Harry Potter and the Debt of Life
*Chapter One - The News"
Harry Potter lay inside his bedroom on Privet Drive. Thoughts ran through his head, un-bidden. Nothing made sense anymore, now that Voldemort was back and Sirius was dead. He remembered when life was at least somewhat normal. He remembered when he had been with the Dursleys, and never knew that he was a wizard. Those years were miserable, yes, but things were somehow worse. Yet, now he had friends. Ron, Hermione, even Ginny. He wasn't alone, although he felt like it. He let his mind go back to year before, when his god-father had died, and a tear slipped down his cheek. He lost his father, and now the only person who had been like a father to him.
Suddenly an owl tapped on his window. He opened it and found that it was Pig, Ron's hyper little owl. Attached was a letter, which he took from his leg. Sitting up he began to read it "Dear Harry,
I know that I don't usually write to you; it's usually Ron. I took his owl to send this to you. I really need to. I know I'm not making much sense. I just want to say, I know how things are going for you. They aren't easy, now that you lost Sirius. I've never really lost anyone I loved before, so I can't say I understand, but I do now what it's like to feel hopeless, because I did, back in my first year. Harry, things will get better someday. I know it doesn't seem like it now that You-Know-Who is back, but someday Harry. Yours, Ginny"
Harry glanced at the letter. She had been the only one to write to him yet. Ron and Hermione didn't know what to say, and neither, it seems did Hagrid. He felt a surge of affection ion for this girl. He had always thought of her as little, but her heart and her courage were bigger than he had ever thought. She should have been the one to bear this prophecy, this mixed curse and blessing. Maybe she would do a better job. Harry felt incapable of doing much. He felt too human, feeling jealousy over small things; it didn't feel as if he could conquer large things, such as the return of Voldemort. With a sigh, he scribbled a thank you, and sent Pig back. As he did this, he heard a yell from downstairs.
"Harry, if you're sending owls out again. what, do you want everyone to think we're STRANGE? Get down here at once Harry!" It was his Uncle Vernon of course; who was worse than normal this year, since he learned his wife knew more about wizards than he thought. Harry sighed, and ran downstairs.
"It was one owl, Uncle Vernon, really." Uncle Vernon stared at him with his small eyes, so much like Dudley's.
"One owl! I'm supposed to believe that?! Go down in the cupboard this instant! Actually, bring all your things down here this instant and move in there. I want to keep my eye on you." Again, Harry sighed. He could fight with Voldemort but his own uncle pushed him around. He was tired of it! He wouldn't stand for it any longer! Standing up straight, he glared at Uncle Vernon.
"No! You always tell me what to do, and I'm tired of it! I don't want to be here, and I may as well have a ROOM! I am not your slave, you know. I may not be allowed to use magic, but I still won't let you force me around!" Words came out of Harry's mouth that he never expected. He gasped as he saw the look on his Uncle's face. He cringed for a second and then ran upstairs. Uncle Vernon was standing firm in one spot, a look of fierce anger in his eyes. Although he was vast, and a Muggle, he was almost Snape- like. Harry knew he had gone too far. He had let his anger get out of control. Not a good idea for a wizard, or even a muggle with a controlling uncle. He should run away. People liked him at the Burrow. But as soon as the thought came to his head, he dismissed it. No, it wouldn't be safe. He couldn't put himself in jeopardy like that, or others would be put in danger, too. He always seemed to be putting someone in danger. After all, it had been his own fault that Sirius had died.
Without a warning, Harry burst into sobs. He wanted Sirius back again, he wanted his parents, and he wanted love. He couldn't even have love from a girl. Although, he had to admit, it was his own fault the way he had acted toward Cho. Loneliness closed in on him. He was such a brat, always thinking of himself. It wouldn't make SENSE for anyone to like him. Dropping onto his bed, he saw Ginny's letter. Yes, she seemed to care. She really was a wonderful girl. He had been blind all along not to see it. Not that he had a chance. She was, after all, dating Dean Thomas. Anyway, he was being shallow again, he supposed. There was a war now, between the Dark Wizards, and the good. He didn't have time to think about crushes. According to the prophecy either he or Voldemort would die. He wanted to be sure that Voldemort died, and for once the world could be at peace.
He fell to sleep, his pillow drenched with tears. When he woke up, it was the middle of the night and there were no stars in the sky. Suddenly someone appeared in the room with a crack. Recognition came into his eyes. It was Professor Lupin! A smile lit up Harry's face as he gazed on the weary face. Yet Lupin did not smile back. Instead his eyes were full of sadness.
"Harry, I have sad news to bring. I must tell you, yet you cannot leave. If you do, your life will be in grave danger. Just listen, and please, don't be rash, Harry. We need you." Harry gazed at the man, worry showing in his green eyes. No, he had already lost Sirius. Who now was gone?
"I'm afraid, that Voldemort has found, and taken a member of the Order of Phoenix. Perhaps he wishes to lair you to him, as he did before. No matter what happens, you must not go. He will kill you, Harry!"
"Who is it? Tell me! I have to know!"
"It is Professor Snape." Harry didn't know what to think. SNAPE? Voldemort wanted to bring Harry by the way of Snape? He should have known better. Snape and Harry had always disliked eachother. In fact, Snape even hated Harry. No, he must have taken Snape for something he possessed. A talent? A weapon? It must be something. Voldemort, sadly, knew Harry too well. If he had wanted to lure Harry to him, he would have taken Lupin, now the closest friend Harry had.
