Chapter 4: The News of Azkaban


Harry awoke the next morning to the sound of his own name. At first it sounded far off, but it became louder and louder until it was as if someone was right at Harry's ear. Harry jumped out of bed hitting his head with Ron's.

"OUCH!" they both shouted as Harry fell backwards on his bed and Ron fell backwards on the floor.

"What was all the yelling for?" Harry said grumpily as he put his glasses on.

"You wouldn't get up for anything," Ron said laughing. "About time you got up, Harry. I've been here for over an hour. Everyone has already eaten breakfast and mom should be back any minute with our books. Why are you still in bed?"

"I had a long night, Ron," Harry said as he sat up and yawned. "Hermione might have already told you, but Sirius left me this house."

Ron stopped moving and began to stare at Harry.

"He left you this house?" Ron gasped with excitement. "Harry that's wonderful! Think about it. We only have two years left of school and you already have your own place. Fred and George still live at home because they haven't found a place to live yet. Mind you, they pay five galleons a month for rent. Harry, I just can't believe it."

"Well believe it, Ron," Hermione said as she walked into the room. "By the way, your mom is back with our books. This new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher really knows his or her books."

Hermione tossed a copy of Dark Arts for the Youth at Harry. Harry opened and read the contents to see what the chapters would be about.

"The first chapter is on dementors!" Harry shouted.

"That's not all," Hermione said matter-of-factly. "It goes over almost every piece of Dark Art magic there is."

"If the first lesson is dementors," Ron muttered, "I hate to see what's last!"

"Are Fred and George here?" Harry asked as he handed his book back to Hermione.

"They went to Diagon Alley with mom," Ron replied, "so if she is back I'm sure they–"

CRACK

"Good morning, Harry," Fred and George said in unison after apparating into the room.

"Just heard from Lupin that you get this ruddy old house!" Fred said with a laugh.

"Well of course the first thing to do, after cleaning of course, is to get rid of that house elf, Kreacher," George added.

"That's kind of a mean thing to say, George." Hermione protested. "What if you were Kreacher and had to walk in your house for so long without anyone to talk to but enchanted portraits. Harry, you need to give him a fair chance."

"I'm not going to live here until after school, Hermione," Harry assured her. "I'm not making any changes until then.

"Now then, can I please have some privacy to change? Then I would like some breakfast. After that we can find something to do."

Everyone left for Harry to change. After he had changed he walked out into the hall and saw a strange looking wizard staring at him. The wizard had dark brown hair that touched his shoulders. His robe was white but covered in an assortment of colors of paint.

"Bless me," he said with a gasp. "The Harry Potter himself! My name is Ruldolph Dagonheart."

"Who are you, sir?" Harry asked as the strange wizard ran up to shake Harry's hand.

"I told you my name is Ruldolph Dagonheart," the wizard repeated. "A Remus Lupin has sent me to paint portraits of you and your friends."

"But why?" Harry asked as the others looked stunned.

"My hair!" Hermione screamed as she ran to her room.

"Let's put on our school robes for the pictures, Harry," Ron suggested as he ran to Harry's room to change into his robes.

"I'm confused," Harry sighed as he went to change.

When they had all dressed for the portraits to be made, Ruldolph Dagonheart told them to follow him into the den.

"You, girl," he spat at Hermione. "Go sit at the desk and pull out a book or something and look smart."

He then turned to Fred and George and asked, "You two own Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes do you not?"

"Yes," Fred answered him promptly.

"Then we shall do yours together and in front of the store!" Dagonheart said as he turned to Ron and Harry.

"I understand you are both Quidditch players at Hogwarts," he said as Harry and Ron nodded. "Then we will do a duo portrait against this window here with you and your brooms.

"You, red headed girl," Dagonheart commanded, pointing a finger at Ginny, "we'll have yours made in front of the desk with a cauldron and some ingredients you have for school."

The portraits took the all afternoon to finish. Dagonheart had painted Fred and George on two blank canvases and said when he had the background ready he would merge the portraits.

"They will be ready by tomorrow afternoon," Dagonheart said as he exited the door, "Good day to you all."

"What a nut!" Ron said as he fell on a chintz chair with a sigh.


They all sat around in the den talking about there summers. Fred and George had mentioned their store which made the conversation even more interesting for Harry.

"So how is business?" Harry had asked.

"Booming, Harry, just booming!" Fred replied with a wide smile.

"And it will continue to boom with these little babies!" George added as he put a small box on a table.

The box was rectangular and was decorated with unusual checkered colors. Harry looked closer and he saw a body on one side. He rubbed his eyes and took a second glance because he thought he saw Peeves the Poltergeist.

"We call it 'Peeves In a Box'!" George explained as Fred took out his wand.

"Things seem too calm and quiet, so it's time for you to cause a riot!" Fred said as he pointed his wand at the box.

A tiny figure of Peeves burst from the box laughing Peeves's horrible laugh.

"Why it's Potty-Wee Potter!" the Mini-Peeves shouted as he floated in circles around Harry. "Rotten tomatoes can be fun, but you won't like them when I'm done!"

