Third chapter, third endless night. Okay, my thanks tonight go out to
*lysanne/white owl* and *Achilles4* for their wonderful comments- you guys
really make fanfic writing worthwhile. Anyhow, this is the third chapter
and stuff, I don't know what else to say. Keep reading and responding, it
is really important to me. I hope you guys like this one.
_ _ _ * _
Harry rushed down the stairs, wondering where Juliet was, whether she was thinking of him, whether she would be angry. Once at the landing, Harry looked about, and, moving stealthily, crept up to the front door and was just about to step out when the doorknob he was turning began to turn the other way. Harry jumped backwards as the door crashed open, framing a large, purple Uncle Vernon, who did not seem to be very happy, and who was also muttering something about gardeners. Harry got to his knees and began to pick up the scattered letters that had been hastily thrust through the mail slot. Vernon began to walk towards the kitchen, noticing neither the mail nor Harry on the floor. Just as he began to walk forward, he slipped on a piece of stray mail that had lain on the wooden floor. With a deafening crash and a roar that would not be foreign to a rhinoceros, he landed on the floor. Harry jumped to his feet, dropping the mail, and rushing in from the kitchen came Aunt Petunia.
Uncle Vernon had turned a lovely shade of blue now, but he seemed incapable of speech. Harry stood, staring down at Uncle Vernon, trying to think of something to do. He was actually terrified out of his wits. Finally, after what seemed like hours of deliberation, Harry leaned down and extended his hand to Uncle Vernon. Aunt Petunia had stopped in the doorway, gasping, her hands over her mouth. Uncle Vernon rolled over on one side, looking very much like a beached whale, and proceeded to get up from the floor with much difficulty without the help of Harry. Aunt Petunia suddenly rushed forward to help her husband, and as she did so, kept quite a distance between herself and her nephew. She eyed him with the suspicion and fear that one would give to a homeless man standing on a street corner. Aunt Petunia helped Uncle Vernon up, and said, "Vernon, are you alright, honey bunch?" Uncle Vernon groaned in reply. Acknowledging Harry for the first time since the letter had come, Aunt Petunia turned towards Harry and snapped, "Well, you heard him, go fill a hot water bottle! FAST!"
Harry sighed. Although not a bit of this accident was his fault, Harry knew that Juliet would have to wait. He went to fill the water bottle. When he entered the living room, where Uncle Vernon lay on the couch, moaning, while Aunt Petunia was on the phone and Dudley was next to his father, obviously confused. Harry walked over to Dudley and grabbed his hand, then shoved the water bottle into it. Dudley jumped back as quickly as he could as though a large tarantula had just brushed up against it. He avoided eye contact with Harry.
"Yes, I am so sorry for the short notice- I know, I know- it's just, Vernon's got to go to the hospital, we think he may have injured his back very badly- yes, yes. Thank you. We called nine-one-one. Yes, okay. I'll send him over now. Goodbye." Aunt Petunia hung up the phone and avoided Harry's eyes. "Harry, go pack a change of clothes. You will be spending the night at Mrs. Figg's while we take Vernon to the hospital. Come back here tomorrow morning. I take it you will be safe from- you'll be safe there. Dudley, PLEASE put that under Vernon's back, how are you darling? Are you okay?" Uncle Vernon moaned in response. However, Harry felt like laughing. He was being SENT to see Juliet! But how would Lupin know where he was? This was an unexpected twist. And as a squib, Mrs. Figg would not have any means of magical communication. Harry decided to ask her about it when he got there, for she was a member of the Order.
Harry ran up the stairs, only mildly worried about Uncle Vernon's fall. He knew that even if he was really concerned, no one would notice because they were all pretending that neither he nor the magical world existed. Dumbledore had thought, rather stupidly, in Harry's opinion, that the Dursleys ought to know exactly what danger Harry was in of Voldemort and what was going on. He had sent a long letter to them, explaining things that Harry didn't know, and didn't want to know, to them. He supposed that they knew all about Sirius, about the Prophecy, about Voldemort's return. But all he cared about was seeing Juliet one last time.
