Chapter Six: Harry's Clues
Harry had to hurry to keep up with Chandler, who was running down the street after Dog. "Chandler, does he know where he is going?" Harry asked when he caught up to the boy, who was slowing down. Harry assumed that Dog had slowed as well.
"He's looking for something," was Chandler's reply.
"What?" Harry asked, looking ahead as if he might be able to spot the invisible canine.
"He doesn't know."
Harry sighed. "Oh, joy."
They hurried down the street, Harry following Chandler and Chandler following Dog. A left turn, then a right, and they were in a different neighborhood. The sun was setting and the street lamps were turning on. Still Dog hurried on, Chandler and Harry in tow.
Harry was really getting worried that this was a trap when suddenly Chandler stopped. They were in a completely different part of London, now, and Chandler was staring up at a very old manor, which seemed to be falling into large amounts of disrepair. Harry came to a stop next to Chandler. "Here." The boy said, quietly.
"What is here?" Harry asked, but Chandler shook his head.
"I don't know."
Holding back his irritation, Harry focused on looking at the manor. It was large and old, all right. It looked like no one had lived there for many years. And yet, it struck him as familiar. Harry made his way across the street to the front door, Chandler following behind. Harry knocked. No answer. He tried the knob. It was unlocked. His hand itching for his wand, but not wanting to scare the boy, Harry pushed the door open.
The front doorway opened into a main sitting room. That was all that Harry had time to register, however, because a large gust of wind forced he and Chandler to get inside and close the door after them. Finally, with the front door firmly shut, Harry had time to look around. The room was large and clean, or at least it would have been if there weren't many years worth of dust and spider webs throughout. But even with the decay, Harry's sense of familiarity hit him. He did know this place. Even though he hadn't been here in many years, nothing had changed. This was the Kandis-Black Estate. This is where Sirius, his godfather, and Jessica Black had lived until Sirius had died, almost 10 years ago. Harry shook his head. This just didn't make sense! What was this boy doing, being led by an invisible Dog to this abandoned house of Harry's godfather? His head was beginning to hurt. There had to be a connection.
In the end, it was in Chandler that Harry found that connection. As he watched the boy apparently following his dog around, Harry frowned and began to study Chandler more closely. Black hair. Blue eyes. The same sharp nose. Could it be?
Harry shook his head. Sirius and Jessica had had a son, Garret James. But Garret and his wife, Starla, had died days before Sirius had. And yet.
"Chandler!" The boy looked up from his study of a vase on the coffee table. "Chandler, come here for a second." Hurriedly, as if he would loose whatever clues he had if he dallied, Harry darted for a door off of the east of the sitting room. It opened, as he knew it would, into a study, once beautiful and now as run down as the rest of the house. Chandler followed him in and Harry made his way around the large oak desk. If he knew Jessica, there would be a picture.
Harry didn't have to look far. There on the desktop was a personal wizard's photograph, complete with moving subjects, of an auburn haired lady, sitting on a couch and reading a book while a large black dog slept lazily on her lap. Harry held up the picture to Chandler, who blinked several times, looking astonished.
"Is that-"
"That's him! That's Dog!"
Harry closed his eyes. "Are you sure?"
Chandler nodded vigorously. "Yes! I'm sure!"
Harry looked down at the photograph in his hands. But how could Padfoot possibly be the imaginary friend of this boy? He shook his head. He needed answers and he had a feeling there was only one person who could give them. If she was even still alive.
Harry had to hurry to keep up with Chandler, who was running down the street after Dog. "Chandler, does he know where he is going?" Harry asked when he caught up to the boy, who was slowing down. Harry assumed that Dog had slowed as well.
"He's looking for something," was Chandler's reply.
"What?" Harry asked, looking ahead as if he might be able to spot the invisible canine.
"He doesn't know."
Harry sighed. "Oh, joy."
They hurried down the street, Harry following Chandler and Chandler following Dog. A left turn, then a right, and they were in a different neighborhood. The sun was setting and the street lamps were turning on. Still Dog hurried on, Chandler and Harry in tow.
Harry was really getting worried that this was a trap when suddenly Chandler stopped. They were in a completely different part of London, now, and Chandler was staring up at a very old manor, which seemed to be falling into large amounts of disrepair. Harry came to a stop next to Chandler. "Here." The boy said, quietly.
"What is here?" Harry asked, but Chandler shook his head.
"I don't know."
Holding back his irritation, Harry focused on looking at the manor. It was large and old, all right. It looked like no one had lived there for many years. And yet, it struck him as familiar. Harry made his way across the street to the front door, Chandler following behind. Harry knocked. No answer. He tried the knob. It was unlocked. His hand itching for his wand, but not wanting to scare the boy, Harry pushed the door open.
The front doorway opened into a main sitting room. That was all that Harry had time to register, however, because a large gust of wind forced he and Chandler to get inside and close the door after them. Finally, with the front door firmly shut, Harry had time to look around. The room was large and clean, or at least it would have been if there weren't many years worth of dust and spider webs throughout. But even with the decay, Harry's sense of familiarity hit him. He did know this place. Even though he hadn't been here in many years, nothing had changed. This was the Kandis-Black Estate. This is where Sirius, his godfather, and Jessica Black had lived until Sirius had died, almost 10 years ago. Harry shook his head. This just didn't make sense! What was this boy doing, being led by an invisible Dog to this abandoned house of Harry's godfather? His head was beginning to hurt. There had to be a connection.
In the end, it was in Chandler that Harry found that connection. As he watched the boy apparently following his dog around, Harry frowned and began to study Chandler more closely. Black hair. Blue eyes. The same sharp nose. Could it be?
Harry shook his head. Sirius and Jessica had had a son, Garret James. But Garret and his wife, Starla, had died days before Sirius had. And yet.
"Chandler!" The boy looked up from his study of a vase on the coffee table. "Chandler, come here for a second." Hurriedly, as if he would loose whatever clues he had if he dallied, Harry darted for a door off of the east of the sitting room. It opened, as he knew it would, into a study, once beautiful and now as run down as the rest of the house. Chandler followed him in and Harry made his way around the large oak desk. If he knew Jessica, there would be a picture.
Harry didn't have to look far. There on the desktop was a personal wizard's photograph, complete with moving subjects, of an auburn haired lady, sitting on a couch and reading a book while a large black dog slept lazily on her lap. Harry held up the picture to Chandler, who blinked several times, looking astonished.
"Is that-"
"That's him! That's Dog!"
Harry closed his eyes. "Are you sure?"
Chandler nodded vigorously. "Yes! I'm sure!"
Harry looked down at the photograph in his hands. But how could Padfoot possibly be the imaginary friend of this boy? He shook his head. He needed answers and he had a feeling there was only one person who could give them. If she was even still alive.
