt.
¡¥I believe that your scar doesn¡¦t hurt?¡¦ Harry nodded.
¡¥Harry, we would take action when all the death eaters are further away from us¡Kand¡K¡¦ Mrs. Figg looked hesitant for a moment, but she then made up her mind. ¡¥I really want to say sorry to you.¡¦
¡¥What?¡¦ Harry wasn¡¦t sure if he had heard her correctly. He was quite taken aback. ¡¥Why?¡¦
¡¥I mean¡K of all the years that you¡¦ve been suffering at the Dursley, I was just a few streets away. Though Dumbledore had told me not to interfere, and that you¡¦d be better protected there¡KI should have insisted¡K I should have argued with him. I should have done something, even by kidnapping you. I should have raised you as my grandson.¡¦
It was true that Harry was a bit outraged that Mrs. Figg had never told him even a bit about their world or had never shown that she cared for him, but seeing the deep regret in the old woman¡¦s face, Harry could not bring himself to blame her.
¡¥It was especially hard for me in the first few years. To see you being ignored, maltreated and unloved. I wanted so much to take you, the little one without parents, in my arms and comfort you, and to turn those muggles into cockroaches and flush them down the toilet.¡¦ Harry thought that there could not possibly be a greater idea that this¡Kit¡¦s a pity that she had not actually done that. Mrs. Figg was able to make him relax even in such a situation¡KHarry really longed to know the real Arabella Figg.
¡¥But I couldn¡¦t bear to look at you then. You remind me so much of James and Lily. You reminded me of the pain of losing them. ¡¦
¡¥So, you were very close to them?¡¦
¡¥Close? I treat them as my son and daughter.¡¦
¡¥Why?¡¦
¡¥You really know nothing about them, then?¡¦ Mrs. Figg frowned.
They stopped their conversation as three of the searching death eaters were just a few steps away from them.
¡¥Can they hear us?¡¦ Harry whispered.
¡¥Not if they are whispering. But they might hear us if we shouted.¡¦ Mrs. Figg whispered in return.
The three death eaters slowly moved away from them, but before they completely disappeared from their sight into the brushes, a fourth came and the three death eaters gathered. They conversed for a while, the content of which Harry couldn¡¦t make out. The original three nodded, and the fourth went away again. Then the three death eaters just continued their search like nothing had happened. Harry could no longer see them.
Mrs. Figg slowly stood up and motioned Harry to follow suit.
¡¥They should not be able to look through my line¡Kbut they are plotting something. I¡¦d deal with those death eaters long enough to know.¡¦ Mrs. Figg said in her lowest tone, her eyes all of a sudden seemed to glow in the dark in deep concentration. Her hand extracted her wand from her pocket and held it tightly.
Harry strained his eyes and ears to try to find out what¡¦s wrong. He noticed nothing except that it was quiet¡Ktoo quiet indeed. The footsteps of the death eaters had suddenly all vanished. He tightened his grip on his wand.
¡¥Shieldius!¡¦ Mrs. Figg¡¦s shout broke the silence. Just as a faintly glowing shield was erected around them, at least twenty curses in the form of bright light hit the shield at the same time. It blinded Harry for a moment. After that Harry could see that death eaters ¡V he couldn¡¦t count how many as it was too dark ¡V were surrounding them in every direction and were closing in!
¡¥Go before me! I¡¦ll be right behind you!¡¦
Harry needn¡¦t to be told twice. He immediately dashed forward. Although for the briefest moment he doubted whether Mrs. Figg could really follow him. Afterall she was old. However, as Mrs. Figg had said so, Harry believed in her ability.
This time the death eaters were better organized and prepared. They seemed to jump out at them at every direction. Mrs. Figg and Harry would stand no chance against so many death eaters in open space, so they were forced away from their original path and back in the park where there were benches, lamppost and trees for shielding.
Harry managed to take out two death eaters. Mrs. Figg should have knocked down more than five; Harry was too busy sending every curse he knew to tell. However, the tide of death eaters was endless. Did Voldemort really hate him so much? Harry silently pondered. Why hadn¡¦t any of them used the killing curse than? Why just not kill him? Then Harry regretted that he had allowed his mind to wandered from the battle as a curse hit him full force and sent him crushing to the ground.