Harry packed as quickly as he could and ran out the front door, unobstructed by Uncle Vernon this time, and sprinted all the way to Mrs. Figg's. He hammered on the door until he could hear someone calling "I'm coming, hold your horses, I'm coming!" However, the voice behind the door was male, whereas Mrs. Figg was definitely not married, and Juliet didn't have a brother and her father was long gone.
The door opened and Harry found himself standing face to face with Remus Lupin. Harry opened his mouth to exclaim his surprise, but found himself with a hand over his mouth and being pulled inside by his shirt collar. Once the door was shut, Harry looked at Lupin. He was obviously much more tired and old looking than he had been the last time they had met. However, his clothing looked much newer, and he looked very relieved to see Harry.
"Professor! What are you doing here?" asked Harry, so bewildered by all of these events that he could not see the obvious set up of the plan. Lupin smiled at Harry and said, "You're a little tired, obviously. We set this meeting up. We bewitched the piece of mail to follow your uncle's foot wherever it fell to make him slip so we could get you over here. We knew they would never let you leave after they read the letter. However, once all the paramedics are gone, we can get your school things and get going to the headquarters. Everyone misses you, Harry."
Trying to take all this information in, Harry also was concentrating on the most pressing issue in his mind. "Where's Juliet?" he asked hastily. Lupin grinned and began to laugh. "I thought the two of you might be-"
"Harry!" From behind the two of them, Juliet had walked up and scared the living daylights out of both Harry and Lupin. "I'm so glad to see you!" Lupin clapped Harry on the arm and said, "Excuse me, I have to go help Arabella with breakfast." And with a wink in Harry's direction, he left the doorway. Juliet smiled and turned back towards Harry. "I was afraid that Remus's plan wouldn't work and you wouldn't come. But you're here, and I can tell you now. I wasn't allowed to tell you last night in case there were Death Eaters about, but I'm coming to Hogwarts with you!"
Harry's eyes widened for a second as he took in the information and then a second later, as the good news registered in his mind, picked Juliet up in a hug and spun her around. "Oh," he began, "I'm so glad! I woke up this morning and I got Lupin's message and I was afraid I'd never see you again and I started to run here but Uncle Vernon tripped over the letter and that's why I was so late and-" at this point Harry realized that he was still holding Juliet in his arms, so he quickly let go and stepped back towards the door. Rather uncomfortably, he said, "We'd better go see Mrs. Figg." Harry turned, opened the door, and walked into Mrs. Figg's house, which still smelled of cabbage. Juliet came up from behind him and led the way to the kitchen.
Inside the warm kitchen, Lupin and Mrs. Figg were sitting across from each other sipping tea, with the distinct look of people who had stopped talking very abruptly. "Hello, Harry," exclaimed Mrs. Figg in her rusty voice. "I am so glad to see that you and Juliet met. I just knew that you would like each other. She's my granddaughter, you know." Harry smiled and said, "Yeah, Mrs. Figg, I know. I'm just curious, though, why wouldn't you let her see me during the day?" Mrs. Figg's face fell a bit and she said, very loudly, "Well, Harry, we have tea and toast here, would you like some?" Harry looked from Mrs. Figg to Juliet to Lupin and there was a nasty silence. Finally Lupin spoke. "Listen, Harry, Juliet's mother was recently killed. We don't want to give away Arabella's position and the fact that she has contact with wizards and the Order, and we do NOT want Juliet found by anyone." Juliet stomped her foot at these words and cried, "WHY do you not want them to know where I am? It's not like I'm Harry or anything- seriously- nobody would consider my death very crucial. I am not important in the grand scheme of things." Both adults looked rather uncomfortable, but neither answered her. Lupin merely offered toast to the two teenagers, who sat down rather reluctantly. Juliet picked up "The Daily Prophet" from the table, and proceeded to hide her face behind it as she ate. Harry sat and ate, talking to Mrs. Figg and Lupin about dumb things, such as the O.W.L. s. Lupin told Harry that he was very proud of the seven O.W.L. s that he had achieved, and that Sirius would have been too. Harry became very quiet after that.