*Chapter One - The News"
Harry Potter lay inside his bedroom on Privet Drive. Thoughts ran through his head, un-bidden. Nothing made sense anymore, now that Voldemort was back and Sirius was dead. He remembered when life was at least somewhat normal. He remembered when he had been with the Dursleys, and never knew that he was a wizard. Those years were miserable, yes, but things were somehow worse. Yet, now he had friends. Ron, Hermione, even Ginny. He wasn't alone, although he felt like it. He let his mind go back to year before, when his god-father had died, and a tear slipped down his cheek. He lost his father, and now the only person who had been like a father to him.
Suddenly an owl tapped on his window. He opened it and found that it was Pig, Ron's hyper little owl. Attached was a letter, which he took from his leg. Sitting up he began to read it "Dear Harry,
I know that I don't usually write to you; it's usually Ron. I took his owl to send this to you. I really need to. I know I'm not making much sense. I just want to say, I know how things are going for you. They aren't easy, now that you lost Sirius. I've never really lost anyone I loved before, so I can't say I understand, but I do now what it's like to feel hopeless, because I did, back in my first year. Harry, things will get better someday. I know it doesn't seem like it now that You-Know-Who is back, but someday Harry. Yours, Ginny"
Harry glanced at the letter. She had been the only one to write to him yet. Ron and Hermione didn't know what to say, and neither, it seems did Hagrid. He felt a surge of affection ion for this girl. He had always thought of her as little, but her heart and her courage were bigger than he had ever thought. She should have been the one to bear this prophecy, this mixed curse and blessing. Maybe she would do a better job. Harry felt incapable of doing much. He felt too human, feeling jealousy over small things; it didn't feel as if he could conquer large things, such as the return of Voldemort. With a sigh, he scribbled a thank you, and sent Pig back. As he did this, he heard a yell from downstairs.
"Harry, if you're sending owls out again. what, do you want everyone to think we're STRANGE? Get down here at once Harry!" It was his Uncle Vernon of course; who was worse than normal this year, since he learned his wife knew more about wizards than he thought. Harry sighed, and ran downstairs.
"It was one owl, Uncle Vernon, really." Uncle Vernon stared at him with his small eyes, so much like Dudley's.
"One owl! I'm supposed to believe that?! Go down in the cupboard this instant! Actually, bring all your things down here this instant and move in there. I want to keep my eye on you." Again, Harry sighed. He could fight with Voldemort but his own uncle pushed him around. He was tired of it! He wouldn't stand for it any longer! Standing up straight, he glared at Uncle Vernon.
"No! You always tell me what to do, and I'm tired of it! I don't want to be here, and I may as well have a ROOM! I am not your slave, you know. I may not be allowed to use magic, but I still won't let you force me around!" Words came out of Harry's mouth that he never expected. He gasped as he saw the look on his Uncle's face. He cringed for a second and then ran upstairs. Uncle Vernon was standing firm in one spot, a look of fierce anger in his eyes. Although he was vast, and a Muggle, he was almost Snape- like. Harry knew he had gone too far. He had let his anger get out of control. Not a good idea for a wizard, or even a muggle with a controlling uncle. He should run away. People liked him at the Burrow. But as soon as the thought came to his head, he dismissed it. No, it wouldn't be safe. He couldn't put himself in jeopardy like that, or others would be put in danger, too. He always seemed to be putting someone in danger. After all, it had been his own fault that Sirius had died.
Without a warning, Harry burst into sobs. He wanted Sirius back again, he wanted his parents, and he wanted love. He couldn't even have love from a girl. Although, he had to admit, it was his own fault the way he had acted toward Cho. Loneliness closed in on him. He was such a brat, always thinking of himself. It wouldn't make SENSE for anyone to like him. Dropping onto his bed, he saw Ginny's letter. Yes, she seemed to care. She really was a wonderful girl. He had been blind all along not to see it. Not that he had a chance. She was, after all, dating Dean Thomas. Anyway, he was being shallow again, he supposed. There was a war now, between the Dark Wizards, and the good. He didn't have time to think about crushes. According to the prophecy either he or Voldemort would die. He wanted to be sure that Voldemort died, and for once the world could be at peace.
He fell to sleep, his pillow drenched with tears. When he woke up, it was the middle of the night and there were no stars in the sky. Suddenly someone appeared in the room with a crack. Recognition came into his eyes. It was Professor Lupin! A smile lit up Harry's face as he gazed on the weary face. Yet Lupin did not smile back. Instead his eyes were full of sadness.
"Harry, I have sad news to bring. I must tell you, yet you cannot leave. If you do, your life will be in grave danger. Just listen, and please, don't be rash, Harry. We need you." Harry gazed at the man, worry showing in his green eyes. No, he had already lost Sirius. Who now was gone?
"I'm afraid, that Voldemort has found, and taken a member of the Order of Phoenix. Perhaps he wishes to lair you to him, as he did before. No matter what happens, you must not go. He will kill you, Harry!"
"Who is it? Tell me! I have to know!"
"It is Professor Snape." Harry didn't know what to think. SNAPE? Voldemort wanted to bring Harry by the way of Snape? He should have known better. Snape and Harry had always disliked eachother. In fact, Snape even hated Harry. No, he must have taken Snape for something he possessed. A talent? A weapon? It must be something. Voldemort, sadly, knew Harry too well. If he had wanted to lure Harry to him, he would have taken Lupin, now the closest friend Harry had.