Harry Potter and the Call to War
Chapter 1: Beginning a Journey
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, all belongs to the mighty JKR and Warner Brothers! Big surprise isn't it?
Albus Dumbledore had been very busy since the end of the school year. He no longer had time to sit in his office and ponder memories of the past. Now was not the time to focus on mistakes and over sites long gone. For as he told Harry, it doesn't due to dwell in the past and forget to live. So now he had to focus on preparing for the future. He couldn't allow Voldemort to rise without opposition once more. Until Voldemort came out of hiding he would be alone in this fight.
Since his falling out with the Minster of Magic he had not bothered to attempt gaining the Ministries support. This meant that he was left to using his own resources. No one was left without a task to perform, although some tasks are more dangerous then others. He regretted having to send friends off into situations that could mean their deaths, but he had no choice in the matter.
His thoughts turned to the boy who had left the safety of Hogwarts castle just a short while ago. Harry had already been through so much, and yet the weight of responsibility refused to ease off his shoulders. Albus knew that the day of Voldemort's return would come and that it was unavoidable. Still he hoped that Harry would have been a bit older before he would have to face this particular trial.
All these thoughts made him regret what he was forced to do next just a bit more. The wounds were still so fresh in the boy, but no one else would do for the task at hand. The path would be dangerous and he would be away from the protective spells that surrounded the Dursley's home. Alas, no other way would do.
So this brought him to the meeting he was attending now. The lumbering form of Rubeus Hagrid was squashed in a chair in his office. Next to him sat a man in old robes that had been stitched together to many times.
Remus Lupin looked a bit different now that he had reclaimed a old friend once thought to be foe. He was no longer alone with the memories that plagued his past. A spark that had not burned since a night long ago was awakened in the werewolf's eyes. He had managed to recapture some of the lost youth that had been violently ripped away from him.
"Welcome Remus and Hagrid my dear friends. I do apologize for the circumstances surrounding our meeting and I pray that when we meet next it be on happier terms." The twinkle that resided in the old wizards eyes dimmed a bit, but he continued onward.
"You both are well aware of the events that transpired at the end of the school year. That is why I must ask a favor of the both of you." Remus eyed the old main carefully. He had known that Hagrid was being sent to the giant's camp in hopes of striking peace. What had this to do with him. Surely he wouldn't be needed for such a task.
"Hagrid, I do believe that you will be setting forth with Madame Maxime later this week correct?" Hagrid shook his head in the affirmative.
"Just as I hoped, now that brings us to the point of our meeting. I have concerns that more concrete evidence will be needed to convince our friends of the danger present once more. So, I've had Severus provide me with this." Dumbledore withdrew a vial of clear liquid from his pocket and set it on the table.
A million thoughts raced through Remus' mind. He had immediately recognized the truth potion that was placed before him, but he had no idea how it would help. Even under the influence of a truth potion Hagrid would only be able to speak of what he had been told. Though this would prove that Hagrid was being honest to the best of his knowledge, it would do nothing to provide more validation. So he decided to voice his concerns.
"Sir, I hardly understand how a truth potion will help Hagrid in this circumstance. I am even more baffled as to how I come into this equation." Dumbledore's smile faded a bit.
"Alas that brings us to the evidence required and to your purpose at this meeting. The truth potion is not for use on Hagrid." Hagrid then voiced the next question that was on his mind.
"An' who do yeh want us ter use it on?" Hagrid leaned forward to get a better seat in his chair.
"Before you leave I would like you to make a stop in Surrey and pick up the only witness we currently have for the time being." Dumbledore didn't get to continue because Remus had interjected into his sentence.
"Albus! You can't be serious, that's to dangerous for Harry. Sirius would never allow Harry to go to the giant's settlement." Hagrid continued where Remus left off.
"We don' even know where they are. Ther' beasts an' such, it could take months ter find em alone." Dumbledore let out a long sigh.
"I am quite aware of the perils of the journey. That is why I am sending you along as added protection. Hopefully you will be able to teach Harry to protect himself along the way. But I see this as being our only option in this matter." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair.
"As for this being to dangerous for him. It saddens me to say that he has become well used to facing danger. Perhaps this journey will prepare him for the future, so that he will not face danger unarmed." Remus and Hagrid listened to these words and they to felt pain for the boy whose childhood had been stripped from him.
