Harry Potter and Gryffindor's Secret
Chapter 3: The Meeting
By: Lin-z
A/N: This chapter turned out rather
longer than I had intended. I definitely enjoyed writing it, and I hope that you
will enjoy reading it. Remember-please write a review at the end! They inspire
me to post more of this story!!
I want to personally thank
all of my 7 current reviewers: if you didn't review or if you could care less
if you're thanked, than you can scroll down and get right to the story. Right
then, here goes:
Brianna, Bookworm, James
Bond, Juliana Edwards, and LS: Thanks so much for your reviews! I hope you
enjoy the following chapters, if you are still reading them!
Eowynstar and Malena: Hmm,
let's see if I can answer some of your questions: first of all, Eowynstar, we
will find out what happened to Pettigrew in this chapter. This does in deed
take place following GoF, and I think most of your questions have been
answered. Malena: It's called the undecided/unknown title because I have yet to
think of a title that doesn't sound utterly ridiculous. Help!!! (Oh, and I
loved both of your stories! Can't wait for future chapters…) And now, on with
the story… Here goes!
Disclaimer: I own none of these delightful
characters… All I own is a Mars Bar and the plot… oh well! Anyhow…
Harry awoke early the next
morning, before any of the Dursley's. He reached out to his bedside table,
groping blindly for his glasses. He knew he had placed them there last night!
After succeeding only to knock his alarm clock to the ground, he leaned over
the edge of his bed, searching the floor near him. He closed his hand around
the frames of his round, black glasses, and he brought them to his face,
allowing his room to slide into focus. He picked his clock from the ground, and
set it back upon the table, finally taking note of the time. The bright red
numbers glared harshly at him, as if taunting him for waking up at such an
obscene hour. 3.40 A.M. Three - bloody - forty A.M., he thought to himself. He
grumbled and lay back down, cursing the nightmares that had been plaguing him
since last month. He could never remember them, but they left him feeling
scared and completely unsafe.
Harry got up and made his
way over to the window, pulling aside the drawings so that he could look out
over the quiet street. Not a single thing could be seen moving below him. He
knew he was being silly, worrying like this, but he couldn't help it!
"That dream is really doing something to me," he thought. He walked
back over to his bed and collapsed on it, exhausted. He couldn't remember how
long it had been since he'd had a proper night's sleep. Finally, his body won
out over his mind, and he sank away into a deep and thankfully dreamless sleep.
By the time he woke again
it was light outside, the sunlight streaming through the slit in the window
dressing and falling in innocent strips across his bed. The alarm clock now
read 7.15 A.M., and Harry thought it appropriate to get up. He stretched and
walked over to his wardrobe, removing clean clothes before moving off to the
washroom to take a shower. He was anticipating today, which is something he
rarely did while at the Dursley's. He was going to Hogwarts today, and even
though it was only a day trip, at least he wouldn't have to do any stupid
chores today. His back was still burned from yesterday, and he didn't think he
could take another day out in the sunshine so soon.
Breakfast was an
uneventful affair, and afterwards Harry approached his aunt about needing to
leave later that morning.
'Aunt Petunia, I need to
leave today at half past ten,' he proclaimed.
His aunt looked up from
her romance novel, quite angered at having been interrupted. 'You know the
rules, boy,' she spat, 'not until each and every one of your chores is done are
you permitted to leave this house.' At this point, Petunia stuck her nose back
in the book, suggesting that this conversation was over.
'But Aunt Petunia, this is
really important! The headmaster from my… erm… school has asked me to
meet with him, and I can't miss it!!' Harry pleaded with his aunt, who kept her
eyes glued to her book.
'I've told you not to. If
I find that you decide to go, despite my orders, then you shall have double-
no, triple your normal workload when you get back.' Satisfied, Harry left his
aunt on the couch and walked to the back of the house. He could deal with extra
chores; this meeting was important.
He entered the living room
to see his cousin, Dudley, sprawled out over the couch, his entire attention riveted
to the telly. It was, really, a nasty sight to behold. His cousin was the size
of a small whale, the diet of the previous year having had seemingly no effect
upon his substantial girth. He shook his head disgustedly and headed up the
back stairs, which were right around the corner from the family room.
Harry entered his room and
shut the door behind him. It was only a few minutes prior to half past ten, so
Harry reached his desk and removed the shoestring from the small box it had
arrived in. It was long, white, and relatively clean. He sat down on the edge
of his bed, staring at the alarm clock. The current time was 10.29.
Harry had one minute….
Thirty seconds…. Ten seconds…. Three…. Two…. One…
As soon as the bright red
29 flashed to 30, Harry felt a strange tug at his navel, recognising the odd
pulling, spinning sensation as the portkey worked, taking him from his bedroom
at number four, Privet Drive, to the grassy lawns surrounding Hogwarts School
of Witchcraft and Wizardry. His knees buckled as he slammed hard against the
ground, and he lay there for a moment before lifting his head to see exactly
where he had landed. He was lying on the grass, in close proximity to the lake,
and as he looked skyward, he noticed the serious, spectacled eyes of Minerva
McGonagall, his head of house. She offered him a hand, which he took, and
helped him to his feet.