Harry¡¦s legs would not move even an inch no matter how hard he tried. A leg-locker curse! Harry quickly cast a shielding charm around himself then turned his head wildly to find where Mrs. Figg was. She was a good ten meters away where he was sitting and was surrounded by death eaters. Harry knew he had to do something quickly. He performed the counter curse to leg-locker curse but found out in dismay that it didn¡¦t work. The thought that it was no ordinary leg-locker curse hit Harry when pain explored in his legs.
It was a sudden and intense pain. His legs were squeezed by an invisible force¡Kjust like being squeezed by the powerful hand of a giant¡KHarry couldn¡¦t think of anything to do with it as the pain was growing so intense that he could barely keep himself from screaming out loud¡Kbut he had got to stop those approaching death eaters! ¡¥Stupefy! Inpedimenta!¡¦ But his legs would surely be crushed! Harry couldn¡¦t fight the pain anymore and so he fell back down on the ground, squirming in agony and screamed.
¡¥Finally. He gave us such a lot of trouble.¡¦
The familiar voice found its way into Harry¡¦s ear among his own scream. Luicus Malfoy. No. I could not let them get me so easily. Mrs. Figg could not hold off so many death eaters by herself! She would be killed! Harry tightened his grip on his precious wand. He had to do something...but the pain in his legs was too consuming¡K he was losing consciousness. The pressure on his legs was increased. His scream became louder¡K so was the laughter of the death eaters in the background.
Finally someone grabbed his shoulder and lifted him up from the ground. But quickly the person released his grip, causing Harry to lose his balance. Then someone caught him before he hit the ground and supported him by slipping his arm firmly around his waist. The pressure in his leg disappeared and the pain subdued. His legs could move again but they were too weak to support his weight.
With great difficulty, Harry tilted his head and found out with relief that his rescuer was his beloved godfather.
¡¥Sirius!¡¦
¡¥Could you use your wand still?¡¦
¡¥Yes, I sup¡Ksuppose.¡¦ Harry replied through gritted teeth as the pain in his legs was not completely gone. Sirius scooped Harry up from the ground without another word and Harry tried his best to protect both Sirius and himself from the curses intended for them. They headed towards Mrs. Figg¡¦s house. Mrs. Figg joined their side after a while.
The death eaters chasing them were growing more and more desperate. Harry kept sending sparks to death eaters ¡V either on broom or on foot ¡V who had come too close to them and he found that it was a simple but effective defense.
Mrs. Figg¡¦s house was finally in sight. What stood on their path to the house was a row of death eaters and a large scale shielding charm. Mrs. Figg and Sirius knew trouble when they see it ¡V and this shield certainly could qualify as a ¡¥big trouble¡¦. It would be very hard to break through it. Ordinary curses would be repelled ten fold to the caster. That¡¦s why Sirius yelled in alarm when Harry, who knew nothing about such powerful shields, raised his wand.
¡¥Reducio!¡¦
¡¥Harry, don¡¦t ¡V¡¦
Both of them shouted at the same time. Harry wanted very much to get rid of the death eaters. He had meant to try his luck with the shield and did not really believe that it could work. So he was as startled and surprised as Sirius and Mrs. Figg when the shield did break down upon contact with his reducio curse. The death eaters standing in their way were also blasted off. But surely it was not the time to be impressed by his little success. ¡¥Sirius, we¡¦ve got to go!¡¦ Harry said to his wide-eyed Godfather who stood transfixed. With a little shake of his head, Sirius continued to run towards the house with Harry in his arms. Sirius exchanged a brief glance with Mrs. Figg with the same thought on their mind.
After a little struggle with the keys, the front door of the house was opened then closed. The three of them finally get into the house, but they were not out of danger yet.
¡¥Upstairs. The first room to the left.¡¦
Mrs. Figg turned to tap her wand at the door murmuring something that Harry didn¡¦t know and couldn¡¦t hear as Sirius swiftly carried him up the stairs and into the room as Mrs. Figg instructed.
