Author's notes: This was a bit hurriedly written, as I was going on holiday, so apologies if it's a bit crap. Unfortunately, the story didn't load up, so I'm trying again! Gah, silly computer!
Thanks for the reviews, there very encouraging! See you soon! J xxx
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter! So don't sue!
"…"= Speech
(…)= My notes and random comments.
/…/= Thoughts
~*~*= Beginning and ends of chapters, scene changes.
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Harry paced around the Dursley's living room impatiently. Dumbledore was arriving in 10 minuets.
Aunt Petunia didn't look very happy. Uncle Vernon wasn't back yet and Dudley had fled the house as soon as he had heard that a wizard was coming. She was all alone, without and protection.
She sat on the sofa, ridged as a board.
Harry was nervous now. Usually, he went to stay with the Weasley's, not strangers. He was dreading it.
5 minuets to go.
The doorbell rang, causing both of them to jump.
"I'll get it."
Harry walked out the room and up to the door. He steadied himself before opening it.
Dumbledore gave him a small smile then stepped into the house. Harry closed the door immediately behind him.
"Hello Harry. You ready to go?"
Harry nodded.
"Good, I'll help you with your trunk. We're going by carriage, but first, let me talk to your aunt.
Harry directed him into the living room.
Aunt Petunia stood up as soon as Dumbledore entered the room.
"Petunia, good morning."
Petunia gulped, then nodded.
"Dumbledore."
"I'm sorry to intrude like this, but it is important that Harry is moved."
Aunt Petunia nodded.
"Now, I'm sure you're aware that this must be kept as quiet as possible. So, pretend that he's gone to the Weasley's. That will save suspicion."
Aunt Petunia took a shaky breath then answered,
"Fine."
Dumbledore smiled,
"That's good."
He turned to Harry,
"We had better go then. Goodbye Petunia."
She nodded again.
Dumbledore left the room, closely followed by Harry.
With a flick of his wand, Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage was levitated of the ground.
Dumbledore looked outside, incase there were any muggles about, then left the house, followed by Harry's things.
Harry, who was following, stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the carriage.
It was black, and looked like a slightly bigger and newer version of the ones that took him from the train station to school.
And, pulling it, were two Thestrals.
The nearest, stared at him then tossed it's head.
"Come along then Harry," Dumbledore was now sitting down, calling him out of the window.
Harry climbed in,
"To Diagon Ally please."
The carriage started moving.
Harry looked at Dumbledore, puzzled.
"I'm going to stay in Diagon Ally?"
"Oh no, we need to get some money out, I hope you don't mind, but you will have to pay for some of the food. It's not just because you're the visitor, everyone chips in."
"Ok."
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It was now 4:00 in the afternoon.
They were back on the road again, with Harry's purse full of muggle and wizard money.
"Well then Harry, now I think it's time to tell you a little bit more about where and who you will be staying with. 10 years ago, some old friends and I discovered something. We were all teachers, so it was easy to figger out. Wizards are all different in every sense, including the amount of magical power they posses. Some have low, they are usually squibs, most have quite an average amount, and then there are some with large, and sometimes extraordinary power, and it all comes naturally. The latter are hard to identify, but are usually the troublemakers because they are board with lessons. These students are potentially dangerous, if kept like that. Our first case was at Hogwarts; one girl was expelled because of the damage she caused to the school and pupils. That is when we decided to set up a school for them. The teaching would be to their level and they would be given a much better opportunity, they would no longer be pent-up in there own minds, they could become responsible.
The school, which we called the Five Feathers Academy, is quite a success, though, for obvious reasons, there aren't many pupils. I think the largest class is about 9. It is situated in the lovely countryside of Devon, and very near "
Dumbledore smiled at the shocked look on Harry's face.
"Small, I know. It is a boarding school, but some stay on over the summer holidays, because they are in a difficult situation. The group you will be staying with is one of the unluckiest, 4 out of the 6 are in difficult situations. I expect that they will tell you all about it."
Dumbledore fell into silence.
To Harry, he looked old and sad.
"None of the teachers are there at the moment, the houses are looked after by the pupils, and the house keeper comes on Sunday."
Harry nodded.
"You will have all your post," Dumbledore glanced at him, "Delivered to you there, but you mustn't tell anyone where you are. Not even Ron or Hermiony."
Harry nodded reluctantly.
Dumbledore looked out of the window,
"We should be there in half an hour."
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They were traveling down a beaten track, surrounded by fields. Harry was glued to the window, nerves growing within him. His legs were stiff from sitting down for so long.
Dumbledore was humming quietly to himself.
Suddenly, an archway loomed from the top of the hill they were climbing.
Harry gasped, the warm sunlight made it look like it was glowing with a heavenly light. As they drew closer, he saw that it was decorated with mythical creatures and old ruins.
Dumbledore joined him at the window as they passed underneath it.
"Ah, we are in the grounds now, not much longer to go."
From the top of the hill, Harry could see a collection of buildings in the distance. The road widened out and became smoother, and they gradually began to descend.
Harry was puzzled, the buildings seemed odd, in fact, they were collected in the shape of an octagon.
"Why are there 8 buildings?"
"7 are for the pupils, the other is for the teachers."
They had drawn very close now, and the buildings loomed up above them.
The road ran all the way round the back of them, but split up and ran in-between each building, separating it from the others.
The Thestrals made their way down one of the roads between the houses and pulled up outside a door in the side.
Above it was a shiny brass number 4.
The carriage door opened and they both got out.
The sun was behind the building, casting a shadow over them.
Dumbledore got Harry's luggage out of the compartment at the back, then walked over and knocked on the door.
They waited, but there was no answer.
Harry was beginning to feel butterflies in his stomach. The same feeling of expectancy came over him again, just like when he was in the bookshop.
Finally, Dumbledore gave the door a push, only to find it open.
Harry followed him into a kitchen.
It was large and spacious. The walls were pale yellow and everything seemed shiny and new. There were 2 other door's leading of into different places, and a large red Aga stood pride of place, a fan gently humming.
There was a small, scrubbed, wooden table along one wall. Harry sat down.
Dumbledore looked about then walked over to one of the doors, which opened onto a corridor,
"Hello…is anyone here…Alex?" He called.
There was a thundering down the stairs and a squeal,
"Dumbledore!"
Dumbledore laughed slightly, then turned to Harry,
"I know you have already met, but I must introduce you properly. Harry Potter, this is Alex McNeal, my niece."
Harry gaped. A girl of fifteen walked in, blond hair swaying gently, blue eyes glittering.
It was the girl from the bookshop.
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