Authors Notes:-
Hi, this is my Book 6 fic that has currently won the best Action/Adventure
award at DarkMark and is currently winning the voting for Best Portayl of
Harry Potter and Ron Weasley awards. If you like the beginning you will
love it more as it progresses.. As for any fic, feedback is highly
recommended as authors like to know what was good/bad so they can improve.
Thanks and Enjoy:
Harry was making breakfast for his Aunt, Uncle and their whale of a son Dudley when he commented on how unusually hot it was, Harry knew from the instant he said it that it was a mistake because in an instant uncle Vernon's head snapped from watching the television to harry, which must have been quite an accomplishment from someone with the smallest amount of neck harry had ever seen.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Uncle Vernon bellowed and spitting his drink all over Harry in the process.
"Err... I was just saying how hot it had been this summer?" Harry answered not knowing what he had done wrong.
"YOU," Vernon growled almost like he just realised Harry was there. "YOU have something to do with this! I know it and don't you deny it boy!"
Harry was dumbfounded, he had just commented on the weather and was now being interrogated, this wasn't fair. "ANSWER ME YOU . YOU . FREAK!" Vernon's face, now red as a tomato and, if possible, was growing redder, "You did this and your going to change it before I give you a beating and after you do you wont be fed for the rest of the summer you. FILTHY ROTTEN FREAK!"
"What!?" Harry yelled, he was so close to breaking point he could feel his anger burning up inside him, waiting to come out, "Your blaming this stinking weather on me!? You think I enjoy spending the summer here!? You think I got a bit bored so decided to make it hot as hell to add to being worked like a slave!?" Harry was out of control, he was angry, he wanted his wand so he could do something, anything to his uncle. He had been treated like a slave his whole live and now he wasn't going to take it anymore, he couldn't, "I've had enough of this shit!" Harry fumed, letting some of his pent-up anger out.
"Y-You, b-boy, will do-" Vernon began to retort before Harry started again.
"I WILL DO WHAT?" Harry was hysterical, "HUH! WHAT WILL I DO, UNCLE VERNON?" Harry's brilliant green eyes showed fury Vernon had never seen as Harry towered over him.
Harry waited for his uncle to reply, but he knew he wouldn't come so he continued, "You want me to take out the trash!?" Harry asked in a hysterical rage, as he kicked the bin as hard as he could into the wall, leaving a crack and spilling its contents all over the kitchen. "Or perhaps you would like me to do the dishes?!"
Harry took a stack of plates from the bench where he had been preparing food just 10 minutes earlier and smashed them onto the ground where they hit with tremendous force and shattered instantly, "Oh, how about some breakfast?!"
He continued as if this was nothing out of the ordinary, as if this was something he did every day, like a well rehearsed play. Harry took two steps to the fridge and in one push it went crashing to the floor, the television the Dursleys had been watching earlier smashed to the ground with it. Harry's attention focused on Dudley, who was now whimpering in the corner.
"WHAT!" He screamed at Dudley who was now extremely pale, "DID YOU NOT SEE THIS COMING?" He yelled at all three Dursleys now, "DID YOU THINK YOU COULD TREAT ME LIKE NOTHING ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE ME AS YOUR SLAVE THINKING I WOULDN'T DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?" Harry was now so angry that he could of strangled one of them, yet he looked calm as ever.
"C-Calm that temper of yours boy!" Vernon managed to get out.
"How dare you," Harry calmly replied as he left the three Dursleys in the place they had called their kitchen, now it somewhat looked like a massive Earthquake had hit, and walked out of the house knowing where he was going.
*
Harry knocked hard on Miss Figg's door waiting for her to answer, no one answered. He tried again and this time Miss Figg came to the door, she pulled it open and as she saw Harry a smile came to her face, "Harry dear, so nice to see you."
"I need to speak to Dumbledore." Harry said immediately, making it sound like an order.
"I'm sorry Harry. Dumbledore is a bit busy at the moment but-" she managed to get out before Harry cut her off.
"Now, thanks." Harry ordered again. She was just about to answer when she saw his green eyes, usually twinkling and sparkling but now all she saw was anger and coldness.
"S-S-Sure," she stammered in fear. She turned and motioned for Harry to follow her, he followed her into the hall and somehow felt another presence in the house. He put his arm in front of Miss Figg, stopping her from continuing to walk. She opened her mouth to speak but Harry motioned for her to stay silent and get down.
Harry didn't know why he did but instinct just took over, he also had no idea what was in the house with them and also had no idea what he could possibly do without his wand, he had left it in the Dursley's house, forgetting it in his rage.
Harry quietly walked down the hall and heard something, hushed talking, there was maybe two or three people in the next room. Quietly he poked his head into the kitchen and saw two people whispering while they sat at Miss Figg's table with their backs facing Harry. He had no idea what he was doing but he took a step forward-
CREAK!
He had stepped on a loose floorboard, in an instant he saw the two people, obviously wizards, since they reached for their wands and started to spin around to face Harry.
"No!" Harry yelled as he held both of his hands up and willed them stop. There was a flash of green light and Harry collapsed to the floor.