'Are you alright, Potter?'
she asked, looking him over, noticing the light grass-stains on his trousers.
Harry straitened his glasses with one hand, brushing himself off with the
other.
'Yeah, I think so.
Thanks,' he replied.
'Right. Now, if you'll
follow me, Headmaster Dumbledore has been expecting you,' she said, leading him
to the great front entrance to the castle.
'Okay,' Harry said,
running a tad to catch her up. 'Do you have any idea what this is about?'
Harry was hoping to have
at least some warning as to what he would be facing in the headmaster's office,
but it appeared that either McGonagall didn't know or was not telling, as all
Harry got in the way of a response was, 'You'll find out soon enough, to be
sure.'
Harry mumbled a bit at
that, then started as he realised that they had reached the great stone
gargoyle that guarded the secret entrance to Dumbledore's office.
McGonagall turned to him.
'I must now take my leave. The headmaster is expecting you. I trust you know
the password?'
Harry nodded, and with
that, his professor spun on her heel and took off in the opposite direction, apparently
going to her own office. Harry faced the gargoyle with a bit of apprehension
before muttering 'Mars bars,' and watched as the gargoyle sprang to life and
jumped aside, allowing Harry to ascend the moving staircase behind the wall.
At the top of the
staircase, the steps stopped moving and Harry rapped gently at the door. It
opened slowly, and Harry was shocked to see the face of his old Defense Against
the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin, looking out at him from the small crack.
Lupin smiled broadly, and called Dumbledore to the door.
'Hello, Harry, and how
have you been?' Lupin asked, opening the door enough that Harry could see Albus
Dumbledore as well, but nothing beyond the two of them.
'I'm fine, how are you,
professor?' he replied.
Lupin waved him off,
'Please, Harry, I'm not your teacher now, so you may call me Remus.' Harry
nodded as Dumbledore addressed him.
'Welcome to my office,
Harry! I trust you have had a pleasant summer?'
'Right,' Harry replied
sarcastically. Dumbledore, however, did not seem to acknowledge the sarcasm.
'You wanted to see me?' He asked timidly.
'As ever, you are not one
to be distracted…' Dumbledore mused. 'Good, then. Harry, we've got a bit of a
surprise for you today…'
Across the office, hidden
from Harry's view, Sirius Black tried desperately to remain in his seat. He
literally could not wait to see the look on his godson's face! He was so
excited that it was all he could do to keep himself from jumping from his seat
and throwing himself at Harry, spoiling Dumbledore's and Remus' surprise.
Sirius smiled as he heard
Harry practically shout 'What is it!?!' at Remus and Albus. He was so like
James, quite apart from looking almost exactly the same. Sirius stood up, and
Dumbledore and Lupin stepped to the sides, allowing Harry to see into
Dumbledore's office, and giving him a clear view of Sirius.
'SIRIUS!' Harry yelled
loudly, throwing himself at his godfather, who was grinning madly and
struggling to stay standing.
'Hiya, Harry!' Sirius
exclaimed. After a few moments they pulled apart, and for the first time in a
month, got a good look at the other. Harry noticed that Sirius was looking much
happier and healthier. His eyes had lost that dark, hunted look that they had
retained even as he had seen him in the Hospital Wing at the end of the third
task. He had filled out a bit, and though he was still fit, he wasn't emaciated
as he had been in Harry's third year.
Sirius noticed that Harry
didn't look quite so good. His eyes were dark, as though he hadn't had much
sleep of late. He also noticed that, while Harry had always been thin, he
looked much too thin for a boy of almost 15. "A few weeks at my place and
we'll fix that right up," he thought to himself.
Harry broke the silence.
'So why are you here?' he blushed, then added, 'erm, I mean, it's great to see
you! How have you been?'
Sirius' grin became even
wider, if that was possible, at Harry's obvious embarrassment at his brash
question. 'It's nice to see you too, kid! I've been doing quite well,' he
replied, and turning to Remus and Albus, added, 'We've got quite a surprise for
you today, haven't we, chaps?'
'Aye, that we have,'
Dumbledore said happily as he made his way back to the chair behind his desk,
taking a seat. 'Why don't you all take seats and you can share your secret,
Sirius,' he said, waving his wand around airily as he conjured a few extra
chairs for his guests. They all sat down, Remus on one end, Sirius in the
middle, and Harry on Sirius' other side.
Harry looked expectantly
at Sirius, as his godfather began to speak. 'Harry, remember at the end of your
third year? On the way back from the Shrieking Shack I asked you if you would
like to move in with me as soon as my name was cleared?'
