Chapter 2: Constant Vigilance
Since they attacked him on the road, then there might be another trap waiting when they got to the house, Harry thought. He'd better try to alert the Order, fast.
He pulled from his pocket the coin that Hermione had enchanted for calling DA meetings. He concentrated on the serial number space on the edge. There was only room for a short message: "SOS OOTP 4PD." He hoped Hermione or Ron would feel it heat up, read the message, and alert the Order to trouble at Number Four, Privet Drive.
It seemed to have worked, since Harry saw wizards apparating onto the sidewalks on both sides of Privel Drive, including Moody, Tonks, and Lupin. Uncle Vernon swerved the car when he saw them.
"Don't worry, they're on our side," Harry told him.
"With friends like these..." Vernon muttered.
"Into the house, quickly!" ordered Moody. Wizards formed a protective barrier all around them.
It was good they did, because suddenly a horde of Death Eaters on broomsticks apparated in. They instantly dive-bombed, casting attack spells. The barrier held, but the deflected magic set fire to the dry lawn and the hydrangea bushes.
"We're ruined!" said Aunt Petunia, "What will the neighbors think? We'll never live this down."
"Take care of staying alive first by getting inside the house," said Lupin.
Harry and the others managed to coax and push the Dursleys inside. The Death Eaters retreated once the family was inside with Harry.
Moody, Tonks, and Lupin met with Harry in the living room, while the furious and frightened Dursleys stayed upstairs.
Moody was angry with himself. "WHY didn't we send a guard along with you? We should have known Voldemort might strike quickly. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! That's my watchword. At least it was, until I learned the hard way that having watchwords make a man easier to impersonate."
"Yeah, why didn't you guard us on the way back?" said Harry angrily.
"Calm down," said Tonks. "You got home, didn't you? If you want, we could move you back to London."
"No," said Harry. "Voldemort would kill the Dursleys now if he got the chance. They aren't safe unless I'm with them."
"I'm afraid you're right," said Lupin. "You protect them, and they protect you. You'll have to stay here for now."
Harry had an awful thought. "What about next term at Hogwarts?"
"If you're serious about saving the Dursleys, you may have to stay here until Voldemort's defeated," said Moody.
Or for the rest of my life, thought Harry gloomily.
Since they attacked him on the road, then there might be another trap waiting when they got to the house, Harry thought. He'd better try to alert the Order, fast.
He pulled from his pocket the coin that Hermione had enchanted for calling DA meetings. He concentrated on the serial number space on the edge. There was only room for a short message: "SOS OOTP 4PD." He hoped Hermione or Ron would feel it heat up, read the message, and alert the Order to trouble at Number Four, Privet Drive.
It seemed to have worked, since Harry saw wizards apparating onto the sidewalks on both sides of Privel Drive, including Moody, Tonks, and Lupin. Uncle Vernon swerved the car when he saw them.
"Don't worry, they're on our side," Harry told him.
"With friends like these..." Vernon muttered.
"Into the house, quickly!" ordered Moody. Wizards formed a protective barrier all around them.
It was good they did, because suddenly a horde of Death Eaters on broomsticks apparated in. They instantly dive-bombed, casting attack spells. The barrier held, but the deflected magic set fire to the dry lawn and the hydrangea bushes.
"We're ruined!" said Aunt Petunia, "What will the neighbors think? We'll never live this down."
"Take care of staying alive first by getting inside the house," said Lupin.
Harry and the others managed to coax and push the Dursleys inside. The Death Eaters retreated once the family was inside with Harry.
Moody, Tonks, and Lupin met with Harry in the living room, while the furious and frightened Dursleys stayed upstairs.
Moody was angry with himself. "WHY didn't we send a guard along with you? We should have known Voldemort might strike quickly. CONSTANT VIGILANCE! That's my watchword. At least it was, until I learned the hard way that having watchwords make a man easier to impersonate."
"Yeah, why didn't you guard us on the way back?" said Harry angrily.
"Calm down," said Tonks. "You got home, didn't you? If you want, we could move you back to London."
"No," said Harry. "Voldemort would kill the Dursleys now if he got the chance. They aren't safe unless I'm with them."
"I'm afraid you're right," said Lupin. "You protect them, and they protect you. You'll have to stay here for now."
Harry had an awful thought. "What about next term at Hogwarts?"
"If you're serious about saving the Dursleys, you may have to stay here until Voldemort's defeated," said Moody.
Or for the rest of my life, thought Harry gloomily.