Harry was in pain laying on the floor, he snapped open his eyes and realised his glasses had been knocked off when he hit the floor. Harry was unsure how he was still alive, he saw this green light and he thought it was over, but he had no time to think about that now. He shot out a hand and started clumsily searching around for his glasses so he could see. It suddenly hit him that he couldn't see anything anyway. He panicked and was trying to get up off the floor, which was now much harder due to not being able to see anything. He heard scuffling off to his left.
"What the?" said a confused voice, "Who's there?"
The other wizard shrieked and he heard him yell, with urgency and fear in his voice, "STUN HIM! STUN HIM!"
Harry was up by then and was heading towards the voices swinging his fists out in front of him hoping he would get lucky and hit one of the intruders. The next wizard exclaimed, "Remus! Its Harry!"
Harry's heart lifted, Remus Lupin was here, and Harry knew he was safe, "Remus?" Harry said groggily, not sure what was happening but knowing it was going to be ok, "Its so good to see you." Harry heard a scuffling noise he presumed was Remus since it came from where his voice was, Harry took a few more steps towards Remus and bumped into something hard. It would help if I could see Harry thought desperately willing his eyes to see clearly before asking, "What happ-" "STUPEFY!"
Harry collapsed to the floor. again.
*
Harry was slowly regaining conciseness, his whole body ached as if he had just played a marathon quidditch match. He didn't know why though, he thought hard about where he was. Nothing. He tried to open his eyes but they weren't responding, he also couldn't move a muscle in his entire body. What happened to me? Harry thought hard, he was so tired. green light.. pain.. then he remembered that Remus was there, and someone had stunned him. Why? He searched his brain for answers, hoping he had missed something, Harry's brain screamed at him. no. Harry felt sick, betrayed, angry and worried at the same time. Remus had stunned him, he had screamed "STUN HIM! STUN HIM!" He could remember the urgency in his voice.. the . fear? Before Harry could elaborate further he heard a familiar voice.
"Are you sure you want to see this?" a voice Harry identified as Mrs Weasley, she was quietly crying. He tried to call out, tried to open his eyes, it was hopeless. "He's been like this for four days now, he's still there, but no one knows what's happened to him." Mrs Weasley cried a bit more then managed to get out the next few words, "N-not even Dumbledore," she wailed.
Harry's mind began racing at once. Four days? Why? Remus? Who stunned me? Who's she talking to? Where am I? Not even Dumbledore? Before he could think any more he heard the door slide open.
*
Mrs Weasley slid open the door and Hermione ran in and screamed and Ron stepped in. oh they had been warned, they had been told what to expect. When Ron's eyes lay upon Harry lying there in his bed, he was shocked. They said he was just in something like unconsciousness, but Ron had seen Harry unconscious many times over the years and this . this wasn't it.
Harry lay sprawled on the bed, his arms flung out to either side, his mouth was open while his head just lolled over on its side. He looked paler than any of the Hogwarts ghosts ever did, even the bloody baron. He backed up into the corner, just staring at him, willing him to just jump up and say 'Surprise!', but no, he knew that wasn't going to happen. the reality of the situation hit him, Harry may be like this forever. NO! His mind screamed.
He felt the tears coming and slowly slid down the wall, gasping for air. he buried his face in his hands and started to cry.
*
Yes, Hermione smiled, finally she was allowed to go in and see Harry. After four days of hushed meetings and gatherings of the order they finally agreed to let Hermione and Ron see him. She did not know why they didn't let them in the first place, but she didn't care.
When she saw Dumbledore apparate into Grimmauld place holding a lifeless Harry she didn't know what to think, she follow everyone up to Harry's room and when she was about to step in Dumbledore didn't let her.
"Hermione, Harry has been through a lot today and we think it would be best if you didn't go in at the moment." Dumbledore's voice was as calm as ever. She could tell he was hiding something.
"Just let me see Harry!" She sobbed, Dumbledore slowly shook his head. She found herself getting angry.
"I don't think-"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK! I WANT TO SEE HARRY!" She yelled at him, she didn't care if he was her Headmaster, nothing mattered. Dumbledore didn't flinch, he just remained calm, but she saw it in his eyes. He was worried. "No," She sobbed out, "No, he's going to be okay. Is he?" Nothing needed to be said, she saw it in his eyes. She sunk to the ground in disbelief, gasping for air.
The door slid open and she ran in with Ron slowly following and when she saw Harry she muffled a scream. Harry looked like something out of a horror movie. His mouth hung open, his head rolled over to his side. His arms and legs were in tangles sprawled on either side of him. He was pale, no. He was white, pure white. there was no color left in his body, she was certain even if his eyelids were open and she was able to look into his brilliant green eyes they would probably of turned white.
Shaking, she slowly inched towards him. When she reached the bedside she dropped to her knees as she swept her damp hair from her eyes, it was wet from crying. She looked at Harry, his head was facing her.
With a trembling hand she slowly reached out for his. When she came into contact she was expecting nothing but him to be cold and lifeless, just like he looked. He was still warm, he was still there. She let out a small sigh of relief. Then smiled and squeezed his hand. She waited, hoping he would squeeze back.