The Mini-Peeves soon began to throw rotten tomatoes at everyone in the room except Fred.

"The beauty of these little things is that they don't attack the person who summons them," George said as he held his hand up to knock away the mini tomatoes being thrown at him. "The only problem is that if you are in the room at the time, they won't bother you. It's a give away of who summoned them."

They all had fun playing with the Mini-Peeves for the rest of the afternoon until dinner. Mrs. Weasley had made a feast that Moody said was "fit for a king." Even Mr. Weasley had showed up to join the group.

When Mr. Weasley sat down beside Lupin he whispered something in his ear. Lupin shook his head and then cleared his throat.

"Harry, there is something I think you need to know," Lupin said looking grave. The entire room fell silent. "I told you that Hermione was worried for you, but I never told you why. It's hard to tell you because I don't want you to worry. I don't want you to feel like you are the only one in danger because we all–"

"Just tell him, Remus!" Moody growled he as took a drink from his hip flask.

"Harry, Azkaban has been destroyed," Lupin said staring down at the table.

"What?" Harry shouted looking stunned.

"Every last dementor and prisoner gone, to him no doubt!" Moody said.

"This can't be true!" Harry gasped. "Everyone they caught at the Ministry the other month, gone!"

"Harry, you don't need to worry so much," Mrs. Weasley assured him. "They are not coming for you. He-who-must-not-be-named goes after everyone who is against him. Mind you, there are a lot of witches and wizards against him!"

"Hogwarts will be the safest place for all of you," Tonks said. "You-Know-Who would not dare enter the school as long as Albus Dumbledore is there."

"Let's hope so," Moody said.

"And what is that supposed to mean, Mad-Eye?" Tonks objected.

"Well if he's got most of his cronies back," Moody explained. "With an army he just might try to go for Hogwarts. I'm just saying these kids need to be prepared for the worst!"

"Moody, quit putting ideas in there heads!" Mrs. Weasley snapped. "There will be no sort of army attacking Hogwarts."

"How about we just eat and stop worrying about dying!" George suggested with a small laugh that was faltered by his mother's stern look.

They all ate their dinner and no more was said about Azkaban. Mr. Weasley discussed things that were going on at his office with Lupin while Fred and George talked about business at Diagon Alley. Tonks and Moody discussed security plans that Hogwarts might need to keep the Dark Lord away. Harry, Hermione, and Ron were discussing the new books for school once again, but this time with Ginny.

After dinner, Harry, Hermione, and Ron ventured out of the kitchen and decided to look over The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 6 before they went to bed.

When they were by the front door they could hear shouts from outside.

"I know it's here, but where is it!" a woman's voice shouted.

Harry ran over to a window by the door and peered out. What he saw made him want to scream, but he could not find the ability to.

"Death Eaters," he murmured.

"What?" Ron said running up to the window.

"Hermione, go get the others!" Harry said as he and Ron backed away from the window.

Within moments everyone in the house was in the small foyer.

"Kids, upstairs! Now!" Mrs. Weasley shouted.

They all ran upstairs and went into Harry's room. Fred and George pulled out there wands.

"Everyone stay by the bed!" Fred ordered as he pointed his wand at the door. "Colloportus!"

George ran over to the window and pointed his wand at it. "Colloportus!"

The window and the door were sealed shut. Harry grabbed his wand, even though he was underage, he was prepared to defend himself. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny followed suit.

"Phineas!" Harry shouted at the empty portrait. "Phineas, I know you can hear me! Tell Dumbledore there are Death Eaters here! Please!"

"Hold your horses," a grumpy voice growled from the empty portrait. After a view moments, the voice returned. "He said not to worry. They cannot enter the house unless he told them it was here."

"Because he's the Secret Keeper," Hermione said with a smile. "They can't get in no matter what. Dumbledore would never tell them about this place. I bet it is that evil Bellatrix woman."

"Of course," Ginny added. "Remember what Harry told us? Kreacher went to Bellatrix when Sirius told him to get out."

"And she's family so she knows the house is here," Ron added to Ginny's idea.

They all heard the door knob rattle, followed by a knock. They all raised there wands and pointed it at the door.

"Alohomora!" a voice said from the other side, though no one could tell whose voice it was.

The door slowly slipped open and everyone was prepared to attack. Fred accidently sent a Stunning Charm at the opening door, but it was a huge mistake.

"Protego!" Moody shouted and the Stunning Charm was sent straight back at Fred which knocked him backwards.

"What's the idea of attacking me?" Moody growled. "Besides, you're gonna have to get up real early in the morning if you're going to pull a fast one on Alastor Moody!"

They all laughed as Mrs. Weasley gave a terrible start when she saw Fred lying on the floor, paralyzed.

"What happened?" she shrieked.

"He tried to stun me and I sent it back at him," Moody said heartily.

Mrs. Weasley shot him a stern look as Ron and George lifted Fred up and dragged him out of the room. Everyone followed them out of the room. Harry sat his glasses on the night-stand and fell on top of his bed.

"Poor Fred!" Harry laughed as he fell asleep.