JaDuShala
Disclamer: All the denizens of the Wizarding World, except a few created by me ,are the property of JK Rowling and her publishers, though she can if she so wishes, copy my characters too. (I am feeling particularly generous today!)
Chapter 5: An Explosion
Gilderoy Lockhart catches Triwizard Cup Troublemakers
Daily Prophet special correspondent Gilderoy Lockhart has claimed to have caught the Triwizard Cup troublemakers, We interviewed him on his amazing feat, the following are a few excerpts from his interview:
SR: How did you manage to single handedly catch the offenders when the ministry has been unable to do so with so many resources at hand?
GL: Oh! This nothing compared to what I did in Sub Saharan Africa I caught a whole gang of dacoits single handedly, It is my super spying skills that helped me track down these offenders, I found them discussing their exploits at the tournament, you will read all about it in my coming book ' My Masterful Adventures'.
SR: Is it true that in the ensuing battle between you band the offenders, you hit them with a curse so powerful that they have lost most of their memory.
GL: Yes unfortunately they provoked the great Lockhart and they had to pay the price. Infact I can tell you of another such instance when............
Harry put down the paper, fed up, he now had a renewed respect for Rita Skeeter, who had completely disappeared after Hermione caught her in the hospital wing, he must ask hermione, about what she did with her in the next letter.
Just then something zoomed into his room, hit him in his stomach, it was Ron's irrepressible Owl Pig. Harry managed to catch hold of the fluttering owl and remove the letter tied to his leg.
Dear Harry,
I have news, Fred and George seemed to have improved greatly after last year, they bought me Brand New Robes, that ought to wipe that sneer of Malfoy's face. God knows from where they got all the money but they are talking of buying a shop in Hogsmede and starting a business, Weasley Wizard Wheezes. Mother is appalled by the Idea, she wants them to work for the ministry.
They want you to put in a word for them. by the way how's everything with the dursley, I hope you are not having any dreams. Father talked with Dumbledore to allow you to come to our place for the rest of the holidays but he refused. I have decided to try out for the Gryffindor Quidditch team this year, there are a lot of vacancies to be created this year, I am practicing really hard at home Ginny & the Twins are helping me out. (told ya they seemed to have changed). Any news from Hermione, I hope she sees through that Krum and doesn't go to Bulgaria,
I gotta Hurry harry it is quidditch time!
Write soon
Ron
Harry felt nostalgic at the thought of Quidditch, Ron's letter seemed full of merriment, "If only I had someone to confide in, he thought of his parents who had died to save him, of Sirius, but he was still on the run from the aurors, of Cho Chang, Cedric death seemed to have stolen her from him, his dreams of impressing her by becoming Triwizard Champion had been destroyed by a cruel twist of fate. he understood now how Ginny must have felt when she confided her innermost thoughts into Tom Riddle's Diary. 'Ginny' oddly he started thinking about her, the younger Weasley had been shy and remained in the shadows of her big brothers, to be forgotten in the big family that the Weasleys was. She did look beautiful, Flame hair, pale face, ruby lips.. he shook of the thoughts 'Ron will kill me'
He wrote a letter to Ron telling him of the incident at Flourish & Blotts conveniently omitting the other book he had taken. and sent it off with pig, who had been fluttering around the room in big circles.
Harry went back to the other book he had bought that day, the book had said that not everybody can become an Animagus, it is an inherent trait the similarity of a persons nature and mannerisms to a particular animal. It took a very powerful wizard to bring that animal out into the physical being. An Animagus is an expert at transfigurations, because it is in itself the most advanced kind of transfiguration. It is a wandless kind of magic but before trying to transform into a particular animal it is important to understand oneself. Harry sat reading the book, brooding and munching on some Every Flavour Beans, which he had picked up on the way home from Diagon Alley, when Hedwig flew in with Dumbledores letter..
Dear Harry,
I hope everything there is alright. I would like to know what you remember of the dream you wrote to me about, has there been any other dream concerning Voldermort? I want you to try to remember every small detail you can. you cannot imagine the amount of importance this carries in the fight against the dark lord. Many lives depend upon it.
I think the time has come for you to know the truth about why I made you stay with the Dursleys inspite of the fact that they are so mean to you. The ownership of 4 Privet Drive passed from Samantha Evans to Lily Evans and from her to you. You know that you survived the attack by Lord Voldermort that fateful night because of the sacrifice of your mother, it had hence become important for us to protect you from attack by death eaters, the Domiclus charm was used to create a powerful protection shield around your home, as the old house had been destroyed after that nights attack the charm took effect on 4 privet drive, it is perhaps the safest place in the universe after Hogwarts. No one can Apparate within a radius of 3 miles around it, there are dark magic repulsion wards around the house, and no one can forcibly enter and attack the house.