Nothing.
She sobbed and was disappointed, she didn't know why she expected him to squeeze back. that's how I always happened in the movies she thought. no, this wasn't a movie and if it were it was a sick, twisted one, no. this was reality and it sucked.
Trembling and crying she carefully sat next to Harry on the bed, she grasped his hand with both of hers and lay her head on his shoulder and cuddled up to him as if he was her favorite pillow.
She just lay there, sub-consciously squeezing his hand every minute or two as she cried herself to sleep on his shoulder.
*
When Harry heard his two best friends enter his room his heart lifted, spirit soared, he felt like he was flying on his firebolt again. High up where he could leave all of his problems and worries back on the ground.
He then felt like he was crashing back down to earth when Hermione screamed. Huh? He was expecting his friends to come and tell him everything would be okay, to make him feel better and make him laugh. Not scream at him.
He heard what was obviously Ron trying to stop himself from crying, he wasn't doing a very good job Harry thought. He sounded something like a dying dog, how when sick go crawl under a hole and wait to die, or recover.
Then he felt Hermione's hand come in contact with his, briefly. She jumped her hand back from his hand when she touched it, like he was carrying some contagious disease. She tried again and took it in both her hands, she squeezed his hand with both of hers, then she held her breath in anticipation.
Harry knew he couldn't squeeze back. She then squeezed harder, Harry was crying out on the inside, he was shattered, knowing he couldn't sooth Hermione's crying and make her feel better.. He was so close, yet so far.
*
Harry slowly opened his eyes and looked around, studying his new surroundings. He saw that he was in the room he and Ron had stayed in the summer before and it was looking positively great. He was now able to see and move, but none of the pain had left his body.
Harry looked down at his chest to see Hermione was still sleeping peacefully, on his chest. "Hermione," Harry coughed out, she kept on sleeping so he tried again, "Hermoine, wakey wakey."
Harry needed her to get off of him, his chest had been slept on all night and it now ached, it even hurt to talk. She slept on. "Herms," Harry said as he slid his hands over her head, like you did when petting a dog. She stirred.
"Mmmm?" she managed to sound, her eyes still shut.
"Herms, I cant breathe properly." Her eyes snapped open and she looked up at Harry, who was smiling weakly down at her, she flung her arms around him and happily shouted.
"HARRY!" as she pulled him into a tight bear hug.
Harry winced in pain, "Hermione, your crushing me!" He said as he managed to ease her off him as he sat up. She beamed up at him, a twinkle in her eyes, "Harry, we've been so worried about you, we thought you might never regain consciousness," she then hugged him and started to cry lightly into his shoulder. Harry was taken aback.
"What's wrong Hermione?" asked Harry with his voice full of concern as he looked down at her, still crying into his shoulder. She looked up into his eyes.
"We. I-I. I thought I'd lost you." She said, her eyes gazing into his.
"Hermione, you know me. You know this is nothing compared to what other things we've done and been through," he said, trying to sound happy and comforting, he was doing a pretty poor job at it, he didn't even believe it himself.
She smiled weakly at him and flung her arms back around him and said, "Come on, everyone will be so happy to see you, they're all so worried," as she helped him onto his feet. "Can you walk? Actually I think it would be best if I got you back in bed and ill go down and bring them up here. You must be in pain."
"No, no, I feel fine," Harry lied as he took a step forward and felt his feet give way to the pressure of his body, he stumbled and fell to his knees, "Er. perhaps not." He said as he held up a hand so Hermione could help him up, admitting defeat.
She laughed, "Harry you big idiot," she said playfully as she held her hand out for him to take but she pulled away at the last second, teasing him.
"Herrmmionnnnneeeee!" Harry said reaching back out a hand.
"Okay, okay!" With a great big smile on her face she helped him up and still supporting him they made their way out of the room and made their way, very slowly, down the stairs.
"Hmm.. I think their all in a meeting right now, well I'm pretty sure they're mostly about you so I don't think they'll mind." Hermione said as fatigue settled in, hauling harry across the house was harder than it would of looked.
As they noisily stepped into the hall he noticed it looked very different, in fact he noticed that the whole house looked very different. Everything was clean and sparkling, all the old things full of dark magic were gone and were now replaced with things like photos of members of the order, beautiful antiques and, in what was the most significant change, he saw that all the portraits of dark wizards and witches had been taken off the walls and now, in there place stood the previous headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dumbledore must of installed second portraits, it was a nice change, not being called a 'DIRTY BLOOD TRAITER', among many other bad things when you stepped into the hall.
"Nice, isn't it?" Hermione commented when she noticed harry was staring around at the new look, 'Noble and most Ancient House of Black.'
Harry attention turned back to Hermione, "Sirius would have been proud of this." It had been the first time he had mentioned his god-fathers death in a while and, suprisingly, he smiled. Hermione beamed right back at him and then they resumed their journey down to the kitchen.
Hermione stepped forward and opened the door, and they stared in at the meeting, it appeared that Dumbledore had been half-way through a speech when he was interrupted. When everyone else noticed Harry and Hermione standing at the door there was many different reactions.
