CHAPTER TWO: Of Sirius things

I'm sitting in a chair in Percy's office watching him fill out papers. I... am so... BORED! I have been here for two days now. I can't wait till Percy or Mr. Weasley gets off work! At night I get to go home with them. I was so happy to see Ron, the twins, Ginny, and Mrs. Weasley. She is nicer to me than ever. She pretty much lets me do whatever I want. One of the best things about being at the Weasleys is that every night Mrs. Weasley has been fixing me the dreamless sleep potion. It isn't quite as strong as what Pomfrey gave me, I can at least finish the potion before falling asleep, but hey, it works! It is so good to not be sleepy all the time.

My first night there Mrs. Weasley took one look at me, after hugging me until my eyes almost popped, and stuffing me like a turkey that is, told me that she had never seen such black bags under a person's eyes, and sent me straight to bed.

I woke up an hour later, screaming. Ron had heard me and ran up to his room thinking the worst. He shook me awake and got me to calm down. While we talked about relaxing things, quidditch and such, Mrs. Weasley was downstairs making me a sleeping potion. She came upstairs, hugged me, and handed me the potion.

"This should let you sleep soundly dear."

I gave her a tiny smile (As I said I don't smile much anymore.) and gulped it down. It took about one minute to start working, quite enough time for her to tuck me in and kiss me on the forehead.

I felt so calm and safe. I wonder if my mother would have been like Mrs. Weasley. I fell right to sleep after that and slept the whole night away.

The next morning when I woke up I couldn't remember feeling so refreshed!

I had a quick breakfast, grabbed some of my homework, and then portkeyed over to the office with Mr. Weasley. I still don't like portkeys much. But I assured Mr. Weasley that I would be all right using one.

Yesterday I just sat in Mr. Weasley's office and did my homework. He was kind of busy but I was still able to ask him a few questions.

Last night when everyone was on their way to bed, Mrs. Weasley tapped me on the shoulder and put the sleeping potion on my hands. I smiled at her and drank it down as soon as I was in bed. Slept like a dream.

Today everyone was in such a rush, that I forgot to take my homework. It would have been all right except that Mr. Weasley had "other business" today so I got stuck with Prefect Percy. I swear he is the biggest stick in the mud I have ever met. As soon as I came in he gave me an I'm a grown up and your not so you must do what I say look and said,

"Now then Harry, you just sit over there and do your homework. I can't be bothered today I am very busy on business for Mr. Fudge so please don't disturb me."

Before I could even tell him that I had forgotten my homework, he ushered me over to a small room connected to his main office. He pointed towards a small desk in the middle of the room and shut the door on his way out.

Slimy git...

I've been in here staring at the walls for about two hours now. I have now memorized the wall, on to the floor. I am quite surprised when the door was flung open, and the last person I had ever expected to walk through the door did just that.

"Sirius!"

I leapt from my chair and ran to my god father, grasping him in the king of all bear hugs and almost toppling both of us over in the process. He, for his part, laughed and tosseled my hair.

"Nice to see you too."

Suddenly I remembered he was a wanted man.

"Sirius what are you doing here!? Someone might see you, and you know that..."

"Happy early birthday Harry."

Three grinning faces appeared in the door. The faces were none other than Percy, Mr. Weasley, and Professor Dumbledore. I still couldn't quite grasp what was going on.

"But how?!"

Professor Dumbledore came up to me and laid a hand on my shoulder.

"Lets just say that an extremely remorseful minister of magic decided to make a few things right." He winked and his eyes twinkled more than I'd ever seen them. "Happy early 15th birthday."

I blinked trying to grasp this new twist in the mad muggle ride that was my life.

"So that means Sirius is cleared?"

The man in question grinned and clapped me on the back.

"That's right Harry. I'm a free man!"

"And you guys have been planning this for a while as a surprise?"

The four men grinned.

"As we said, Happy birthday!"