Harry stared at Sirius
with an utterly shocked expression. A few seconds later, 'Y-you don't mean…' he
trailed off, not believing what he was hearing.
Sirius was in his element.
He looked at Harry with a solemn expression. 'I do mean.' He said, no longer
able to contain the monstrous smile that now spread across his face. Harry's
face cracked as he, too, broke into a face-encompassing smile.
'Of course!! I mean, I'd
absolutely love to, but… well…,' he stammered, his smile fading as he realised,
that, as far as he knew, Sirius was still a wanted man, and it wasn't possible
for him to move in with his godfather.
Sirius continued to smile,
thoroughly enjoying the mental game he was playing with Harry. He pulled a roll
of parchment from a pocket in the front of his robes and handed it to his
godson.
Harry took the parchment
somewhat apprehensively, and began to unroll it. As he read what was written
there, his bright green eyes widened in disbelief and surprise. It hardly
seemed real; the words he was reading were too good to be true:
I, Cornelius Fudge,
Minister for Magic for the great country of Britain, do hereby order this
pardon for one Sirius Black. The Ministry of Magic acknowledges that Mr Black
was imprisoned without trial, in direct violation of article 15374 - g of the
Magical Order, and extends its most humble apologies. Upon the apprehension and
extensive questioning of one Peter Pettigrew, it has been found that Mr Black
is guilty of none of the charges formerly brought against him, and as his only
crime now is absconding from the prison where he was wrongfully held, we
release him with his wand and all confiscated property. We also offer the sum
of 1.000.000 Galleons as recompense for the twelve year term of his
imprisonment.
Signed,
Cornelius M. Fudge
Minister for Magic
Harry looked up at his
godfather, hardly hoping to believe that what he was reading was true, but
hoping with all his being that it was.
'Is this…' he didn't
finish his sentence, he was staring at Sirius.
'Yup. I'm a free man,
Harry.' He said, his voice cracking.
Harry and Sirius both got up
from their chairs, embracing once more. Neither wizard cared that they were
being watched, they were too caught up in their own happiness. Albus and Remus
watched them, amused.
As Dumbledore began to
speak, the two returned to their respective seats and watched him. 'Harry,
would you like to know how this came to be?' Harry nodded wordlessly, and
Dumbledore began to speak, telling him of how Snape had captured Peter
Pettigrew Thursday last, in Voldemort's own private library. Harry listened
intently, retaining his silence until he was sure Dumbledore was finished.
'So, then, what's become
of Pettigrew?' He asked.
Dumbledore looked to
Remus, silently asking him to explain this next part to Harry.
'Well,' Remus began,
'After Snape brought him back here, we placed an anti-transformation charm on
him, to keep him from returning to his rat form and escape our grasp once more.
We then brought him to the ministry, where he was questioned extensively, under
the influence of Veritaserum, of course. Not only was he found guilty of
betraying Lily and James to the dark lord, he was also convicted of killing
innocent muggles, faking his own death, and, well, bringing Voldemort back to
power. Directly after questioning the Dementors administered the Kiss, and the
rest his history.'
Harry nodded. 'I wouldn't
say this of many people,' he said darkly, 'but that revolting piece of slime really
deserved it.'
The others agreed,
although somewhat startled by Harry's unusually dark manner. 'I suppose I
should say thank-you to Professor Snape. Is he around here?' Harry asked,
hoping to lighten the mood. When nobody answered him, he became worried. 'What
happened to Professor Snape?' he asked.
Dumbledore took a deep
breath and answered Harry's question. 'He's had to go into hiding. As one would
expect, Voldemort was none too pleased to find that one of his loyal Death
Eaters had been captured. We've had to change Professor Snape's appearance
quite drastically, and he will now be going by the name of Mohomri Harcourt. He
will be teaching a new subject, and you will not recognise him.' Dumbledore
finished, then smiled. 'But surely that is enough for this serious business.
Sirius, I'm sure Harry has some things to pack up at his relatives home,
perhaps you could help him and then take him home?'
Sirius' smile returned and
he and Harry left Dumbledore's office.
Dumbledore turned to
Remus. 'Looks like Harry's luck has taken a turn for the better,' he said.
Remus nodded. 'It would
appear so. I should probably return to Arabella and Mundungus, as there is
still much to be done.' Albus and Remus exchanged good byes, and Remus left
Dumbledore alone at his desk.
Sirius and Harry made
their way back out to the grounds. Sirius finally felt as though he was making
good on his promise to James and Lily, and Harry felt that, for the first time
in his life, he had a real family. Even though Sirius was not a true
blood-relative, he was more like a father to Harry than Uncle Vernon had ever
been. For once in his life, he was excited for the rest of the summer.
Well, hope you enjoyed it!
Next chapter: Harry moves into Sirius' house, and who knows what else I'll
think up between now and then. BE SURE TO LEAVE A REVIEW!!! I don't mind
even mean ones- if my story is dull, let me know!! Thanks again!
~Lin-z~