Remus shot up out of his chair, sending it backwards into the wall in the process. Two wizards Harry had never seen quickly flicked their wands and made all the scattered notes and diagrams from the meeting disappear. Mr Weasly beamed at Harry while Mrs Weasly broke down and started to cry while she, also, beamed at him.
"Harry!" yelled Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself as he also got from his chair. They all swarmed to Harry and showered him with hugs, kisses and greetings. Harry looked over Mrs Weaslys shoulder as he, still in pain, hugged her. He saw Snape, the only person still sitting at the table. He looked positively heart-broken. Harry smiled to himself.
Everything was going to be fine.
*
Light had crept in from the window of Harry's room and he groaned when it woke him from the best sleep he had had in years. He quickly turned over to face the other side of his bed so the bright, summer sun was out of his eyes.
Harry let out a big yawn and looked at his bedside table for the time. It was already half past ten but Harry had no intention to get up from his comfortable bed, he just wanted to sleep. Harry yawned again and closed his eyes, trying to get back to sleep.
The sun was so bright that he could feel it on his back. With an angry groan he picked his wand up from his bedside table and with a little flick the room was dark again. "That's better," he told himself and relaxed back into his bed.
Harry could now use magic, even though it was still the summer holidays, because Fudge, Minister for Magic, had arranged it since he was now in the order. Harry liked Fudge a lot better now that he was in the order.
There was so many things Harry had wanted to ask yesterday after he had been swamped by people when he emerged from his five days of 'unconsciousness', but before he knew it he was being forced to eat down some dinner (bacon and eggs) that Mrs Weasly had managed to scrounge up and then he was back up in his bed. Of all the places he could be, they said he needed rest and that they would talk tomorrow.
Harry tried to argue, "I've been resting for five days!" but it was no good, so he just quickly went to sleep thinking the sooner he did the sooner his questions would be answered.
But now that Harry was awake he didn't want to get up, he knew he had been 'resting' for five days but all he wanted to do was sleep. Harry knew he wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep so, reluctantly he got up from his bed feeling refreshed and new.
Harry pulled on some of Dudley's old, worn jeans and a scraggy T- shirt, when he stood up he wondered what had happened to the Dursley's and how there kitchen was, then just as quick as he had wondered he came to the conclusion, Who cares?
Harry opened the door of his room and stepped into the upstairs hallway then made his way down the stairs.
The smell of eggs on toast wafted through the hallway and Harry's stomach gave a tremendous rumble and he just realised how hungry he was. Harry stepped into the kitchen and the only person in there was Mrs Weasly, cooking.
"Harry, dear, sleep alright?" she asked Harry while she popped some more toast into the toaster, she was smiling at him.
"Yeah, best I've had in-in agggeesss-sss," Harry managed to say through a big yawn. Mrs Weasly just smiled back and continued cooking Harry's breakfast. "Mrs Weasly?"
"Yes, dear?" she said absent-mindedly while she levitated some egg shells into the bin with her wand.
"How did you know to make breakfast so it would be done when I was awake?"
She smiled at him, "Percy gave a great gift to the order after he apologized. Take a look!" she said happily pointing to the wall behind him.
Harry felt happy for Mrs Weasly, he knew she was heart-broken when Percy had sided with the ministry over her own family but he was now happy knowing he had apologized and made up with his family. Harry turned around to look at what Mrs Weasly had indicated.
It was a clock just like the one the Weasly family had at the burrow, but this clock was useless for telling the time. Instead, it showed what each of the Weaslys were doing at any given time during the day from travelling to being in mortal peril. Harry studied it closer and realized this one had lots of improvements, instead of showing just the Weasly family, Harry noticed the clock had roughly fifty hands and three times as many situations and even sub-categories in the category. Next to working was lunch-break and slacking off. Harry laughed, but he wondered how on Earth you were meant to tell who's hand is who's without putting your face to it so you could read the names.
Harry thought where Ron and Hermione were at this moment, then, to Harry's astonishment, all the hands but Ron's and Hermione's disappeared at the same time their hands became bigger so you could easily tell the difference between the two. Both of the hands were pointing to the same thing and he followed the hands to where things were written and laughed. Both of them pointing to slacking off. Harry turned back to Mrs Weasly.
"That's really good Mrs Weasly!! Percy outdid himself!"
"I'm glad you like it dear, that clock was what alerted us to your predicament, we were halfway through an important meeting of the order when your hand was on mortal peril. Dumbledore didn't waste any time in getting you. Here you go," she told Harry as she passed him a plate stacked with eggs and toast.
"Mrs Weasly," Harry said as he took the plate and placed it on the table, "About that, why was I like I was for five days?" Harry wondered, he needed his questions answered.
"Harry, dear, the order is having a meeting tonight and we will all explain what happened to the best of our abilities," she smiled and turned her attention to the food she cooked, "Now eat up! Then you can join Ron and Hermione at Diagon Alley."
Harry sat down and just as he was about to raise a piece of egg on toast to his mouth he remembered the clock, turned around and looked. He couldn't see anything again, then remembered it seemed to work when you thought about who you wanted to see.
