Chapter 3: Potter Manor
Harry was thrilled to feel the cold air rush across his face. It reminded him of flying on his broom across the Quidditch pitch.
"This is wonderful!" Harry yelled after they had been flying for over an hour.
Within a few minutes of Harry expressing his feelings, Buckbeak began to descend. Harry could see the rooftops of many shabby houses below. They landed in a lawn where no house laid. As Harry dismounted Buckbeak and walked closer to where a house should be, a house emerged from nowhere. Harry walked up to the door and knocked.
The door opened to reveal a wizard with graying hair and a large smile.
"Welcome back, Harry!" Lupin said as he ushered Harry in the house followed by Buckbeak. "I just can't believe to see you so soon. It's wonderful!"
"Well, Uncle Vernon didn't want me to stay anyway," Harry replied as he untied his trunk and Hedwig's cage from Buckbeak.
"I'll get those!" a young witch with hair of pink spikes shouted as she ran down the stairs towards Harry. "Locomotor trunks!" she said with her wand pointing at the trunks. She directed her wand up the stairs and followed the trunks that magically moved where her wand directed.
"Alright there, Potter?" a grumpy voice said from behind him.
"Yes, sir, Mr. Moody," Harry said to the wizard.
"I think Harry needs rest!" the pink haired witch said as she ran back down the stairs. "Your room is still the same one, Harry."
"Thanks, Tonks," Harry said as he began to climb the stairs. "Good night, everyone."
His room looked cleaner from the rest of the house. It had a bed to the left and a desk in front of the window.
"They actually made this place look decent," a grumpy voice came from a portrait to Harry's right. Although no one was in the portrait, Harry knew that it was Phineas Nigellus, a previous headmaster of Hogwarts.
Harry saw his trunks at the edge of the bed. With seeing the bed he fell onto it and without even realizing it, he fell fast asleep.
Harry awoke the next morning to a gruesome sight. A short creature with pointy ears and big eyes was standing over him. Its skin was wrinkly and looked as if it were loose as though it were falling towards the ground.
"Kreacher, what are you doing here?" Harry shouted as he jumped from his bed.
"The annoying one with the scar has returned to haunt poor old Kreacher," the old house elf said glaring at Harry. "Obviously he doesn't know that breakfast is ready or he would be downstairs with the others."
With saying this, Kreacher walked out of the bedroom. Harry got out of bed and changed out of his pajamas. He then walked down the dark hallway and passed a portrait covered by an old, dusty curtain. Harry remembered this to be Sirius's mother.
Harry stopped walking. The thought of Sirius was still painful to him. Only a few months ago he had seen his godfather die at the Ministry of Magic. Harry thought about the person who had made him fall through those curtains, Bellatrix Lestrange. Now Neville
Longbottom was not the only one with a personal dispute with Lestrange.
"Harry, breakfast is ready," Tonks called from the bottom of the stairs.
"Coming," Harry said weakly as he moved towards the stairs once more.
"Harry, you just received three letters, and one looks very important!" Tonks said with a smile as she and Harry walked down into the basement kitchen.
"Good morning, Harry," Moody growled as Harry sat down and grabbed the post off the table. The first one was from Hermione.
Dear Harry,
Lupin sent word to me this morning that you are already at Grimmauld Place. My parents said I could come later today. Hope to see you then.
Hermione
He placed Hermione's letter down down and opened the second one. This one was from Ron.
Dear Harry,
Lupin just sent me a letter saying your at Grimmauld Place. Mom says we're all coming in two days! Hope you are ready for quidditch this year! I'll see ya soon mate!
Ron
Harry was pleased to hear from his friends and to know that they were coming soon. He felt lonely without people his own age to talk to. His eyes fell on the third letter. This one he did not recognize. It almost looked like the letter was highly important.
Dear Mr. Potter,
I am pleased to send you your O.W.L. results. I hope you are pleased with the grades given. If there is any controversy about the grades, please notify me at once. Please note that the enclosed parchment shows your results.
Sincerely
Griselda Marchbanks
Harry quickly grabbed the other parchment to review his grades. He hesitated at first before actually glancing at his grades.
"O.W.L. Results for Harry Potter"
-Charms: Outstanding
-Transfiguration: Exceeds Expectations
-Herbology: Outstanding
-Defense Against the Dark Arts: Outstanding
-Potions: Exceeds Expectations
-Care of Magical Creatures: Exceeds Expectations
-Astronomy: Average
-Divination: Poor
-History of Magic: Average
"I don't believe it!" Harry exclaimed. "Three 'Outstanding's,' three 'Exceed Expectations,' two 'Average,' and one 'Poor!'"
"What did you make 'Poor' in, Harry?" Lupin asked.
"Oh, its just Divination, nothing important." Harry said still not believing he did so good.
"Potter has the grades to become an Auror," Moody growled with a lopsided smile on his face.
"Enough talking and more eating!" Tonks shouted as Lupin put plates on the table full of food.