"I suppose yer right sir, I just wish it weren't so true." Hagrid rubbed his eyes to hold back tears that threatened to fall.
********
Severus Snape made his way into the mouth of the cave that loomed before him. He had finally come to his destination after days of searching. His search had lead him somewhere into the forests of Bulgaria, and he was regretting ever agreeing to this particular assignment.
He realized that he was in a very tenuous position now that the Dark Lord had returned from his bodiless exile. Would it be possible to continue his spy work, and if it was did he even want to? Questions swirled through his mind. Questions that screamed for answers, though there seemed to be none. On the one hand it would be laughable for the Dark Lord to just accept him back with open arms. He knew that answering the call would be a death sentence. On the other hand he was the only highly placed spy they currently had.
Severus knew what his choice would be. If it would be possible he would return to the service of the Dark Lord. However that was not what he was currently doing. No today he was to be dealing with a much different matter. The man he was searching for was a pathetic coward. Briefly he mused over how cowards seemed to be thriving these days while brave men died. Perhaps he would have to devote more time to thinking of this concept. Cowards like Fudge rose to high positions of power, while men like Dumbledore were considered fools. Even Potter, though he hated to admit it, displayed unmatched courage and where did that get him. Potter had been branded a lunatic and dangerous to himself. If it weren't for Dumbledore they would have thrown him to Azkaban long ago. Snape smirked at the thought of Potter being carted off to Azkaban. This was a world were those who stood up against evil were thrown to hell.
A fallen rock and the light of a fire brought Snape's attention back to the present. He had a act to play and he couldn't let his guard down. While his quarry was cowardly he was still dangerous.
Snape raised the hood of his black robes and pulled his wand from his pocket. He cast a charm to detect traps designed to alert someone or kill intruders and was not surprised to find numerous ones present. Snape crouched down next to the wall of the cave and took in his surroundings.
The cave was wide but seemed to narrow down the further back you went. It was nearly pitch black, and you could feel the moisture that collected on the rock walls. There was probably another exit so he would have to be careful not to alert his prey of his presence.
Snape began to mutter counter charms ands secrecy spells on himself in hopes of going unnoticed by the alarm charms. Snape moved slowly through the cave and approach the fire that centered his quarry's campsite. There wasn't much, just a trunk and a sleeping bag laid out on the ground.
Seeing the lump in the bag that was in the shape of a person Snape moved closer. He gave a ruff kick and received a grunt in reply. Soon the figure in the bag opened his eyes and tried to get up and run without getting out of the sleeping bag. The result was quite comical, the man simply fell over and ran his head into the floor. This caused him to admit a scream of pain and clutch his head which now released a stream of blood. He rolled over revealing the face of Karkaroff the Durmstrang Headmaster.
"Oh God! Please have mercy on me! I was weak and there is no excuse for my crime of betrayal. I beg you!" Karkaroff pleaded at Snape's feet and Snape loved every minute of it. Instead of replying he simply summoned Karkaroff's wand from where it was set next to the fire and pointed his own at Karkaroff.
"Why should I have mercy on you, you betrayed the master and your fellow Death Eaters! For this you will receive death." Snape shouted the stunning spell and Karkaroff fell silent once more.
The plan had worked he had reclaimed Karkaroff for Dumbledore without revealing he was a spy. Now he would take Karkaroff back to Dumbledore where he would do whatever he had planned. Snape didn't know what Dumbledore's plans for this man included, but he had done his part.
Snape levitated Karkaroff behind him and made his way to the mouth of the cave once more. He would take a Portkey to the edge of Hogsmede and walk the rest of the way to Hogwarts.
However the evening was not to be so uneventful. No sooner had he reached the edge of the cave than he meet a sight that made his heart stand still. Five Death Eaters and Voldemort himself stood waiting for him. Snape quickly made peace with himself, but death was not what he received.
"Severus, how nice to see you. I feared that you had betrayed me when you did not answer my summons. Perhaps I was mistaken. We heard what you said to Karkaroff, and it warmed my heart to find such loyalty." Severus smirked, not because of the praise, because he found it amusing to equate Voldemort to having a heart.