I was completely stunned. How can a person's life change so much in just a few hours. There have been a lot of changes in my life, the biggest ones being when I well... lived, when I first found out I was a wizard, last year, and now this. I was especially happy to realize that this certain change had nothing bad mixed in at all. Nothing. Even my finding out I was a wizard had a bit of bad mixed in. For one thing, I am the "Famous Harry Potter" and hounded wherever I go, for another, I found out that I had a very evil and a very vengeful enemy who had been, and was soon to be again, the terror of the wizarding world.

Yeah sucks to be me.

But I refused to dwell on that fact. My god-father had been found innocent and now had custody of me! I was in a happy blur for the rest of that day. All of us went home to the Weasleys, Sirius and I were to start looking for a place close by soon. We spent a very happy night together laughing over old Marauder pranks and games of exploding snap. Mr. Weasley enlarged Ron's room and conjured a bed for Sirius to sleep in. I was given a very diluted version of the dreamless sleep potion and we all settled down to a peaceful sleep. I woke an hour later screaming my lungs out and holding my scar in intense pain.

Sirius was the first to jump out of bed and run to where I was.

"Harry! What's wrong! Harry!?"

"Voldemort, Dursleys, help." I managed to gasp out.

Sirius looked at me and nodded. Just as he was about to apparate I latched onto his arm.

"I'm going to!"

"You most certainly are not!"

"Yes I am. They are my relatives and it's because of me they are in trouble."

Sirius gave me a long look. "Get your invisibility cloak."

I rummaged in my chest and pulled the said item out.

"Stay under it at all times. Put it on now." I did as requested. "See if you can get in there and get any of them out. I don't want you fighting if you can help it. Do you have your wand?" I nodded. "Good now grab onto my arm and concentrate on the Dursley house. You know what the place looks like so I can take you with me. Do not under any circumstances take off the cloak. If you do there will be hell to pay."

I would have nodded, but he wouldn't have seen it. Instead I slipped my arm around his and thought of Number 4 Privet Drive.

I decided right away I liked to apparate. It felt like I was flying at a very great speed over a vast amount of land. The feeling ended far too soon.

It was just like my nightmare. I could hear people screaming from inside the house. My stomach dropped to my knees as I realized something.

That had to be the Crucio curse. They were using it on a defenseless, if not pathetic, muggle. We took one look at each other, in Sirius case where he thought I was, and dashed inside wands out and ready to hex. While Sirius took care of the guards downstairs, I ran upstairs to try and save the only family I had left.

I almost tripped over my Uncle's body.

He was lying there with an expression of shock and horror on his face. Exactly the same as Cedric had been. Determined to save the other two I raced into Dudley's bedroom just in time to hear Voldemort shout out, "Crucio!"

It was aunt Petunia this time. She was screaming and writhing on the floor in intense pain. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Dudley cowering in a corner being guarded by only one death-eater. Perfect.

I quickly cast Petricifus Totalus on him and as I hoped he stiffened up like a board and fell against the wall. To a casual observer it looked like he was leaning against it. I quickly cast Silentium (a silencing charm) on Dudley, and while keeping one eye on the Death-eaters on the other side of the room, walked over to Dudley and dropped down beside him covering both of us. I grabbed his arm and in the quietest voice I could manage said,

"Dudley it's me, Harry. We're getting out of here. Hold on to me and whatever you do, do not let the cloak fall off. It keeps us invisible."

I started tugging on his hand to try and make him stand. He didn't move an inch. I muttered a few choice curses, pointed my wand at him and cast Stupify on him. I quickly levitated him, and off we went.