After breakfast Harry ventured into the den. He could see that they, the other witches and wizards of the Order, had been trying to make the house good as new. Some attempts had proven successful. The cabinets and shelves actually looked like new, and the floor was a glimmering onyx marble. The curtains were draped in new, white curtains. Even the desk an chairs had been refurnished.
Harry glanced at the far wall and noticed the Black family tree. He walked over to it and glanced at a burn hole where Sirius's name should have been. He looked around noticing the other names. He stopped as he saw Lucius Malfoy, making his thoughts wonder to Draco Malfoy. Hatred rose up into him. Harry had the idea of blasting the Malfoy's off the tree, but he resisted.
It was nearly noon when there was a knock at the front door; Harry had been in his room when he heard the knock. He ran out of his room and to the edge of the stairs. He saw Lupin answering the door. Harry could see brown bushy hair enter the door.
"Hermione!" Harry shouted as he ran down to greet her.
"Oh, Harry, it's so wonderful to see you!" she said as she hugged him. "By the way, how did you do on your O.W.L.s?"
"I'll explain while I help you with your things to your room," Harry said as he picked up one end of Hermione's trunk.
"Well I got three 'O's, three 'E's, two 'A's, and one 'P'!" Harry said as he helped Hermione place her trunk at the edge of her bed.
"Harry, that's wonderful!" Hermione exclaimed. "I made all 'O's except for one 'E' in Arithmancy. What'd you make a 'P' in?"
"Divination of course," Harry replied. "I made an 'A' in Astronomy and that was lucky. I didn't even finish my star chart. Hermione, you're never going to believe what I made in Potions. I made an 'E'!"
"Harry, that's wonderful!" Hermione said with a small laugh. "I can't wait to see the look on Professor Snape's face when you show up in his N.E.W.T. class."
"It was a lot easier focusing without Snape breathing down my neck," Harry explained. "But still, an 'E'. I was hoping for at least an 'A'. Anyway, have you talked to Ron lately?"
"Not lately," Hermione said staring away from Harry. "Harry, there's something that I think you need to know. Ron told me when his dad found out. Nobody has said anything to you yet. Lupin thought we shouldn't yet, but I think it's time you know."
"And I think we should wait for Ron to be here before Harry finds out," Lupin said as he entered the room. "It's really nothing to worry about, Harry, honest."
"Hermione, you should see some of the rooms in the house," Harry said trying to change the subject.
"We've been working hard since May to get this place looking the way Sirius–," Lupin paused and avoided Harry's eye contact. Lupin thought better than to speak of Harry's godfather in front of him. "Well we've just be working hard since May to get this place to livable standards."
"Come on, Harry, let's go explore," Hermione said trying to derail the unusual silence.
Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the day exploring the house. Recalling memories of the last time they were there and all the things that had changed. One of the things that had not changed was the picture of Sirius's mother yelling insults when she was roused. "Filthy, nasty creatures all around my beautiful house..."
Dinner that night was as joyous as ever. Harry was glad to be among his friends again. Hermione was telling everyone about her summer when Harry glanced at the fire. He jumped from his seat and ran over to it.
"Harry are you okay?" Tonks asked as she eyed him suspiciously.
"I saw him in the fire," Harry said with excitement.
"Who did you see, Harry?" Lupin asked.
"I saw Sirius's head just a moment ago," Harry replied as he stared into the flames. "I know I did. His head was right here like he was using floo powder."
"Harry, now you know that isn't poss–," Lupin tried to explain before he was interupted.
"I saw him!" Harry shouted. "I know I did! It was Sirius, right here in this fire. He's trying to talk to me from death. I know he wants to return."
There was silence among them all. Everyone knew that Harry truly missed Sirius, but had not thought he would go to this far in saying he saw Sirius in the fire.
"Harry, maybe you should go to bed now," Lupin urged with sypathy. "It's still kind of early, but I think we all need a good nights sleep. You and Hermione can help with Buckbeak's room in the morning."
"Yeah, I guess your right," Harry sighed as he stood up. "I just miss him. I really never got the chance to truly know Sirius. Everything happens for a reason and I just don't know what the reason for this is...yet."
Without saying another word, Harry walked out of the kitchen and up to his room; Hermione followed suit.
"We all miss him, Harry," she said as Harry began to open his door. "It is a loss for us all and you need to realize you're not the only one that lost a friend. I haven't known him as long as the others, but he was like a close friend to me. If you really did see him in the fire, Harry, then we all should have seen him."
"I think because I miss him so much, I could have just imagined it," Harry said with a sigh of depression. "But it was so real, Hermione. Even if it was just for a split second. He could be pulling a 'Wormtail' on us, you know?"
"Good night, Harry," Hermione said as she walked towards her door. "I believe you saw him, Harry, even if I can't explain it." She smiled and entered her room.
Harry felt a little bit better knowing that someone at least believed he saw something. Harry began to wonder if he had actually seen Sirius. It could have been someone spying on them and he only thought it was Sirius. His thoughts kept him up for an hour before he finally fell asleep.