Snape knew this was his only chance to escape death. He would have to turn Karkaroff over to Voldemort. He was not some foolish Gryffindor who refused to leave a fallen friend behind and for that he hated himself. Potter risked his life to bring back a fallen comrade and he would turn someone over to Voldemort if it meant a chance to live on. He soothed his mind by considering what use he would be if he was dead.
"Master, when I felt the mark burn I was still at Hogwarts. I couldn't leave and risk being suspected. When I saw Karkaroff try to escape I decided to track him down and bring him to you to face his punishment." Snape loathed himself for his own actions.
"Yes Severus, I know you have always been loyal to me. Now why don't we leave this place for one of more comfort where we can deal with this trash." Voldemort threw Snape a small skull.
Snape nodded and while the remaining Death Eaters took care of Karkaroff he activated the Portkey.
******
Sirius Black moved in the shadows of the English countryside. He had been sent to gather the old crowd. This was by no means an easy task, due to the fact that many had decided to apparently drop off the face of the earth. Sirius was left with no real place to look for his old friends.
After Voldemort's fall most had fallen out of direct contact. So it fell upon his shoulders to track down as many of them as he could. They'd need support for the times to come and the more he got the better. The Ministry was not making things any easier. By suppressing news of Voldemort's return in the papers they deprived this knowledge from the people who really needed to hear it. Thereby creating the need for this needle in a hay stack hunt.
The fact that those he had found first tried to blow his head off before letting him speak didn't help matters. He was now reaching the house of one such woman.
Brin McAuliffe had graduated four years ahead of him and if anyone had stayed in contact with everyone it would be her. The only problem was that she also had moved her house to a unplottable location after the war. Finding a house that couldn't be located was never a easy thing. He had narrowed down the area where she was likely to be and now he was going to try to send her a owl. Luckily Dumbledore had given him a letter that vouched for his innocence. So after attaching a note that said they needed to talk but her damn house keeps moving, he sent the owl off and followed it the best he could.
While humans cannot just find a unplottable object owls seem to have that particular ability. So after traveling at top speed for around twenty minutes Sirius came to a small house inside the base of a very large tree. The tree grew in odd directions, with gigantic limbs going everywhere. This house was entirely Brin, simply no doubt about it.
Sirius watched the owl fly through what appeared to be a squirrel hole and disappear into the tree. Ten minutes latter a short plump witch with a kindly smile and blonde hair stepped out of the tree. Sirius cringed for a moment to see her not looking to happy. Perhaps because the last time he saw her he had turned her hair purple for a week.
"SIRIUS BLACK!!! You get your mangy behind out from behind wherever it is before I have to...Well before I do something you don't like very much!" Sirius slowly approached her making sure to have his wand at hand.
He didn't get much of a chance to do anything because he soon found himself in a bear hug reminiscent of Molly Weasley.
"How dare you escape Azkaban and not drop me a letter. Two years and you didn't find the time to drop me a letter that says 'Oh by the way I'm innocent'. I have half a mind to hex you from here to Romania." Sirius just burst into a huge grin. He hoped for a warm welcome and he had not been disappointed.
"Oh were are my manners, come on inside and have something to eat. You are looking far to thin for my liking. What brings you by my neck of the woods anyway?" Sirius sighed and his grin fell.
"I'm afraid we have much to talk about, and even more work to do." Brin immediately changed expressions as well. This was the serious Sirius, and she knew that meant trouble.
"Sure come in, we'll talk tonight and then begin whatever needs to be begun in the morning" Sirius followed Brin into the house and began to prepare how he would tell her that their nightmares had come to life.
******
Harry Potter sat in his bedroom at Number 4 Privet Drive. These four walls had been the only thing he had been privileged to see since he left Hogwarts. Which depending on how you look at it could be a good thing.
The Dursley's had taken to ignoring him and going completely out of there way just so they could avoid being in the same room. If Harry didn't know better he'd suspect that he was the only one living in the house.
His uncle had laid down some basic rules upon his return which basically came down to stay in his room. He could tell that his uncle was not to pleased with him after the Weasley's visit the year prior. However they made no mention of it to Harry.
Harry considered this a blessing because he didn't like to think much of the year before. He knew that the events that transpired where not his fault. He had made peace with himself over the death of Cedric Diggory. What was done was done and you couldn't change the past. He had done all he could for Cedric and even brought his body back with him.