When we got downstairs, I saw that Sirius had almost finished with the death eaters. I made it a point to brush by him and let him know that I was on my way out. As soon as we got outside, I pointed my wand at the tub of lard that was my cousin.
"Enervate"
I did not take the silencing charm off him. I had no idea how loud he planned to scream. Now that I look back, I should have left him stunned.
Dudley took one look at me, opened his mouth in a silent scream, and started pelting down the street. Before he could get very far I tackled him and wrestled him to the ground. I may be small, but I know how to tackle.
"Have you gone completely off your rocker!?" I hissed. "If you get out from under this cloak, you will be seen, and you will be killed. I'm saving you, you idiot!"
I quickly led the shivering ball of jelly over to a nearby tree.
"We will wait here," I told him and led him to sit down. It was only a few more seconds before Sirius came running out at full speed with a very angry dark wizard on his heels. I yanked Dudley to his feet and ran over to him throwing the cloak over him. I grabbed Sirius by the arm and jerked him out of Voldemort's path.
"Let's go!"
He, as I requested, apparated on the spot. I held tight to both his and Dudley's arms and thought of nothing but the burrow.
I opened my eyes and flung off the invisibility cloak, taking a good look around as I did so. I turned to Dudley and took the silencing charm off him. He squeaked and tried to scurry away.
"It's all right Dudley. You're safe now."
He looked up at me.
"Wha... who... where..."
"You're at the burrow now, where the Weasleys live. Don't worry no one will play any mean jokes on you. Voldemort attacked your home. I'm sorry Dudley, with Voldemort so close to your mother there wasn't anything I could do for her. I tried my best, but we got there too late. I suppose you can stay at the Weasleys for tonight, and we will figure out what to do in the morning."
I yawned as I said this. I had been running on adrenaline and now that the adventure was over the sleeping draught was going back into effect. We led the shocked Dudley inside, and I went straight to bed. I suppose they conjured a bed for him or something. My last thought before dropping off to sleep was Boy this house is getting crowded.
I was, quite understandably, the last person to wake up the next morning. I blearily pulled out a T-shirt to go over my sweat pants and tromped downstairs with my hair sticking up in every direction possible.
I am not a morning person. I didn't even remember the events of the previous night until I reached the breakfast table and saw Dudley sitting at it looking quite downtrodden and wary of all the magical devices. I must say, seeing Dudley sitting at the Weasley's breakfast table was one of the strangest sights in my life. But there he was sitting there in a magically enhanced chair, so it wouldn't break, picking at his eggs.
"Morning Harry happy birthday!" said Ron.
"Morign." I mumbled. Like I said, not a morning person. It is a very rare day when I can get up speaking full sentences. That usually takes a shower, or a hot cup of tea. I snagged a cup from my place at the table and took a long sip taking the paper offered to me. I already knew what the main headline would be.

DEATH EATERS STRIKE AGAIN,
MUGGLE RELATIONS OF BOY WHO LIVED DEAD

a bit further down I found,

ARABELLA FIGGS MISSING

That was a bit of a surprise. I point to her name.
"She was my secret keeper?"
Mr. Weasley nodded.
"It seems so. A Mrs. Figgs was your next door neighbor, correct?"
I nodded.
"I thought she was just a nice old lady with lots of cats. I do remember Professor Dumbledore mentioning her name last semester. I kinda was wondering about it since then." I heard a whispered voice.
"What happened to my mother? Where is she?"
I read the article about the Dursleys and winced.
"Two bodies were found, one man and one woman. It is presumed they belonged to the late Mr. and Mrs. Dursley." I read in a quiet voice.
"You could have saved her."
"Dudley I am no match for Voldemort."
The Weasleys and Sirius collectively winced.
"It was you he was after... IT'S YOUR FAULT! IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU THEY WOULD BE ALIVE! YOU KILLED MY PARENTS!"
With that Dudley threw down his fork and waddled upstairs leaving me totally shocked and quite depressed.
I just sat there wide eyed with the mind numbing words you killed my parents, you killed them, killed them, killed, killed dancing around in my head.
"He's right." I said weakly. "I killed them, I killed them all."

"Now Harry don't think like that. You know..."