A moment later Ron's and Hermione's hands appeared and they were still pointing to slacking off and switching quickly to laughing then back to slacking off. Harry stared at it for a few seconds and it kept switching from the two actions as if it couldn't make up its mind. "Mrs Weasly?" Harry asked still staring at the clock.
"Yes, dear?" she asked while cleaning the mess she had made while making Harry breakfast.
"I was just wondering, you said I could go join Ron and Hermione at Diagon Ally, but their hands are pointing at slacking off and laughing, what are they doing there? Working?" Harry asked still confused at what was happening.
"Yes, they are running the store for Fred and George."
"Cool. but why is their hands pointing to slacking off?" Harry asked curiously.
"Well. The clock doesn't exactly take running a joke shop as 'working'," she laughed, "After-all, Percy made it."
It was Harry's turn to laugh, "Why are they running the shop for Fred and George?" Harry wondered out-loud, thinking Fred and George wouldn't dare spend a day away from their beloved creation.
"They are currently busy working on the opening of their Hogsmeade branch of Weaslys Wizard Wheezes. It should be open before your first Hogsmeade weekend, so they left us in charge!" she replied happily.
"Wow, I didn't know their joke shop would be that good! It hasn't been long and they are already opening a new shop. Good on them, you should be proud of them, Mrs Weasly."
Tears of joy came to her eyes and she said, "More proud than they'll ever know!"
And with that she mischievously pulled a packet of Canary Creams from her pocket and threw them to Harry, "Leave some for me!" she warned with a grin on her face. They both laughed.
After eating his breakfast Harry hurried up to his room and took a quick, refreshing shower. He quickly got changed and was just about to leave the room when he saw himself in the mirror in the bathroom that's was joined to his room, something wasn't right. something was different. With a feeling of uncertainty he stepped in front of the mirror and started studying himself.
His jet-black hair was as messy as it had ever been, he now knew it was futile to attempt to tame it, and laying around for the previous five days had made it, if possible, messier than it had ever been, even by Harry's low standards. His eyes then noticed that he had grown nearly an inch over the two weeks he had been away from Hogwarts, he felt proud of this achievement. His eyes then fell upon. his. eyes.
Harry jumped, finally realizing what wasn't right, he didn't have his glasses on and he had still perfect vision in both eyes. He didn't know what caused it, but he would of bet all his gold and his firebolt that it had something to do with what happened five days ago. It took him a great deal of control to stop from rushing downstairs and demanding someone gave him some answers, but somehow, he didn't think anyone knew. They were just all to happy to see him alive and well that they probably didn't notice, so he told himself he would ask about it tonight, and until then not to worry about it.
Downstairs, Harry found Mrs Weasly in the kitchen and she looked up, "Ready, dear?"
"Yep!" he answered happily, he had a feeling today was going to be. better from the past five days. Duh. Harry thought feeling stupid, anything is better than spending five days trapped like a prisoner in your own body.
"Okay, follow me, I need to stock up on some unicorn tails so I might as well go in now and get it." She headed out of the room and Harry followed.
"Unicorn tails? Wouldn't they be extremely rare and expensive?" Harry thought out loud, knowing unicorns aren't easy to come by.
"Yeah, very rare, but Dumbledore has his contacts in high places and told me a place I could pick some up with minimum hassle in Knockturn Ally," Mrs Weasly answered leading Harry into what used to be a blocked hallway of Grimmauld Place that was now covered in fireplaces, on both sides of the hallway. Harry had a strange sense that he had been here before, then he remembered this was very much like the ministry of magic.
"Wow," Harry said dumbfounded, something just struck him, "I had no idea the order was so big!"
"Well, Harry dear, with the minister behind us you'd be surprised, you'll be seeing people from the order in places you wouldn't have thought possible," she said looking around, "Dumbledore has called for a big meeting tonight so that's why no one is here right now, It's usually booming with people. Fudge had to buy out both the houses next to this one so plans could commence, building is still in progress but it should be finished by the time you're back at Hogwarts."
"Plans? Plans for what?"
"Oh, Harry. I've really just remembered how much has happened that you wouldn't know about since school ended. I'm sure Dumbledore will fill you in tonight but we best be off," she said holding out some floo power to Harry and he threw it into the fire and stepped in. The green flames gently licking his legs.
Harry yelled, "Diagon Alley!" and he jolted and spun very fast, felling like he was being swept down a massive plug-hole. Just as soon as it had started it had stopped. Feeling like he could throw up and second he slowly stepped out of the massive fireplace. He never did get used to travelling by floo powder, he didn't think he ever would. He would take his broomstick over travelling by floo powder any day. He felt slightly better now he had stopped for a quick breather.
Harry looked around himself and studied the busy street of Diagon Ally, the place was alive with laughter and excited voices, that was only to be expected when you were in Diagon Ally. It was the biggest non-muggle street in all of Britain and was one of the only places young wizards and witches could shop and hang out in their holidays, minus Hogsmeade of course.