Though Harry knew he could have done nothing to save him there were still feelings of regret over the whole matter. All centering around a decision he had made over a year ago. The decision to spare the life of Peter Pettigrew.
It was somewhat ironic when he thought of it. He had spared Pettigrew's life, and Cedric was killed for being just a spare. Guilt was a very interesting thing to Harry. His whole life had been filled with what ifs and seemed that it would remain that way.
Thinking of this had brought him to a personal revelation which would set the way he lived. One could not predict the future, but our choice now have implications on it. So it's up to us to make choices that we can be proud of despite the fact that the results were not what we had expected.
Harry was proud that he choose to share the trophy with Cedric. It was the right thing to do, and you can't be responsible for what you don't know. It's up to each of us to make the appropriate decision at the right time.
Harry's worries centered around his friends now. He could never look at them the same way. Even thinking about them brought thoughts of how easily life could be taken. How easily they could be taken from his life. This thought scared him, he had already lost his parents and he couldn't afford to lose his friends. Yet times would not get any easier.
Harry ached to be out doing more than sitting in his bedroom. He wanted to be able to step forward and help in any way permitted. For now Dumbledore had told him to stay here and do nothing.
Harry didn't blame Dumbledore for his over site the year before. They say hind sight is 20/20 and that expression would always be true. Dumbledore was not omniscient and couldn't be expected to be. To expect that from Dumbledore would make him guilty of what he felt everyone did to him.
Harry closed the book he had been reading from to prepare himself for bed. They would just have to face what came when it did. Unfortunately that also applied true for living with the Dursley's. Tomorrow Harry would be facing his most beloved Aunt Marge.
Harry laid down on his bed and fell asleep with a grin on his face. His last thoughts were of how big of a canary his Aunt would make.
*****
A/N : Another chapter finished!!! Next Chapter may be out by the Weekend. We'll probably see Hagrid and Remus meeting with Harry and collecting supplies. We'll see Dumbledore talking to Snape over the fate of Karkaroff. I haven't completely decided if I'll add in the next portion of Sirius and Brin. But I probably will have the return of Rita Skeeter as well as a bit of Voldie. Thnx to those who reviewed and remember. The more reviews the happier I become.
R/R thnx
Chapter 1: Beginning a Journey
Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, all belongs to the mighty JKR and Warner Brothers! Big surprise isn't it?
Albus Dumbledore had been very busy since the end of the school year. He no longer had time to sit in his office and ponder memories of the past. Now was not the time to focus on mistakes and over sites long gone. For as he told Harry, it doesn't due to dwell in the past and forget to live. So now he had to focus on preparing for the future. He couldn't allow Voldemort to rise without opposition once more. Until Voldemort came out of hiding he would be alone in this fight.
Since his falling out with the Minster of Magic he had not bothered to attempt gaining the Ministries support. This meant that he was left to using his own resources. No one was left without a task to perform, although some tasks are more dangerous then others. He regretted having to send friends off into situations that could mean their deaths, but he had no choice in the matter.
His thoughts turned to the boy who had left the safety of Hogwarts castle just a short while ago. Harry had already been through so much, and yet the weight of responsibility refused to ease off his shoulders. Albus knew that the day of Voldemort's return would come and that it was unavoidable. Still he hoped that Harry would have been a bit older before he would have to face this particular trial.
All these thoughts made him regret what he was forced to do next just a bit more. The wounds were still so fresh in the boy, but no one else would do for the task at hand. The path would be dangerous and he would be away from the protective spells that surrounded the Dursley's home. Alas, no other way would do.
So this brought him to the meeting he was attending now. The lumbering form of Rubeus Hagrid was squashed in a chair in his office. Next to him sat a man in old robes that had been stitched together to many times.
Remus Lupin looked a bit different now that he had reclaimed a old friend once thought to be foe. He was no longer alone with the memories that plagued his past. A spark that had not burned since a night long ago was awakened in the werewolf's eyes. He had managed to recapture some of the lost youth that had been violently ripped away from him.
"Welcome Remus and Hagrid my dear friends. I do apologize for the circumstances surrounding our meeting and I pray that when we meet next it be on happier terms." The twinkle that resided in the old wizards eyes dimmed a bit, but he continued onward.