I could vaguely hear them speaking, telling me that it's all right and that it's not my fault, but I know better. If it hadn't been for me my parents would still be alive; Sirius wouldn't have spent 11 years in Azkaban; Cedric would still be alive; and the Dursleys would still be living on number 4 Privet drive. I killed them, all and I refused to get anyone else hurt. I excused myself from the table and spent the rest of the day in Ron's room with the door locked magically. I received an owl from the ministry, but didn't open it. It was of no concern.

When night fell, I gathered my invisibility cloak, my wand, my fire bolt, and the pictures of my parents and snuck downstairs. I didn't know where I was going to go or what I was going to do, I just knew I couldn't hurt anyone else. Being around me was dangerous. I knew they would hate me for doing it, but I didn't care. I had to protect them.

I almost went through with it too.

I was out the door and on my way to who knows where when I heard three very angry voices speaking. It was Ron, Sirius, and Ginny.

"Oh don't like that do you? What are ya gonna do, sit on me? I outta hex the nose off your face for what you did to Harry! You have no idea how much he has given up and how brave, and sweet, and thoughtful he is. He has saved so many lives, way too many to count! All you are is a stuck up, bad tempered, loud, grunting, PIG!  Harry is the most sensitive person I know. He already blamed himself for Cedric's death and I dare say his parents too and then you go off like the git you are and say that to him. He saved you, you idiot! But are you grateful to him? Course not. Well let me tell you one more thing, if Harry isn't 100% better in the morning I am going to turn you inside out!"

I stood there with my mouth hanging open. I had heard Ginny had a terrible temper but I had never thought it was true. I mean she always seemed so sweet to me. I made up my mind right there to never get on Ginny's bad side, it just wasn't healthy! At that moment Ginny turned around and gasped.

"Harry!" She gasped and proceeded to turn a very bright cherry red. Now that was the Ginny I remembered. Ginny saw only me, unfortunately Sirius and Ron saw me with my Firebolt, wand, and Invisibility cloak. Not good.

"Going for a midnight flight Harry?" Ron crossed him arms and stared me down.

"Erm... No just a short walk before bed." I knew it as soon as I had said it. That was so lame.

"And do you usually carry your three prized possessions with you on your walks? I would imagine that Firebolt is quite bulky." Sirius had his hand on his hips, but his eyes were twinkling at my having been caught.

I must have looked like a deer caught in the headlights. "I... umm..."  I looked at all three of them once more. "I...was..." Oh sod it. "Sorry." I mumbled and started to walk back towards the burrow.

The three of them exchanged looks and voted that Ron was to talk to me first. He was, after all my best friend.

"Harry! Wait up." I slowed my steps enough for Ron to catch up. "Harry why were you trying to run away?"

"I wasn't" I lied, "I just needed to think that's all." I either had greatly overestimated Ron's intelligence or he decided to play along.

"About?"

"...Things..."

"Muggle or magical?"

"Hu?"

He smiled. "Old wizard saying. Really though, all that's happened isn't your fault Harry. Anyone with half a brain would know that."

"It may not be my fault but people I know seem to have a bad habit of dying. You would be safer staying away from me."