Later that day, when Lupin was sure the Dursleys had cleared out, Juliet and Harry went back across the street to collect his books, broomstick, and trunk, Juliet disguised underneath Lupin's Invisibility Cloak. Both were quiet, and neither really knew why. As they hauled Harry's trunk, the last item, down the stairs, Juliet spoke.
"My mother was killed last June. All the parents come to the school during the last week of the year to receive test results and stuff and meet teachers and friends and get their kids. Well, my mom was traveling alone, like always, and she stopped in an inn in Straussburg, and she went to bed that night and she-" Juliet's voice cracked "-well, she never woke up. The inn was swarming with Death Eaters, and she was killed. Randomly. Who knows why." Juliet paused. "Actually, I think that Remus knows why, but he's not telling. Whenever he looks at me, though, he gets all sad eyed and stuff. I've been trying to get it out of him for a long time, but he never gives." Juliet paused again."Can you find out for me? He seems really close to you- like a father almost."
She and Harry set the trunk down at the front door with the rest of his belongings. "I- I can't ask him anything. I really can't, it's just that I think he needs to have his secrets, and there really are reasons for them. When you live with members of the Order, you get used to secrecy. When it's time for you to understand why things happen, you do. If it's not, then you can't expect anything more."
"Harry, just promise me that if he tells you, you will tell me. Please. I need to know why my mother is dead. Don't you ever wonder why your parents are?"
Harry sighed because he knew, but looked at Juliet and thought of all the times he wondered why death had struck him. He knew that he would tell her if he found out. So he nodded and said "Okay, I will tell you, I promise," and it was like the sun set on her face. She walked around the trunk to Harry and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Then she grabbed the Invisibility Cloak, pulled it over herself, and the pair walked outside to where Mrs. Figg was waiting with some sort of a cart. Harry loaded it with all of his things for school, and pushed it back into Mrs. Figg's kitchen, where an emerald green fire told him that they were about to travel by Floo Powder. Lupin took the cart into the fire with him and shouted "NUMBER FOURTEEN, GRIMMUALD DRIVE", and disappeared. Next, Juliet hugged her grandmother goodbye, and walked into the fire, shouting the same words as Lupin had. Finally, Harry, tucking his glasses into his pocket for so he wouldn't lose them, waved goodbye to Mrs. Figg and stepped into the fire.
_ _ _ * _
Harry rushed down the stairs, wondering where Juliet was, whether she was thinking of him, whether she would be angry. Once at the landing, Harry looked about, and, moving stealthily, crept up to the front door and was just about to step out when the doorknob he was turning began to turn the other way. Harry jumped backwards as the door crashed open, framing a large, purple Uncle Vernon, who did not seem to be very happy, and who was also muttering something about gardeners. Harry got to his knees and began to pick up the scattered letters that had been hastily thrust through the mail slot. Vernon began to walk towards the kitchen, noticing neither the mail nor Harry on the floor. Just as he began to walk forward, he slipped on a piece of stray mail that had lain on the wooden floor. With a deafening crash and a roar that would not be foreign to a rhinoceros, he landed on the floor. Harry jumped to his feet, dropping the mail, and rushing in from the kitchen came Aunt Petunia.
Uncle Vernon had turned a lovely shade of blue now, but he seemed incapable of speech. Harry stood, staring down at Uncle Vernon, trying to think of something to do. He was actually terrified out of his wits. Finally, after what seemed like hours of deliberation, Harry leaned down and extended his hand to Uncle Vernon. Aunt Petunia had stopped in the doorway, gasping, her hands over her mouth. Uncle Vernon rolled over on one side, looking very much like a beached whale, and proceeded to get up from the floor with much difficulty without the help of Harry. Aunt Petunia suddenly rushed forward to help her husband, and as she did so, kept quite a distance between herself and her nephew. She eyed him with the suspicion and fear that one would give to a homeless man standing on a street corner. Aunt Petunia helped Uncle Vernon up, and said, "Vernon, are you alright, honey bunch?" Uncle Vernon groaned in reply. Acknowledging Harry for the first time since the letter had come, Aunt Petunia turned towards Harry and snapped, "Well, you heard him, go fill a hot water bottle! FAST!"
