Chapter 3 -- Respect
The Order of the Phoenix members prepared to leave.
"We can at least set up a new safe-house for the Dursleys," said Tonks. "A place with a Secret Keeper so Voldemort can't find them. Then you'll be free to come and go as you please."
"They won't be," Harry said grimly.
"Can't have everything," said Moody. "As it is now, none of you is free and this neighborhood's a war zone. We've called in the obliviators to erase this afternoon's fight. But we can't keep doing that forever."
"Don't worry, Harry," said Lupin. "We'll set up the safe house as quickly as we can and come back for you."
Harry went upstairs to his room feeling more miserable than ever in his life.
Why did there he have to be the center of a prophecy? It wasn't fair. He was fated to kill Voldemort or be killed by him, before he was even born. Even if prophecy wasn't certain, Voldemort was treating him like it was, so it worked out exactly the same.
Not only that, but all his friends were in danger. One had already died, and probably more would, all because of him. He wished he could just give up. But that would be handing the world to Voldemort.
He was surprised to catch Dudley coming out of his room, trying to hide something behind his back.
"What have you got there, Dudley?" Harry asked.
Dudley flinched, and dropped a book to the floor. Harry picked it up.
"A History of Wizardry," he said coldly. "Not light reading, especially for you. You're not supposed to be interested in this sort of stuff."
"If it's trying to kill me, I'm interested," retorted Dudley. He seemed to have lost weight, and he had a nervous tic in the corner of his mouth.
"We're finding a safer place. You'll be all right. What happened to the tough guy, Big D the gang leader?" asked Harry.
"I dropped out of the gang. I can't even go out at night without getting the shakes. What you did to my mind, that was pretty creepy stuff. I wish I could scare someone like that. I wish I was like you," said Dudley.
"No, you don't", said Harry.
"All that power... It's like a gang war isn't it? Two sides fighting for control." said Dudley.
"It's not like that," said Harry. It was a little, though...
"Tell me what it's like, and I'll give you all my allowance," said Dudley eagerly. "Hey, I know some girls that hung around with the gang. I bet I could set you up with a girlfriend for the summer."
"Forget it!" said Harry. The last thing he needed was another hostage for Voldemort to threaten.
"Maybe you've even killed someone, or seen them die," said Dudley. "You're like me, but you've got real power..."
"GET OUT!" shouted Harry.
"T-think about it, OK?" said Dudley, cringing and rushing to his room.
"I've got Dudley's respect," thought Harry, "And it's worse than his hate."
The Order of the Phoenix members prepared to leave.
"We can at least set up a new safe-house for the Dursleys," said Tonks. "A place with a Secret Keeper so Voldemort can't find them. Then you'll be free to come and go as you please."
"They won't be," Harry said grimly.
"Can't have everything," said Moody. "As it is now, none of you is free and this neighborhood's a war zone. We've called in the obliviators to erase this afternoon's fight. But we can't keep doing that forever."
"Don't worry, Harry," said Lupin. "We'll set up the safe house as quickly as we can and come back for you."
Harry went upstairs to his room feeling more miserable than ever in his life.
Why did there he have to be the center of a prophecy? It wasn't fair. He was fated to kill Voldemort or be killed by him, before he was even born. Even if prophecy wasn't certain, Voldemort was treating him like it was, so it worked out exactly the same.
Not only that, but all his friends were in danger. One had already died, and probably more would, all because of him. He wished he could just give up. But that would be handing the world to Voldemort.
He was surprised to catch Dudley coming out of his room, trying to hide something behind his back.
"What have you got there, Dudley?" Harry asked.
Dudley flinched, and dropped a book to the floor. Harry picked it up.
"A History of Wizardry," he said coldly. "Not light reading, especially for you. You're not supposed to be interested in this sort of stuff."
"If it's trying to kill me, I'm interested," retorted Dudley. He seemed to have lost weight, and he had a nervous tic in the corner of his mouth.
"We're finding a safer place. You'll be all right. What happened to the tough guy, Big D the gang leader?" asked Harry.
"I dropped out of the gang. I can't even go out at night without getting the shakes. What you did to my mind, that was pretty creepy stuff. I wish I could scare someone like that. I wish I was like you," said Dudley.
"No, you don't", said Harry.
"All that power... It's like a gang war isn't it? Two sides fighting for control." said Dudley.
"It's not like that," said Harry. It was a little, though...
"Tell me what it's like, and I'll give you all my allowance," said Dudley eagerly. "Hey, I know some girls that hung around with the gang. I bet I could set you up with a girlfriend for the summer."
"Forget it!" said Harry. The last thing he needed was another hostage for Voldemort to threaten.
"Maybe you've even killed someone, or seen them die," said Dudley. "You're like me, but you've got real power..."
"GET OUT!" shouted Harry.
"T-think about it, OK?" said Dudley, cringing and rushing to his room.
"I've got Dudley's respect," thought Harry, "And it's worse than his hate."