"Harry we have been through this before! I don't sodding care whether or not being your friend puts me in some kind of danger, I knew who you were when I made friends with you and I am NOT going to let you go now that you need me the most. Besides, even if I was to put some distance between us do you think that would throw him off? I think he is a bit smarter than that Harry. I'll just have to hope that your Boy who refuses to die powers rub off on me."
I allow a smirk to flit across my face. After the Triwizard events, Ron started calling me The boy who refuses to die. I remember when he first said that. It had been on the train back to London. I had looked at him and blinked for a second, then Hermione had started laughing, then Ginny, then I finally started to feel a smile creep onto my face. Before I knew it we were all laughing and holding our stomachs. It had been so long since we all had a good laugh. I don't know how I would have made it through without him.
"What if they don't?"
"Then I will haunt the creep like Peeves does Hogwarts. I would rather like to throw Dung bombs at him. And then there is the interesting thought of pulling down his pants just as he is about to Avada Kedavra someone."
The mental image of a ghostly Ron grinning and doing just that popped into my head. We both ended up on the grass rolling with laughter.
"And if you think that is bad just imagine what the Twins would do!"
"I think if the twins ever haunted him he would be the joke of the wizarding world. He would turn into interesting animals every five seconds."
"Think they might include a bouncing ferret?"
With that Ron helped me up and the two of us went into the house laughing at the idea of Voldemort as a ferret, bouncing or otherwise. When we got in Mrs. Weasley gave me the sleeping draught and sent the both of us off to bed.
I woke up to the most annoying sound. Boing! Boing! Boing! It was right by my bed and was impossible to ignore.
"Ron quit bouncing that sodding ball." Laughter filled the room.
"It's not a ball Harry."
I sat up intent on hitting whatever was bouncing with my pillow. Instead I stared wide eyed at a very fat white ferret.
"You didn't."
"We did."
"Oh... my." I broke off into uncontrollable laughter. "Oh that was the best wake up call ever! Now, if we can just turn You-know-who into one!" At that point the laughter was almost deafening.
"Oh now that would be rich! The dark lord sentenced to live out his days as a bouncing ferret."
I laughed and hopped out of bed. "You can turn him back now."
"You sure Harry? I rather like him this way."
I grinned. "Yes I'm sure. You didn't do it yourself did you? I mean breaking the rules and such."
"Oh come off it Harry! Are you turning into Monie or something? No it wasn't me. The twins loved what Moody, or rather Crouch, did to Malfoy last year and have been trying to replicate it ever since. Your cousin here is not only a ferret, but also a guinea pig!"
"When will it wear off?"
"Oh in about an hour they think. Believe it or not, mum was actually all for it and even suggested they make it last longer. After he changes back we are sending him straight to his Aunt Marge's house."
"Oh they should get along quite well."
I hopped out of bed and tromped downstairs with Ron and Dudley the amazing, fat, bouncing ferret. Mrs. Weasley smiled kindly at all three of us as we sat down for breakfast. She gave Ron and I our omelets and gave Dudley a saucer of milk.
"Now then dears, I don't want the two of you tromping around the house this afternoon. I have lots to do. Bill is on vacation and is going to accompany Mr. Dursley to the station. Until then why don't you do some homework. Your

 OWLS are coming up this year, and I expect both of you to do well. After Bill gets back You can all play Quidditch until dinner. Once you are out, I want you to stay out, I am having guest for dinner and I have a lot to do. I probably don't need to tell you this, but don't leave our property. You know all about the protective charms and things."

"Yes Mum/ Mrs. Weasley."

"And make sure you wear clean underwear!"

All of us except Mrs. Weasley, laughed so hard at the almost dead on impression we almost choked. Mrs. Weasley turned red and glared at Fred.

"And you Fred Weasley may go de-gnome the garden after breakfast. Oh and Harry don't use any more magic this summer. You got another warning last night from the Ministry."

I had figured it was a warning. "Yes Mrs. Weasley."

The rest of breakfast passed quietly. The Ferret Fizzy (a carbonated drink that supposedly tastes like grape pop), as Fred and George had named it, wore off right on time. Bill sent a death glare in Dudley's direction and levitated his things.

"Let's go."

Dudley, to my immense surprise, turned to me while wringing his hands.

"Listen Harry, I- I'm sorry for what I said yesterday. I didn't mean it-not really. I was just mad aand... I better go now. Bye Harry. Umm thanks for... the other night... you know when you umm..."

"Saved your life?"

"Yeah."

"Fine, just leave ok?" Dudley did a perfect impression of a puppy that had just been kicked and picked up his backpack.

"Ok then. See you round I guess." I sighed and put down the Quidditch book I had been reading.

"I'm... sorry about your parents Dudley. I hope you have a good live and all that. Voldemort..." Everyone in the room winced but Dudley and I. "doesn't know you're alive I don't think so don't worry about him. I never meant to bring trouble you know. Their was just a very strong charm that would protect me while I was in the care of relatives. I didn't think he would come after you. It kind of was my fault... in a way... I mean he was probably after me. Usually is."

