Changes and Preparations
Disclaimer: All characters belong to J.K. Rowling.
A.N. This is for all Harry Potter fans out there.
CHAPTER 1:AN UNEXPECTED VISIT
"Get up boy!"
Harry felt a hard shove push all the air out of his lungs. Painfully he struggled to his feet gasping for breath.
"Get up to your room, NOW!"
Harry hurried up as fast as he could. Closing the door behind him, he slid down on the floor his head in his hands. The truth of what had happened at the Triwizard Tournament had only just begun to sink in.
Harry had hardly spoken a word after his return to the Dursley's that summer, doing what he was told without protest. This somehow encouraged the Dursleys to treat him worse than before, though at first they had found his silence suspicious.
This combined with the physical exertion as a result of the chores set by his Aunt Petunia and the pushes and shoves of his giant sized cousin Dudley were more than he could bear. But he did it with the hope than it would tire him out enough at the end of the day to fall into a dreamless sleep to block out the nightmares of Voldemort and Cedric Diggory.
He wished he had asked Madam Pomfrey to give him some of the Dreamless Sleep potion for the holidays.
Every night Harry would wake up visibly shaken. Dreams of Cedric Diggory and Voldemort never ceased and each nightmare drove the guilt in deeper.
I saw Cedric die… I gave Voldemort my blood… my mother's sacrifice… a waste…
It was the fact that Voldemort had the protection that his mother had died for that hurt him most. Now Voldemort was as good as invincible against him.
Shaking his head as if to clear his thoughts, Harry got up. As he did he glanced into the mirror. A skinny boy with an unruly mop of raven hair that covered a sacr on his forehead that was shaped like a lightening bolt and bright green eyes stared back. He remembered that last year at the same time he had looked at himself in the mirror and was shocked at the contrast.
True that he had the same hair, eyes, same scar and had shot up a couple of inches but what really caught him off guard was how incredibly tired he looked. Dark circles ringed the undersides if his eyes, and his face was considerably paler, his eyes had seemed to have long lost their intensity, and he looked much thinner.
Harry sighed. He had told himself over and over again that what had happened during the final task of the Triwizard tournament had not been his fault. But now Harry had come to realise that telling youself something is one thing and believing it is another.
Aunt Petunia pursed her lips and looked at Harry sourly.
"Take the shovel, you've got work in the garden."
An hour later as Harry was still toiling away in the garden when the doorbell rang.
He heard his aunt Petunia bark, "Yes?"
"Umm… I'd Like to see Harry, please."
Harry froze, shovel in mid sir.
Wait a minute that sounded like…no it's not… can't be… no way… GINNY WEASLEY?!!
Ginny stood on the front porch looking at the thin sour faced woman. "I've come to take Harry," she explained patiently, "I know he's not told you because he doesn't know you see. It's his birthday tomorrow and we wanted to surprise him."
The woman in front of her looked visibly shaken, " You-you're one of them!"
Ginny looked puzzled and then chose to ignore this statement "Can I please see Harry?" she repeated.
"Here I am."
Ginny felt a little nervous. "Hello Harry," she managed to say, "Get your trunk ready, you're to the Burrow."
Harry grinned. This was great news. "Great!" he said, "But I'll need to clean up first,"he guestured at himself, covered with dirt from his work in in the garden.
"I pack your trunk for you,"Ginny offered. She was shocked, did she just say that!
Harry's grin grew wider, "Come on then," grabbing her hand he pulled her towards the stairs.
Once they reached his room he grabbed a towel and some clothes he dashed to the bathroom.
Ginny took stock still in the middle of Harry's room, her skin still tingling where he had held her hand. Getting a hold of herself she surveyed the room. She sighed. Three words ahe thought,
What a mess.
She chuckled and began picking up his parchments.
Ginny hadn't wanted to be the one to get Harry from the Dursley's but she had no choice. Her father and brothers refused to go. Fred and George were ready but there was no way their mother would let them go after last year. Her father couldn't resist the temptation of going with Ron to get Hermione from her muggle parents. That had left Ginny.
So highly nervous she had used floo to get to Mrs. Figg's house which was next door to the Dursley's where harry lived. But now she was glad that she had come.