The next day Harry awoke, yet again, to find Kreacher staring at him from the door.
"Get out, Kreacher!" Harry said sleepily as he sat up in his bed.
"Filthy boy needs to keep that ruddy owl quiet," Kreacher breathed quietly. "Good morning, young sir. An owl has graciously brought you your mail." Kreacher then walked off muttering insults towards Harry as he left.
Harry looked up and saw an envelope on the desk. Hedwig was asleep in her cage. Harry got out of bed and went over to his desk to see who had sent the envelope. At glancing at the loopy, emerald green handwriting, he knew at once that it was his Hogwarts letter.
"Harry!" Hermione shouted as she threw open Harry's bedroom door. "Have you seen the new books for this year? The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6 by Miranda Goshawk, Dark Arts for the Youth: Author Unknown, Theory of the Dark Arts: Author Unknown, Defense of the Dark Arts, Grade 6: Author Unknown, and All of History in One by Zachary Cauldron."
"Well it seems the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher knows what he or she is doing," Harry said as he opened his letter. "But it seems he or she are trying to teach us the Dark Arts."
"It does seem like this person fancies the Dark Arts a little too much," Hermione said with a hint of concern. "I wonder who it could be though, and a new History of Magic book? Do you think we have a new teacher? Anyway, Harry, are you ready to begin cleaning Buckbeak's room? I just passed Lupin in the hall and he says he is ready when we are."
Harry placed his letter on his bed and followed Hermione out of his room and across the hall to Buckbeak's room.
"Buckbeak will stay in the kitchen while you guys clean," Lupin explained as they entered the room. "Since you are both still underage, magic is out of the question. You will have to clean the muggle way."
Lupin waved his wand and a bucket full of rags and other cleaning materials appeared.
"As you can see," Lupin explained, "we have managed to refurnish most of this room, but what we have refurnished is now dirty from that hippogriff. We are in the process of making a new home for him. Mundungus and Tonks are working on a pen in the back of the house. Of course we will have to perform some spells to keep muggles from seeing it. Well, I'll leave you to it then. I'll be back in an hour to check on you."
Lupin left and Harry and Hermione began to clean. They cleaned off the cabinets and the dresser, which were covered in what Harry guessed as rat blood. They worked on the room for four hours before Tonks showed up.
"Harry, Hermione, lunch is ready," she said with a smile.
"We aren't even close to finishing!" Hermione groaned.
"That's because Remus is trying to give you both something to do," Tonks said as she pulled out her wand. With a quick wave the room was sparkling. "Muggles! Don't see how they can do it without magic. Takes too much time to clean."
The three ventured to the kitchen for lunch. When Harry walked into the kitchen he saw Mrs. Weasley's head in the fire.
"Good afternoon, everyone," the head said with a bright cheery smile. "Hope you are all well! We just got back from visiting with Charlie in Romania. Fred and George have taken a few day off of work to come with Ron, Ginny, and me to visit.
"Harry, Hermione, so good to see you. I was going to run to Diagon Alley in the morning after dropping off the little ones. Would you like me to get your books?"
"Yes ma'am," Harry said, "that would be wonderful."
"Well, best be off. I need to get lunch ready for the kids. Bye now!" Mrs. Weasley said before she vanished from the fire.
"Good idea!" Tonks shouted from behind them. "Let's eat!"
Harry and Hermione spent the rest of the afternoon talking to Lupin in the den. To Lupin and Hermoine's surprise, Harry mentioned Sirius and seemed to be calm about it.
"He said his mother 'blasted' him off the family tree with some other relatives she thought 'unfit' for the family," he had said laughing. "Even he laughed about it, but I really think he didn't mind."
"Harry, there's something you need to know," Lupin said with a grave face.
"What is it?" Harry asked with curiosity as he ceased laughing.
"Well, Harry," Lupin began to explain, "you are family to Sirius. You are, to him, his last known relative. Harry, he told me before we went to the Department of Mysteries that if anything happened to him..."
Lupin paused for a few moments. Harry guessed that Lupin was recalling the events that had occurred the night when Sirius had died. Lupin's blank gaze fell on Harry, which made him continue.
"Anyway," Lupin said with a start, "Harry, Sirius left you this house. He even said once we get things changed around here, we are to put portraits up of you, your friends, and the Order. He also requested that this place be called 'Potter Manor' from the time he, Sirius, dies until the end of time. That was a direct quote from him, Harry."
Harry sat amazed at what he just heard. He could not believe that Sirius would give him his old house.
No one spoke to Harry at dinner that night. Harry had not said a word since Lupin had told him that Sirius left him, Harry, the house. Harry was sad, but thrilled at the same time. He hated the fact that he was happy.
"Why am I happy about it," he had mumbled under his breath as he walked to dinner. "He had to die for me to get it, yet I feel pleased because I know he would want me to be."
After dinner, Harry went straight to his room thinking about Sirius. He fell asleep debating whether he should be happy about the house, sad that Sirius was gone, or mad because he was happy about the house knowing he only got it because Sirius had died.