Under the circumstances however it will more prudent for you to come back to Hogwarts, Arabella will be there to pick you up at 10' o clock.
Yours truly
Albus Dumbledore
Harry gave a sigh of relief, perhaps this summer, would not be that bad at all. A summer at Hogwarts is definitely preferable to the Dursleys, even with scowly Snape around. So old Mrs. Figg next door had after all been a witch. With spirits high Harry started packing his things, all the time humming a tune form a muggle song he had overheard when Dudley had kept his latest stereo on full volume.
The Dursley's 'forgot' to send him lunch and he sat happily devouring the cakes Hermione had sent him during the summer. Nothing around him could suppress his cheerful mood today.
The rest of the afternoon was spent in writing a letter to Ron telling him of his impending visit to Hogwarts and assuring him that Hermione had declined Krum's offer to visit Bulgaria.
As the sun slid down fro the blue summer sky, the more his impatience grew, he checked and rechecked his luggage and when he done it a number of times, started pacing around within the confines of his small room, which meant every few paces he met a wall and had to turnaround and start all over again.
The clock struck 9'O clock when Vernon Dursley opened the door, Harry looked at him in eager anticipation, perhaps Mrs. Figg had decided to come a bit early. but his anticipation was short lived because Uncle Vernon had brought in Dinner, Harry was surprised to find the plate full of Bacon & ham and an assortments of breads, There was even a cake for desert. looking a the surprised expression at Harry's face Uncle Vernon smiled, Harry's eyes grew even wider,' had Uncle Vernon actually smiled at him..'
"It is Petunia's birthday today" he said" hence we have a little feast at home "
There was something in the way Uncle Vernon said those words that worried Harry though he couldn't put a finger on it. Tentatively he reached out and started eating.
"I have probably become paranoid" Harry thought when he had eaten the main course " he was feeling oddly well fed, Uncle Vernon entered around the corner
"Had your fill Harry" he said flashing a smile "but what is this you haven't taken the cake yet go on eat it, Petunia would be very unhappy if you don't eat the cake."
"Maybe my lucks changed for the better, a letter from Dumbledore inviting me to Hogwarts and now even Uncle Vernon is being so nice to me" he thought as he put the cake into his mouth "too nice infact" he thought. Suddenly things started to act as if in slow motion, Uncle Vernon's expression changed from his enigmatic smile to a sneer, an odd gleam of triumph was there in his eye when he looked at Harry, he laughed a cold cackling laughter, he said something, but it was as if his ears had gone deaf, he couldn't hear what, Uncle Vernon was saying. his heart was beating faster. his eyes started watering, and a strange feeling crept up from his stomach with his whole body erupting into convulsions, "p..poison" he said but no sound left his mouth, only blood spurted out of his mouth, flashes of his life swam past his eyes his mother dying to save him, Hagrid's arrival at Privet drive, his first sight of Hogwarts, The fight with the possessed Quirrel, and the shadow of young Tom Riddle, his last encounter with Voldermort, the sudden death of Cedric, the maniacal laughter of Lord Voldermort it seemed oddly similar to Uncle Vernon's cold laughter, Dudley & Aunt Petunia were standing behind him a smile playing on their lips.
At this point something odd started to happen, his arm started to throb with some energy of his own, It was the amulet, Sirius had Given him, the green eyes in the amulet were glowing powerfully, slowly the vibrations started to increase, and as they increased his convulsions started somehow diminishing , It was as if the vibrations were building up into a rhythm, his whole body began to throb with energy, a pure light seemed to have enveloped his body, it became almost blinding , then there was a huge explosion as if a dam had burst and waves of destruction were flowing out of it, Harry blacked out.
_____________________________________________________________________________
Arabela Figg was readying to go to the Dursleys, Harry would not have recognized her had he seen her the way she was now, 'So finally he knows about me', She did not have conventional good looks, but there was something in her which made her attractive to men, a casual observer would have put her age between 25 and 29 though she was well over thirty, dark black hair hung from her in wavy knots over a clear heart shaped face, 'on numerous occasions she had fought the impulse to tell Harry of her true identity and comfort him, save him from the horrible Dursleys, she waved a wand muttering a spell and her appearance started to change to how Harry knew Arabella Figg to be. An old woman left the house near four privet drive clad in a blouse, skirt and hat ensemble which would have been considered fashionable in the early seventies. she had just stepped on to the street in front of her house when an explosion shook the place, it was as if a whirlwind had struck four Privet drive, the house was blown into shreds from within and planks of wood, and bits of furniture flying into the houses around it with tremendous force, the existence of four privet drive was wiped out from the face of the earth, and everything in and around it was completely annihilated. She was the first person to reach the remains of the house, there lying motion less in the center of his room, his body ragged and lifeless, eyes shut, with blood oozing out of his scar was the 'the boy who lived'.
___________________________________________________________________