Harry's eyes fell on it at once, it was packed with people all talking excitedly and Harry saw people walking out of the shop with their hands crammed with Canary Creams, Nosebleed Nougats, Puking Pastilles, Extendable Ears and many other new inventions the Weasly brothers have thought of. Harry smiled and made his way over to the shop and stepped inside. It was quite a sight, shelves packed full of sweets and tricks, hundreds and hundreds of them. There was an excited and tense atmosphere that swallowed you as soon as you entered the shop.
Harry made his way over to a large group of people surrounding the counter and looked what they were looking at. On, if you call it on, the counter he saw Ron and Hermione laughing as they floated around the air bumping into each other and beaming down at the crowd when they landed back down on the counter. The crowd cheered and asked for more. His remembered the sign he saw on his way in that said there would be testing of new products and this must be it.
Then Ron's magically amplified voice boomed over the crowd, "You've seen us do it now you can, today, only with every purchase of the Weasly Party Pack you will receive not one, not two, but three, that's right, THREE, FREE 'FLOATING FUDGE-CAKES'!"
The crowd cheered, screamed and yelled all rushing to be the first in line at the counter to get their hands on the new product. Harry couldn't believe it, Ron was a great at selling things, he was a natural salesman. Harry had the feeling Ron would be working with his brothers permanently sooner or later.
"Hey guys!" he shouted as he jumped over the counter, he found it rather amusing as they were rushing like mad-men around the counter area grabbing things and selling them to the impatient crowd.
"HARRY!" Ron yelled as he ran up to him with a big grin on his face, "How are ya, mate?" he asked and before he could answer Ron gave Harry a bone crushing hug while he whacked him on the back a little too hard due to his excitement.
"Well I felt great, before you decided to break my back, that is," he answered happily with a big, stupid grin on his face. "Ron, this place is amazing, your brothers sure know what they're doing." He said in awe, still absorbing his surroundings.
"Yeah, I'm psyched they left me in charge. They're even paying me a ton of money, too. And I even get to-" Ron said before Hermione interrupted.
"Guys! Perhaps you don't see the people in front of you yelling and screaming for service, and are on the brink of starting a riot, but I do! HELP!" she said, half hysterical. Typical Hermione. Harry laughed to himself.
"Oh, sorry. Harry help us out, once we get through selling this stuff we can test out Fred and George's best invention yet." Ron exclaimed, unable to contain his glee. Harry thought about asking but thought it would be best if he didn't for some reason.
Then he joined them and found that it wasn't as amusing as it looked, after fifteen minutes of franticly trying to deal with the horde of over excited people they finally had served all of them. Ron jumped up onto the counter again and motioned for Harry and Hermione to do so.
Harry jumped up onto the counter and helped Hermione up and then looked over the happy crowd, all eyes gazing into theirs, Ron hadn't even said anything and everyone waited in silence. I could get used to this. Harry thought.
Ron took out his wand and pointed it at his throat and muttered, "Sonorus!"
"What you are about to witness has never, in history, been done before!" Ron looked down at the crowd who whispered quietly and excitedly about what they had just heard. Then Ron's voice boomed over the crowd again, "I can hear you all thinking, what is it? What hasn't been done before? Fire breathing? Nah, that's been done. Flying? No, too easy. But instead of shouting false promises and dreams, I thought I'd show you."
In a flash of red flames Ron was no longer standing on the counter, but flying around the room, to everyone's shock, including both Harry's and Hermione's, in the form of a Phoenix. Harry heard everyone 'Ooooohh' and 'Aahhhh', he was one of them.
The phoenix flew gracefully around the rooms then in a quick flash of bright flames it was now on the other side of the room, the crowd was stunned even more. Whispers of 'How did he do that?' swept over the room.
Harry and Hermione seemed to be the only ones who knew what had happened though, phoenixes' were perhaps the rarest and most magical of all living creatures. They carried their own brand of magic, enabling them to teleport from one place to another in a flash of fire, just last year Harry had seen Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, do the same thing to help Dumbledore escape from Hogwarts.
Then the phoenix disappeared in a flash of flames again, then reappeared on the other side of the room, then again another flash and he was on the side of the store. All eyes were trained on him, like they were watching one big tennis rally. Ron kept doing this so fast so people just got glimpses of flame, 'There!', 'No there!' people were yelling and pointing trying to follow his movements. It was impossible, Ron flashed around the room like a phoenix on speed for the next minute then with another flash of flame an eagle now flew around the room.
It swooped down onto the counter then in a confusion of feathers a monkey now stood next in the middle of Harry and Hermione ('Ooooooo!'), it then kissed Hermione on the cheek and she screamed while her face contorted in disgust and she kicked the monkey hard in the leg.
The room broke out into laughter then into whistles, screams, and claps as Ron was standing before them again. His arms raised in the air asking for more. Harry had never heard such noise, not even at the Quidditch World Cup. Harry, and even Hermione, who seemed to have forgotten a monkey kissing her, tried there best to compete with the screaming crowd.