Harry sighed. Although not a bit of this accident was his fault, Harry knew that Juliet would have to wait. He went to fill the water bottle. When he entered the living room, where Uncle Vernon lay on the couch, moaning, while Aunt Petunia was on the phone and Dudley was next to his father, obviously confused. Harry walked over to Dudley and grabbed his hand, then shoved the water bottle into it. Dudley jumped back as quickly as he could as though a large tarantula had just brushed up against it. He avoided eye contact with Harry.
"Yes, I am so sorry for the short notice- I know, I know- it's just, Vernon's got to go to the hospital, we think he may have injured his back very badly- yes, yes. Thank you. We called nine-one-one. Yes, okay. I'll send him over now. Goodbye." Aunt Petunia hung up the phone and avoided Harry's eyes. "Harry, go pack a change of clothes. You will be spending the night at Mrs. Figg's while we take Vernon to the hospital. Come back here tomorrow morning. I take it you will be safe from- you'll be safe there. Dudley, PLEASE put that under Vernon's back, how are you darling? Are you okay?" Uncle Vernon moaned in response. However, Harry felt like laughing. He was being SENT to see Juliet! But how would Lupin know where he was? This was an unexpected twist. And as a squib, Mrs. Figg would not have any means of magical communication. Harry decided to ask her about it when he got there, for she was a member of the Order.
Harry ran up the stairs, only mildly worried about Uncle Vernon's fall. He knew that even if he was really concerned, no one would notice because they were all pretending that neither he nor the magical world existed. Dumbledore had thought, rather stupidly, in Harry's opinion, that the Dursleys ought to know exactly what danger Harry was in of Voldemort and what was going on. He had sent a long letter to them, explaining things that Harry didn't know, and didn't want to know, to them. He supposed that they knew all about Sirius, about the Prophecy, about Voldemort's return. But all he cared about was seeing Juliet one last time.
Harry packed as quickly as he could and ran out the front door, unobstructed by Uncle Vernon this time, and sprinted all the way to Mrs. Figg's. He hammered on the door until he could hear someone calling "I'm coming, hold your horses, I'm coming!" However, the voice behind the door was male, whereas Mrs. Figg was definitely not married, and Juliet didn't have a brother and her father was long gone.
The door opened and Harry found himself standing face to face with Remus Lupin. Harry opened his mouth to exclaim his surprise, but found himself with a hand over his mouth and being pulled inside by his shirt collar. Once the door was shut, Harry looked at Lupin. He was obviously much more tired and old looking than he had been the last time they had met. However, his clothing looked much newer, and he looked very relieved to see Harry.
"Professor! What are you doing here?" asked Harry, so bewildered by all of these events that he could not see the obvious set up of the plan. Lupin smiled at Harry and said, "You're a little tired, obviously. We set this meeting up. We bewitched the piece of mail to follow your uncle's foot wherever it fell to make him slip so we could get you over here. We knew they would never let you leave after they read the letter. However, once all the paramedics are gone, we can get your school things and get going to the headquarters. Everyone misses you, Harry."
Trying to take all this information in, Harry also was concentrating on the most pressing issue in his mind. "Where's Juliet?" he asked hastily. Lupin grinned and began to laugh. "I thought the two of you might be-"
"Harry!" From behind the two of them, Juliet had walked up and scared the living daylights out of both Harry and Lupin. "I'm so glad to see you!" Lupin clapped Harry on the arm and said, "Excuse me, I have to go help Arabella with breakfast." And with a wink in Harry's direction, he left the doorway. Juliet smiled and turned back towards Harry. "I was afraid that Remus's plan wouldn't work and you wouldn't come. But you're here, and I can tell you now. I wasn't allowed to tell you last night in case there were Death Eaters about, but I'm coming to Hogwarts with you!"
Harry's eyes widened for a second as he took in the information and then a second later, as the good news registered in his mind, picked Juliet up in a hug and spun her around. "Oh," he began, "I'm so glad! I woke up this morning and I got Lupin's message and I was afraid I'd never see you again and I started to run here but Uncle Vernon tripped over the letter and that's why I was so late and-" at this point Harry realized that he was still holding Juliet in his arms, so he quickly let go and stepped back towards the door. Rather uncomfortably, he said, "We'd better go see Mrs. Figg." Harry turned, opened the door, and walked into Mrs. Figg's house, which still smelled of cabbage. Juliet came up from behind him and led the way to the kitchen.