Sirius gently lowered Harry on the floor and then also sat down himself. Both panted heavily for breath. It was dark in the room as there was no illumination. All Harry could make out were the faint outlines of many boxes ¡V it seemed like a storage room to him.
The door to the room opened and Mrs. Figg came in. She closed the door behind her. ¡¥Sirius, clear it up a bit for me and light the fire.¡¦ Mrs. Figg¡¦s voice was surprisingly steady.
Sirius once again struggled up and levitated the boxes aside and piled them up against the wall. ¡¥Incendio.¡¦ The fire made Harry realize for the first time that there was a fireplace. Also he discovered that there was a closed window at the wall opposite to the fireplace.
Mrs. Figg had not let herself rest either. She paced around the room and tapped her wand at the wall randomly, or at least it seemed so to Harry. Finally Mrs. Figg stopped and met Harry¡¦s gaze.
¡¥I¡¦m an expertise at protection ward, actually. I¡¦ve strengthened the protection of this room so that they won¡¦t discover us ¡V they shouldn¡¦t be able to detect our position¡K but they managed with my protection line back then, didn¡¦t they? How could they¡K?¡¦
¡¥Arabella, it¡¦s not the time for grumbling. We have to go.¡¦ Frowning deeply, Sirius interrupted and Mrs. Figg nodded.
¡¥Harry, take out the floo powder I gave you. You go first to Hogwarts.¡¦
Harry really wanted to follow her instruction. However, he didn¡¦t even manage to stand. When he attempted to move his legs, an excruciating pain shot through his legs. He cried out and clutched his legs tightly. Sirius was quickly on his side and examined his legs carefully.
¡¥Those bastards¡K they had broken your legs¡Kat least cracked your bones.¡¦ Sirius scowled. Mrs. Figg also knelt down besides Harry. ¡¥Now¡KI need to mend your bone. It¡¦d be painful and it¡¦s only temporary. You¡¦ll have to let Madame Pomfrey heal it. ¡¦ Harry nodded grimly and held on tightly to Sirius¡¦s hand as Mrs. Figg pointed her wand to his legs, anticipating the pain to come at any moment.
¡¥Relax, Harry. Tensing your muscles won¡¦t help a bit¡Kyes, you¡¦re doing better¡Kwe¡¦ve got to give those damn death eaters a good kick in the ass, don¡¦t you think so?¡¦
Harry was amused and nodded faintly, then yelled when Mrs. Figg performed the spell without warning. Mrs. Figg had not been kidding when she said that it would be painful¡Kit was very painful indeed.
¡¥Hey! Why didn¡¦t you warn me first? ¡¦ the pain made Harry forget to be polite to the elderly.
¡¥I¡¦ve to distract you from it. And I succeeded, didn¡¦t I?¡¦ Harry eyed her warily.
¡¥OK, don¡¦t give me that look!¡¦ Mrs. Figg held up her hands in surrender. Sirius watched their exchange with mild interest as he gently pulled Harry up from the floor. Harry could barely stand at first. The pain was still there and his legs were still feeble, but he thought that he would manage for a while.
¡¥You know, Arabella,¡¦ said Sirius, ¡¥You really should act your age¡Kyou really should. At least in front of our young man here.¡¦
¡¥What? I¡¦m not that old!¡¦ she fixed Sirius with a reproving glare.
Harry, with Sirius at his side guiding him carefully, walked tentatively towards the fireplace. After throwing a pinch of floo powder, the fire turned green instantly.
¡¥Hogwarts!¡¦ Harry shouted, and then closed his eyes tightly before moving towards the fire.
¡¥NO!!!¡¦ both Sirius and Arabella shouted at the same time just as Harry¡¦s legs were about to make contact with the fire and at the same time someone ¡V it should be Sirius considering the strengthen ¡V pulled Harry abruptly from the fire. Harry snapped his eyes open and was puzzled to see that the fire had suddenly roared very high ¡V right to the ceiling ¡V and turned a blinding white. It then slowly turned back to its original fierceness and colour. Harry leaned against Sirius¡¦ body and clasped the cloth of his shirt tightly. His legs would give away at any moment.