"You both are well aware of the events that transpired at the end of the school year. That is why I must ask a favor of the both of you." Remus eyed the old main carefully. He had known that Hagrid was being sent to the giant's camp in hopes of striking peace. What had this to do with him. Surely he wouldn't be needed for such a task.
"Hagrid, I do believe that you will be setting forth with Madame Maxime later this week correct?" Hagrid shook his head in the affirmative.
"Just as I hoped, now that brings us to the point of our meeting. I have concerns that more concrete evidence will be needed to convince our friends of the danger present once more. So, I've had Severus provide me with this." Dumbledore withdrew a vial of clear liquid from his pocket and set it on the table.
A million thoughts raced through Remus' mind. He had immediately recognized the truth potion that was placed before him, but he had no idea how it would help. Even under the influence of a truth potion Hagrid would only be able to speak of what he had been told. Though this would prove that Hagrid was being honest to the best of his knowledge, it would do nothing to provide more validation. So he decided to voice his concerns.
"Sir, I hardly understand how a truth potion will help Hagrid in this circumstance. I am even more baffled as to how I come into this equation." Dumbledore's smile faded a bit.
"Alas that brings us to the evidence required and to your purpose at this meeting. The truth potion is not for use on Hagrid." Hagrid then voiced the next question that was on his mind.
"An' who do yeh want us ter use it on?" Hagrid leaned forward to get a better seat in his chair.
"Before you leave I would like you to make a stop in Surrey and pick up the only witness we currently have for the time being." Dumbledore didn't get to continue because Remus had interjected into his sentence.
"Albus! You can't be serious, that's to dangerous for Harry. Sirius would never allow Harry to go to the giant's settlement." Hagrid continued where Remus left off.
"We don' even know where they are. Ther' beasts an' such, it could take months ter find em alone." Dumbledore let out a long sigh.
"I am quite aware of the perils of the journey. That is why I am sending you along as added protection. Hopefully you will be able to teach Harry to protect himself along the way. But I see this as being our only option in this matter." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair.
"As for this being to dangerous for him. It saddens me to say that he has become well used to facing danger. Perhaps this journey will prepare him for the future, so that he will not face danger unarmed." Remus and Hagrid listened to these words and they to felt pain for the boy whose childhood had been stripped from him.
"I suppose yer right sir, I just wish it weren't so true." Hagrid rubbed his eyes to hold back tears that threatened to fall.
********
Severus Snape made his way into the mouth of the cave that loomed before him. He had finally come to his destination after days of searching. His search had lead him somewhere into the forests of Bulgaria, and he was regretting ever agreeing to this particular assignment.
He realized that he was in a very tenuous position now that the Dark Lord had returned from his bodiless exile. Would it be possible to continue his spy work, and if it was did he even want to? Questions swirled through his mind. Questions that screamed for answers, though there seemed to be none. On the one hand it would be laughable for the Dark Lord to just accept him back with open arms. He knew that answering the call would be a death sentence. On the other hand he was the only highly placed spy they currently had.
Severus knew what his choice would be. If it would be possible he would return to the service of the Dark Lord. However that was not what he was currently doing. No today he was to be dealing with a much different matter. The man he was searching for was a pathetic coward. Briefly he mused over how cowards seemed to be thriving these days while brave men died. Perhaps he would have to devote more time to thinking of this concept. Cowards like Fudge rose to high positions of power, while men like Dumbledore were considered fools. Even Potter, though he hated to admit it, displayed unmatched courage and where did that get him. Potter had been branded a lunatic and dangerous to himself. If it weren't for Dumbledore they would have thrown him to Azkaban long ago. Snape smirked at the thought of Potter being carted off to Azkaban. This was a world were those who stood up against evil were thrown to hell.
A fallen rock and the light of a fire brought Snape's attention back to the present. He had a act to play and he couldn't let his guard down. While his quarry was cowardly he was still dangerous.
Snape raised the hood of his black robes and pulled his wand from his pocket. He cast a charm to detect traps designed to alert someone or kill intruders and was not surprised to find numerous ones present. Snape crouched down next to the wall of the cave and took in his surroundings.
The cave was wide but seemed to narrow down the further back you went. It was nearly pitch black, and you could feel the moisture that collected on the rock walls. There was probably another exit so he would have to be careful not to alert his prey of his presence.