Inside the warm kitchen, Lupin and Mrs. Figg were sitting across from each other sipping tea, with the distinct look of people who had stopped talking very abruptly. "Hello, Harry," exclaimed Mrs. Figg in her rusty voice. "I am so glad to see that you and Juliet met. I just knew that you would like each other. She's my granddaughter, you know." Harry smiled and said, "Yeah, Mrs. Figg, I know. I'm just curious, though, why wouldn't you let her see me during the day?" Mrs. Figg's face fell a bit and she said, very loudly, "Well, Harry, we have tea and toast here, would you like some?" Harry looked from Mrs. Figg to Juliet to Lupin and there was a nasty silence. Finally Lupin spoke. "Listen, Harry, Juliet's mother was recently killed. We don't want to give away Arabella's position and the fact that she has contact with wizards and the Order, and we do NOT want Juliet found by anyone." Juliet stomped her foot at these words and cried, "WHY do you not want them to know where I am? It's not like I'm Harry or anything- seriously- nobody would consider my death very crucial. I am not important in the grand scheme of things." Both adults looked rather uncomfortable, but neither answered her. Lupin merely offered toast to the two teenagers, who sat down rather reluctantly. Juliet picked up "The Daily Prophet" from the table, and proceeded to hide her face behind it as she ate. Harry sat and ate, talking to Mrs. Figg and Lupin about dumb things, such as the O.W.L. s. Lupin told Harry that he was very proud of the seven O.W.L. s that he had achieved, and that Sirius would have been too. Harry became very quiet after that.
Later that day, when Lupin was sure the Dursleys had cleared out, Juliet and Harry went back across the street to collect his books, broomstick, and trunk, Juliet disguised underneath Lupin's Invisibility Cloak. Both were quiet, and neither really knew why. As they hauled Harry's trunk, the last item, down the stairs, Juliet spoke.
"My mother was killed last June. All the parents come to the school during the last week of the year to receive test results and stuff and meet teachers and friends and get their kids. Well, my mom was traveling alone, like always, and she stopped in an inn in Straussburg, and she went to bed that night and she-" Juliet's voice cracked "-well, she never woke up. The inn was swarming with Death Eaters, and she was killed. Randomly. Who knows why." Juliet paused. "Actually, I think that Remus knows why, but he's not telling. Whenever he looks at me, though, he gets all sad eyed and stuff. I've been trying to get it out of him for a long time, but he never gives." Juliet paused again."Can you find out for me? He seems really close to you- like a father almost."
She and Harry set the trunk down at the front door with the rest of his belongings. "I- I can't ask him anything. I really can't, it's just that I think he needs to have his secrets, and there really are reasons for them. When you live with members of the Order, you get used to secrecy. When it's time for you to understand why things happen, you do. If it's not, then you can't expect anything more."
"Harry, just promise me that if he tells you, you will tell me. Please. I need to know why my mother is dead. Don't you ever wonder why your parents are?"
Harry sighed because he knew, but looked at Juliet and thought of all the times he wondered why death had struck him. He knew that he would tell her if he found out. So he nodded and said "Okay, I will tell you, I promise," and it was like the sun set on her face. She walked around the trunk to Harry and kissed him lightly on the cheek. Then she grabbed the Invisibility Cloak, pulled it over herself, and the pair walked outside to where Mrs. Figg was waiting with some sort of a cart. Harry loaded it with all of his things for school, and pushed it back into Mrs. Figg's kitchen, where an emerald green fire told him that they were about to travel by Floo Powder. Lupin took the cart into the fire with him and shouted "NUMBER FOURTEEN, GRIMMUALD DRIVE", and disappeared. Next, Juliet hugged her grandmother goodbye, and walked into the fire, shouting the same words as Lupin had. Finally, Harry, tucking his glasses into his pocket for so he wouldn't lose them, waved goodbye to Mrs. Figg and stepped into the fire.