Her thoughts were interuppted as Harry entered the room once more. He was dressed simply in a white t-shirt and black jeans. But it was now that she actually got a good look at Harry and aws troubled to see the tiredness on his face.
"Thanks for packing my things for me," Harry said looking a bit sheepish, "It was really a mess in here."
"Your welcome" Ginny said blushing slightly she shut the lid and turned to Harry, "Let's go."
As they came downstairs, Harry dragging the trunk and Ginny carrying Hedwig's empty cage, a very pale looking Aunt Petunia regarded them.
"Bye Aunt Petunia," Harry said.
"Goodbye Mrs. Dursley," Ginny said politely.
As they walked out Harry asked "How are we going to get to the Burrow?"
"We'll go by Floo from Mrs.Figg's house,…"
Harry stared at her dumbstruck, "Mrs. Figg's a WITCH?"
"You didn't know?" Ginny asked surprised. Harry shook his head in wonder.
Once inside her house Harry turned to Mrs. Figg and said, "You never told me you were a witch!"
The old woman smiled at him, "That was Dumbledore's orders," she said, "didn't want the whole world to know where you were," she smiled, "the dursley's would have had a fit," then checking the time she added, "You'd better leave, Molly will be waiting for you."
Taking a pinch of Floo powder Harry stood in the fire place and said loudly, "The Burrow!"
Moments later he was standing in the Burrow's kitchen engulfed in Mrs. Weasley's hug. Harry smiled as he hugged her back. He felt- he couldn't really describe it – whole again. She was the only person in world Harry could say was closest to a mother.
Yes this was home.
An hour later three people appeared in front of the fireplace.
"Arthur! It's two hours since you left!"
Arthur Weasley looked ecstatic, "Yes, yes Molly all those interesting things…" seeing his wife's glare he looked sheepish, "I… um.. got wrapped up in some… artefacts." he mumbled.
Harry, who was sitting at the table, looked at Ron and Hermione and was surprised to see them scowling at each other.
Turning away from Ron, Hermione said, "Hello, Mrs.Weasley, hello Harry."
"Oh hello Hermione, dear," Mrs. Weasley smiled indulgently. At that moment ginny ran into the room. "Hermione!" she squealed and enveloped her in a tight hug. Harry only guessed that it equaled the one he had gotten from Mrs.Weasley as he saw Hermione gasp for air.
"I'll take your trunk upstairs," Mr. Weasley offered, eagar to get out from under his wife's glare.
As Harry followed Ron into the living room he heard Hermione say, "He just had to say THAT, didn't he? Had to gloat over the fact I wasn't going."
Now Harry knew exactly what had taken place. He sat on the armchair next to Ron who muttered something like "Girls…"
Harry sighed, "Krum?"
"Why can't she answer a simple question?" Ron said, exasperated, "Everytime I mention him she turns into something like a Hungarian Horntail !"
Then suddenly as if just realising Harry was there Ron turned to him with a big grin on his face, "Harry, mate, up for some Quidditch?"
Two hours later a very tired group of boys trooped in. Ginny and Hermione who were sitting at the kitchen table looked up.
"So," asked Hermione, pointedly ignoring Ron, "how did it go?"
Fred grinned, "Bloody brilliant!"
"Harry's gotten the hang of the Wornski Feint at last!" added George.
"Yeah, even better than Vicky," added Ron looking at Hermione with narrowed eyes.
That did it.
"STOP CALLING HIM VICKY!"
"Why should I?!"
"His name is Viktor!"
"What, only you're allowed to call your boyfriend Vicky?!"
"I do not call him Vicky and he is not my boyfriend!"
"Yeah sure I believe that," Ron said sarcastically, "It's just a month and I saw all those letters from him stacked up on your desk! What was it… ah yes… 'My beloved Hermione…"
"Shut Up!" Hermione hissed, close to tears, "How dare you read my letters!"
"Don't leave them lying around then!"
"Ron, how many times do I have to tell you Viktor and I are just friends!" Hermione stamped her foot, "I can't help it if he like to write so often! This is unfounded accusation!"
"Don't reply then!"
"And who are you to tell me what I should do?" she drew a deep breath, "You mention this to me one more time Ronald Weasley and I'll hex you with every curse I know."