Snape began to mutter counter charms ands secrecy spells on himself in hopes of going unnoticed by the alarm charms. Snape moved slowly through the cave and approach the fire that centered his quarry's campsite. There wasn't much, just a trunk and a sleeping bag laid out on the ground.
Seeing the lump in the bag that was in the shape of a person Snape moved closer. He gave a ruff kick and received a grunt in reply. Soon the figure in the bag opened his eyes and tried to get up and run without getting out of the sleeping bag. The result was quite comical, the man simply fell over and ran his head into the floor. This caused him to admit a scream of pain and clutch his head which now released a stream of blood. He rolled over revealing the face of Karkaroff the Durmstrang Headmaster.
"Oh God! Please have mercy on me! I was weak and there is no excuse for my crime of betrayal. I beg you!" Karkaroff pleaded at Snape's feet and Snape loved every minute of it. Instead of replying he simply summoned Karkaroff's wand from where it was set next to the fire and pointed his own at Karkaroff.
"Why should I have mercy on you, you betrayed the master and your fellow Death Eaters! For this you will receive death." Snape shouted the stunning spell and Karkaroff fell silent once more.
The plan had worked he had reclaimed Karkaroff for Dumbledore without revealing he was a spy. Now he would take Karkaroff back to Dumbledore where he would do whatever he had planned. Snape didn't know what Dumbledore's plans for this man included, but he had done his part.
Snape levitated Karkaroff behind him and made his way to the mouth of the cave once more. He would take a Portkey to the edge of Hogsmede and walk the rest of the way to Hogwarts.
However the evening was not to be so uneventful. No sooner had he reached the edge of the cave than he meet a sight that made his heart stand still. Five Death Eaters and Voldemort himself stood waiting for him. Snape quickly made peace with himself, but death was not what he received.
"Severus, how nice to see you. I feared that you had betrayed me when you did not answer my summons. Perhaps I was mistaken. We heard what you said to Karkaroff, and it warmed my heart to find such loyalty." Severus smirked, not because of the praise, because he found it amusing to equate Voldemort to having a heart.
Snape knew this was his only chance to escape death. He would have to turn Karkaroff over to Voldemort. He was not some foolish Gryffindor who refused to leave a fallen friend behind and for that he hated himself. Potter risked his life to bring back a fallen comrade and he would turn someone over to Voldemort if it meant a chance to live on. He soothed his mind by considering what use he would be if he was dead.
"Master, when I felt the mark burn I was still at Hogwarts. I couldn't leave and risk being suspected. When I saw Karkaroff try to escape I decided to track him down and bring him to you to face his punishment." Snape loathed himself for his own actions.
"Yes Severus, I know you have always been loyal to me. Now why don't we leave this place for one of more comfort where we can deal with this trash." Voldemort threw Snape a small skull.
Snape nodded and while the remaining Death Eaters took care of Karkaroff he activated the Portkey.
******
Sirius Black moved in the shadows of the English countryside. He had been sent to gather the old crowd. This was by no means an easy task, due to the fact that many had decided to apparently drop off the face of the earth. Sirius was left with no real place to look for his old friends.
After Voldemort's fall most had fallen out of direct contact. So it fell upon his shoulders to track down as many of them as he could. They'd need support for the times to come and the more he got the better. The Ministry was not making things any easier. By suppressing news of Voldemort's return in the papers they deprived this knowledge from the people who really needed to hear it. Thereby creating the need for this needle in a hay stack hunt.
The fact that those he had found first tried to blow his head off before letting him speak didn't help matters. He was now reaching the house of one such woman.
Brin McAuliffe had graduated four years ahead of him and if anyone had stayed in contact with everyone it would be her. The only problem was that she also had moved her house to a unplottable location after the war. Finding a house that couldn't be located was never a easy thing. He had narrowed down the area where she was likely to be and now he was going to try to send her a owl. Luckily Dumbledore had given him a letter that vouched for his innocence. So after attaching a note that said they needed to talk but her damn house keeps moving, he sent the owl off and followed it the best he could.
While humans cannot just find a unplottable object owls seem to have that particular ability. So after traveling at top speed for around twenty minutes Sirius came to a small house inside the base of a very large tree. The tree grew in odd directions, with gigantic limbs going everywhere. This house was entirely Brin, simply no doubt about it.