"How about that!" Ron boomed and somehow, the crowd got louder, "I present to you, a WEASLY WIZARD WHEEZES only.. ANIMAGCAKES!" The crowd cheered some more before Ron continued, "Now YOU can change into any animal you desire just by popping a piece of this cake into your mouth, and without a hint of animagical talent! Your not going to believe this, it lasts for TWENTY FOUR HOURS!"
The crowd gasped, Hermione loudest, Harry just managed to contain laughter when he saw Hermione mouth the words, 'Three Owls?', a pained expression on her face. Harry knew she was talking about Fred and George.
Ron continued, "Animagcakes are available in three sizes, the quick snack," he said as he pointed to the small block of cake, "The Far-Out Feast," Harry laughed, Fred and George were geniuses in there own right, but he just had to wonder if it was them or a three year old that came up with these names, "AND THE PARTY ANIMAL SIZE! AND RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE PARTYING!" Ron boomed.
With a flick of his wand massive, cakes appeared all over the room and the crowd all cheered in appreciation for Ron's kind gesture and in minutes the room was full of all different kinds of animals and magical creatures, from house-elves to unicorns to eagles and snakes, soon the fun spilled out into the street of Diagon Ally. A passer-by would assume that all the animals had escaped from the zoo and were on a rampage down Diagon Ally, and some certainly thought so as they ran into shops in fear.
Before everything got too out of hand ministry officials had issued them a warning and they were told to round up all products sold and close down for the day. It was nearly tea time and Harry's stomach rumbled as he thought of dinner.
Harry, Ron and Hermione made there way to the fireplace, laughing and joking around and one by one they floo'ed back into Grimmauld Place and found Mrs Weasly waiting for them, with a seriousness in her voice she spoke, "Harry, dear. They're all waiting for you."
Finally. he was going to get some answers.
Harry was making breakfast for his Aunt, Uncle and their whale of a son Dudley when he commented on how unusually hot it was, Harry knew from the instant he said it that it was a mistake because in an instant uncle Vernon's head snapped from watching the television to harry, which must have been quite an accomplishment from someone with the smallest amount of neck harry had ever seen.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY?" Uncle Vernon bellowed and spitting his drink all over Harry in the process.
"Err... I was just saying how hot it had been this summer?" Harry answered not knowing what he had done wrong.
"YOU," Vernon growled almost like he just realised Harry was there. "YOU have something to do with this! I know it and don't you deny it boy!"
Harry was dumbfounded, he had just commented on the weather and was now being interrogated, this wasn't fair. "ANSWER ME YOU . YOU . FREAK!" Vernon's face, now red as a tomato and, if possible, was growing redder, "You did this and your going to change it before I give you a beating and after you do you wont be fed for the rest of the summer you. FILTHY ROTTEN FREAK!"
"What!?" Harry yelled, he was so close to breaking point he could feel his anger burning up inside him, waiting to come out, "Your blaming this stinking weather on me!? You think I enjoy spending the summer here!? You think I got a bit bored so decided to make it hot as hell to add to being worked like a slave!?" Harry was out of control, he was angry, he wanted his wand so he could do something, anything to his uncle. He had been treated like a slave his whole live and now he wasn't going to take it anymore, he couldn't, "I've had enough of this shit!" Harry fumed, letting some of his pent-up anger out.
"Y-You, b-boy, will do-" Vernon began to retort before Harry started again.
"I WILL DO WHAT?" Harry was hysterical, "HUH! WHAT WILL I DO, UNCLE VERNON?" Harry's brilliant green eyes showed fury Vernon had never seen as Harry towered over him.
Harry waited for his uncle to reply, but he knew he wouldn't come so he continued, "You want me to take out the trash!?" Harry asked in a hysterical rage, as he kicked the bin as hard as he could into the wall, leaving a crack and spilling its contents all over the kitchen. "Or perhaps you would like me to do the dishes?!"
Harry took a stack of plates from the bench where he had been preparing food just 10 minutes earlier and smashed them onto the ground where they hit with tremendous force and shattered instantly, "Oh, how about some breakfast?!"
He continued as if this was nothing out of the ordinary, as if this was something he did every day, like a well rehearsed play. Harry took two steps to the fridge and in one push it went crashing to the floor, the television the Dursleys had been watching earlier smashed to the ground with it. Harry's attention focused on Dudley, who was now whimpering in the corner.
"WHAT!" He screamed at Dudley who was now extremely pale, "DID YOU NOT SEE THIS COMING?" He yelled at all three Dursleys now, "DID YOU THINK YOU COULD TREAT ME LIKE NOTHING ALL MY LIFE AND HAVE ME AS YOUR SLAVE THINKING I WOULDN'T DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS?" Harry was now so angry that he could of strangled one of them, yet he looked calm as ever.
"C-Calm that temper of yours boy!" Vernon managed to get out.
"How dare you," Harry calmly replied as he left the three Dursleys in the place they had called their kitchen, now it somewhat looked like a massive Earthquake had hit, and walked out of the house knowing where he was going.
*
Harry knocked hard on Miss Figg's door waiting for her to answer, no one answered. He tried again and this time Miss Figg came to the door, she pulled it open and as she saw Harry a smile came to her face, "Harry dear, so nice to see you."