With that she stalked up the stairs. The rest stood near the table in shock as the door slammed. Ginny hit Ron on his arm. Hard.
"Ow!"
"You prat!" she hissed before she went upstairs, "you can't even see what's staring you in the face."
"Fine!" and Ron stomped up the stairs carrying his broom.
Fred shook his head, "That boy will never learn…"
"Definitely lacks the Weasley tactics don't you think?" added George as they made their way to their room.
"I don't know. Maybe we should talk to him…"
Harry just shook his head and marched upstairs. It had been like this at the Yule Ball too. he had to agree with Ginny why couldn't those two see what was so painfully obvious.
In Ron's room Harry found Ron lying on his bed staring up at ceiling. A flapping sound made them look at the window.
"Hedwig!" Harry said as he let her in. Once inside Hedwig stuck out her leg with the piece of parchment attached to it.
Unrolling the parchment Harry read:
Dear Harry,
I'll be coming to the Burrow tomorrow. See you soon.
Snuffles.
"Who's it from Harry?" Ron asked.
"Snuffles," Harry said looking up from the letter, feeling happy, "Says he'll be coming tomorrow."
"Great!" Ron said, "I'll go tell Mum."
After the Triwizard Tournament, Dumbledore had acquainted the rest of the Weasley's with Sirius Black, who was known to the wizarding world as a n insane killer, but the truth was that he was innocent.
After having told Mrs. Weasley, who had slightly paled at the news but nodded, Harry and Ron met the twins in the garden.
Fred let out a whoop on hearing that Sirius would be visiting.
"The great Padfoot!" he said, "We have to thank him for his contribution to the Mauderer's Map."
"We could learn a few tricks from him," said George happily, "We could ask his help with the Wizard Wheezes."
Harry and Ron walked around the garden discussing Fred's and George's new inventions occasionally encountering Crookshanks chasing a garden gnome, his bootlebrush tail high in the air. Suddenly Ron asked, "What's staring me in the face Harry?"
"Huh?" said Harry, "Who's staring?"
"No," Ron explained, "Ginny said that after Hermione and I… umm… had a… er… row," he said finally.
"Oh," Harry said, Ron looked at him expectantly, "Well, it's kind of obvious Ron…I mean it's right there…"
"I know that Harry!" said Ron letting out an exasperated sigh, "I know something's obvious to the rest of you but will you be kind enough to enlighten me on what exactly!"
"Well I'm not sure you'll admit it but…" Harry paused not sure how to tell his friend. After thinking for a few moments Harry decided to put it to him straight, "Ron it's very obvious that you and Hermione, well… like each other."
Ron looked at him thunderstruck. He opened andclosed his mouth several times before he managed to get a word out.
"Really?" he asked sounding a little hopeful, then seeing thae surprised look on Harry's face, he chastily added, "I mean…er…how can you tell?"
Harry would have given almost anything to be back in the house. He did not like playing matchmaker.
"Look Ron, everytime you hear something about Hermione and Krum you go totally…I don't know… jealous. I mean I'm her friend too but I really don't see the part where what she and Krum do becomes my business. But you go ballistic if she even mentions him. So you see it is pretty obvious."
"But…" Ron said hesitanatly, "how can you say the same thing for her?"
"Er... Ron, in case you didn't notice,she wasn't really happy about the Fleur thing either."
Ron was about to say something when Harry heard someone say,
"Well done Harry, couldn't have explained it better myself." Harry looked around in complete shock as Hermione walked towards them. taking Ron by the crook of his arm she said, "Excuse us Harry…"
Harry obliged and quickly retreated to the house where he was cornered by Fred and George who wanted to know all about Sirius.
Later in the evening he noticed Ron and Hermione were both looking slightly pink as they came in for dinner. Harry caught Ron's eye, but he just shrugged and his ears turned a brighter red.
He saw Hermione whisper something to Ginny who squealed and they both burst into a fit of giggles.
A few minutes later Harry walked over to Ginny and whispered, "What happened to those two?"
Ginny looked up at him a blush rising to her cheeks, "Isn't it obvious? He kissed her," she whispered back. Now it was Harry's turn to blush. He looked over at his two best friends. "Well," he thought, "I guess that was obvious."