¡¥What¡¦s happening?¡¦ Harry asked, his voice slightly quivering. He studied the expression on Mrs. Figg¡¦s face, then he looked up at Sirius. Both of them showed a moment of surprise and disbelief, then it turned into distress.
¡¥I can¡¦t believe this¡Kthey¡¦ve blocked the floo network! They¡¦ve disconnected the fireplace of this house from the network,¡¦ Sirius answered Harry question, ¡¥but of course, loads of death eaters worked in the ministry¡Kbut that means they know of your role in Harry¡¦s protection.¡¦ Sirius turned to Mrs. Figg and she nodded grimly. Then she also voiced her opinion. ¡¥ Not to forget the disconnection does not take a short time¡Kand I think that they not only have disconnected it from the network, but also connected it to a specific place so that the only place we could end up in would be their lair.¡¦
When the meaning of their word sank in, Harry realized that Voldemort really had planned this attack with utmost care. He had allowed him no chance of escape. And now Mrs. Figg and Sirius were stuck here with him¡K¡¥What¡KWhat about apparition? Can you two¡K¡¦ Harry thought that he ought to say something to distract himself from the guilt, or else it would engulf him¡K
¡¥Yes, we can.¡¦ Mrs. Figg said while staring into the innocently cracking fire in the fireplace. ¡¥We can bring you with us too¡Kif only there was no apparition ward, which lasts 1 km from your house. If somehow, miraculously, we manage to get beyond the ward with all the death eaters chasing us, then perhaps we can ¡V ¡¦
She stopped her word and looked up from the fire suddenly, and seemed to be listening intently for voices which Harry couldn¡¦t hear. Harry felt that Sirius¡¦ grip on his shoulder tightened. ¡¥They had gotten past the front door.¡¦ Mrs. Figg whispered to herself. Shouts and footsteps could be heard from the floor below.
¡¥If they fail to find us, they may as well blow up the house.¡¦ Sirius said while watching Mrs. Figg pacing to and fro about the room. No matter how hard he tried, Sirius just could not think of a way to get them safely away from all these. Apparently the death eaters also knew that they could not hold up for too long and that time should not be given to them to formulate any sensible plans.
None of the three people in the room had expected it to happen so fast. With a loud crash, the door to the room was knocked off from its hinge. Several darkly robed figures prepared to break into the room. Sirius was the first to spring into action. He left Harry¡¦s side and picked up the door from the floor, then held it up to the doorframe before any of the death eaters got in. ¡¥Reparo!¡¦ he tapped his wand against the door and it is hinged again. Sirius had to lean his back against the door and push with all his strength so that the death eaters who were furiously knocking the door by their bodies could not get in. At this desperate moment, both the attackers and the defender had temporarily given up using magic.
Mrs. Figg was running to Sirius¡¦ aid when the window to the room was shattered. Harry, who was sitting helplessly on the floor because his legs could no longer support his weight, watched in horror as the death eater on broom raised his wand towards him.
¡¥Avada Kedavra!¡¦ the tone of the death eater sounded bitterly triumphant to Harry. A jet of green light emerged from the tip of his wand. Many thoughts flashed through Harry¡¦s mind ¡V I should dodge. I should run. I should levitate myself ¡V but all he could do was to sit paralyzed on the floor. ¡¥NO!!!!!!!!¡¦ someone shouted. But it did not matter to Harry anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. Finally he could escape from all these. He closed his eyes. Maybe he could reunite with his parents finally. It seemed painless to die¡Kor was he really dying?
Something¡Ksomeone fell on Harry. Harry¡¦s heart froze. Dread filled his body as he slowly and reluctantly opened his eyes and looked down upon the silvery hair on the head of the old lady who was lying motionless in his arms.
No.
It¡¦s not happening, he told himself.
No.
Not again.
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the end of another chapter¡Kand if you bother to read till this line, then please do one step more ¡V click the review button and leave a short review so that I know how can I improve¡K and don¡¦t hesitate to give me any suggestions because I honestly don¡¦t have much idea on how to continue this¡Kif anyone do want this to be continued, please review.