Sirius watched the owl fly through what appeared to be a squirrel hole and disappear into the tree. Ten minutes latter a short plump witch with a kindly smile and blonde hair stepped out of the tree. Sirius cringed for a moment to see her not looking to happy. Perhaps because the last time he saw her he had turned her hair purple for a week.
"SIRIUS BLACK!!! You get your mangy behind out from behind wherever it is before I have to...Well before I do something you don't like very much!" Sirius slowly approached her making sure to have his wand at hand.
He didn't get much of a chance to do anything because he soon found himself in a bear hug reminiscent of Molly Weasley.
"How dare you escape Azkaban and not drop me a letter. Two years and you didn't find the time to drop me a letter that says 'Oh by the way I'm innocent'. I have half a mind to hex you from here to Romania." Sirius just burst into a huge grin. He hoped for a warm welcome and he had not been disappointed.
"Oh were are my manners, come on inside and have something to eat. You are looking far to thin for my liking. What brings you by my neck of the woods anyway?" Sirius sighed and his grin fell.
"I'm afraid we have much to talk about, and even more work to do." Brin immediately changed expressions as well. This was the serious Sirius, and she knew that meant trouble.
"Sure come in, we'll talk tonight and then begin whatever needs to be begun in the morning" Sirius followed Brin into the house and began to prepare how he would tell her that their nightmares had come to life.
******
Harry Potter sat in his bedroom at Number 4 Privet Drive. These four walls had been the only thing he had been privileged to see since he left Hogwarts. Which depending on how you look at it could be a good thing.
The Dursley's had taken to ignoring him and going completely out of there way just so they could avoid being in the same room. If Harry didn't know better he'd suspect that he was the only one living in the house.
His uncle had laid down some basic rules upon his return which basically came down to stay in his room. He could tell that his uncle was not to pleased with him after the Weasley's visit the year prior. However they made no mention of it to Harry.
Harry considered this a blessing because he didn't like to think much of the year before. He knew that the events that transpired where not his fault. He had made peace with himself over the death of Cedric Diggory. What was done was done and you couldn't change the past. He had done all he could for Cedric and even brought his body back with him.
Though Harry knew he could have done nothing to save him there were still feelings of regret over the whole matter. All centering around a decision he had made over a year ago. The decision to spare the life of Peter Pettigrew.
It was somewhat ironic when he thought of it. He had spared Pettigrew's life, and Cedric was killed for being just a spare. Guilt was a very interesting thing to Harry. His whole life had been filled with what ifs and seemed that it would remain that way.
Thinking of this had brought him to a personal revelation which would set the way he lived. One could not predict the future, but our choice now have implications on it. So it's up to us to make choices that we can be proud of despite the fact that the results were not what we had expected.
Harry was proud that he choose to share the trophy with Cedric. It was the right thing to do, and you can't be responsible for what you don't know. It's up to each of us to make the appropriate decision at the right time.
Harry's worries centered around his friends now. He could never look at them the same way. Even thinking about them brought thoughts of how easily life could be taken. How easily they could be taken from his life. This thought scared him, he had already lost his parents and he couldn't afford to lose his friends. Yet times would not get any easier.
Harry ached to be out doing more than sitting in his bedroom. He wanted to be able to step forward and help in any way permitted. For now Dumbledore had told him to stay here and do nothing.
Harry didn't blame Dumbledore for his over site the year before. They say hind sight is 20/20 and that expression would always be true. Dumbledore was not omniscient and couldn't be expected to be. To expect that from Dumbledore would make him guilty of what he felt everyone did to him.
Harry closed the book he had been reading from to prepare himself for bed. They would just have to face what came when it did. Unfortunately that also applied true for living with the Dursley's. Tomorrow Harry would be facing his most beloved Aunt Marge.
Harry laid down on his bed and fell asleep with a grin on his face. His last thoughts were of how big of a canary his Aunt would make.
*****
A/N : Another chapter finished!!! Next Chapter may be out by the Weekend. We'll probably see Hagrid and Remus meeting with Harry and collecting supplies. We'll see Dumbledore talking to Snape over the fate of Karkaroff. I haven't completely decided if I'll add in the next portion of Sirius and Brin. But I probably will have the return of Rita Skeeter as well as a bit of Voldie. Thnx to those who reviewed and remember. The more reviews the happier I become.
R/R thnx