Dudley shot me a puzzled look. "Why?"

I could almost feel the shadow pass over my eyes as I thought about the many reasons.

"Ask Bill." He looked nervously at the Weasley I mentioned. Bill simply nodded, looking much more friendly towards Dudley now that he had apologized.

"Do you think you could... umm write me?"

I blinked. Why would he want me to write him? We aren't exactly on friendly terms. But he is the last living relative I have... What the heck.

"Sure, if you want. You don't mind me owling?"

"Not as long as you do it late at night. I don't want anyone to think me... strange."

I nodded once. "Fine then. Mind if I talk about wizarding things? After all that is my life now."

"Naw I don't guess I mind it so much anymore. I would love to have a cape like yours! Where did you get it?"

"It was my dad's and they are pretty rare." I smile a wistful, pensive smile. "I will tell you about some of the things I've done in the letters, ok? You don't wanna be late for your train. Bye Dudley. Have a good trip! Expect a letter tonight." (AN: Look for the letters between Harry and Dudley in Dear Dudley, Dear Harry,)

"Ok, I'll talk to you then. Bye."

I watched him follow Bill out the door and apparate as soon as they were in the street.

"All right you two grab your homework and get outside. Ginny is already out there. I know for a fact that you Mr. Ron Weasley, have not even looked at a book all summer. Now shoo!" We grabbed our books and walked out to the lake. Ginny looked up when she saw us coming and turned a little pink.

"Hi Ron, hi Harry. Is your cousin on his way to the station?"

"Yeah Bill's taking him now."

"So Harry which assignment do you wanna work on?"

I shrugged. "Dunno. You pick. I've already done my DADA report. It was an excuse to research hexes. I also found an interesting spell to make a magic shield that can block Stupify and some others.. When we get back to school, I am gonna try them."

Ron shook his head looking surprised. "Never thought you would pull a Herm on me Harry. Let's do the Divination one. And I have a perfect way for you to die!  You will be sat on by your cousin!"

I laughed. "Yeah Treloony will love that one. Rather anti-climactic after everything that has happened though. I survived four encounters with Voldemort only to be sat on by Dudley. Ha! Now that's ironic! Anyway, I think you know how everyone expects me to die and if I don't put that I will fail. Maybe I will just pull a Herm and drop it. I don't know if I can still take her tutting at me and saying Poor dear all the time, especially now that... well it almost came true."

Ron clapped a hand on my shoulder and Ginny gave me a sympathetic look. I wondered if it would be like that every time anyone mentioned Cedric or Voldemort at Hogwarts, if it would, I didn't know how I could stand it. I had finally gotten to the point that I could talk about either of them and not feel too depressed. The Triwizard tournament was still a sore spot however.

"Guys I'm fine. Don't worry about me. Now, what subject do you want to do Ron?"

I ended up helping Ron with his DADA report while Ginny worked on potions. If anyone had told me I would ever be helping Ron or anyone with their homework, I would have laughed and told them to sod off. I had written a really long and complicated essay for DADA too. Ron had just sort of gaped at it and me when he saw how much I had written. I had a distinct feeling that I was in danger of giving Herm competition for best DADA student. We had just hit the four inch mark when Bill came walking up.

"So who's up for a game of Quidditch?"

We spent the rest of the afternoon zooming about on our broom sticks. After a few games the twins managed talk me into doing some fancy maneuvers on my Firebolt, then I let everyone have a ride, with the promise they would be extra careful. We had just started a new game when Mrs. Weasley called us in for supper. We gathered our things and trudged in the house.

"SURPRISE!"

END CHAPTER TWO

AN: Look for the companion fic Dear Dudley Dear Harry!

I did a few new curses in this chapter. Silentium is actually just the Latin translation of silence. ^_^ I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please review!