"I need to speak to Dumbledore." Harry said immediately, making it sound like an order.
"I'm sorry Harry. Dumbledore is a bit busy at the moment but-" she managed to get out before Harry cut her off.
"Now, thanks." Harry ordered again. She was just about to answer when she saw his green eyes, usually twinkling and sparkling but now all she saw was anger and coldness.
"S-S-Sure," she stammered in fear. She turned and motioned for Harry to follow her, he followed her into the hall and somehow felt another presence in the house. He put his arm in front of Miss Figg, stopping her from continuing to walk. She opened her mouth to speak but Harry motioned for her to stay silent and get down.
Harry didn't know why he did but instinct just took over, he also had no idea what was in the house with them and also had no idea what he could possibly do without his wand, he had left it in the Dursley's house, forgetting it in his rage.
Harry quietly walked down the hall and heard something, hushed talking, there was maybe two or three people in the next room. Quietly he poked his head into the kitchen and saw two people whispering while they sat at Miss Figg's table with their backs facing Harry. He had no idea what he was doing but he took a step forward-
CREAK!
He had stepped on a loose floorboard, in an instant he saw the two people, obviously wizards, since they reached for their wands and started to spin around to face Harry.
"No!" Harry yelled as he held both of his hands up and willed them stop. There was a flash of green light and Harry collapsed to the floor.
Harry was in pain laying on the floor, he snapped open his eyes and realised his glasses had been knocked off when he hit the floor. Harry was unsure how he was still alive, he saw this green light and he thought it was over, but he had no time to think about that now. He shot out a hand and started clumsily searching around for his glasses so he could see. It suddenly hit him that he couldn't see anything anyway. He panicked and was trying to get up off the floor, which was now much harder due to not being able to see anything. He heard scuffling off to his left.
"What the?" said a confused voice, "Who's there?"
The other wizard shrieked and he heard him yell, with urgency and fear in his voice, "STUN HIM! STUN HIM!"
Harry was up by then and was heading towards the voices swinging his fists out in front of him hoping he would get lucky and hit one of the intruders. The next wizard exclaimed, "Remus! Its Harry!"
Harry's heart lifted, Remus Lupin was here, and Harry knew he was safe, "Remus?" Harry said groggily, not sure what was happening but knowing it was going to be ok, "Its so good to see you." Harry heard a scuffling noise he presumed was Remus since it came from where his voice was, Harry took a few more steps towards Remus and bumped into something hard. It would help if I could see Harry thought desperately willing his eyes to see clearly before asking, "What happ-" "STUPEFY!"
Harry collapsed to the floor. again.
*
Harry was slowly regaining conciseness, his whole body ached as if he had just played a marathon quidditch match. He didn't know why though, he thought hard about where he was. Nothing. He tried to open his eyes but they weren't responding, he also couldn't move a muscle in his entire body. What happened to me? Harry thought hard, he was so tired. green light.. pain.. then he remembered that Remus was there, and someone had stunned him. Why? He searched his brain for answers, hoping he had missed something, Harry's brain screamed at him. no. Harry felt sick, betrayed, angry and worried at the same time. Remus had stunned him, he had screamed "STUN HIM! STUN HIM!" He could remember the urgency in his voice.. the . fear? Before Harry could elaborate further he heard a familiar voice.
"Are you sure you want to see this?" a voice Harry identified as Mrs Weasley, she was quietly crying. He tried to call out, tried to open his eyes, it was hopeless. "He's been like this for four days now, he's still there, but no one knows what's happened to him." Mrs Weasley cried a bit more then managed to get out the next few words, "N-not even Dumbledore," she wailed.
Harry's mind began racing at once. Four days? Why? Remus? Who stunned me? Who's she talking to? Where am I? Not even Dumbledore? Before he could think any more he heard the door slide open.
*
Mrs Weasley slid open the door and Hermione ran in and screamed and Ron stepped in. oh they had been warned, they had been told what to expect. When Ron's eyes lay upon Harry lying there in his bed, he was shocked. They said he was just in something like unconsciousness, but Ron had seen Harry unconscious many times over the years and this . this wasn't it.
Harry lay sprawled on the bed, his arms flung out to either side, his mouth was open while his head just lolled over on its side. He looked paler than any of the Hogwarts ghosts ever did, even the bloody baron. He backed up into the corner, just staring at him, willing him to just jump up and say 'Surprise!', but no, he knew that wasn't going to happen. the reality of the situation hit him, Harry may be like this forever. NO! His mind screamed.
He felt the tears coming and slowly slid down the wall, gasping for air. he buried his face in his hands and started to cry.
*
Yes, Hermione smiled, finally she was allowed to go in and see Harry. After four days of hushed meetings and gatherings of the order they finally agreed to let Hermione and Ron see him. She did not know why they didn't let them in the first place, but she didn't care.
When she saw Dumbledore apparate into Grimmauld place holding a lifeless Harry she didn't know what to think, she follow everyone up to Harry's room and when she was about to step in Dumbledore didn't let her.
"Hermione, Harry has been through a lot today and we think it would be best if you didn't go in at the moment." Dumbledore's voice was as calm as ever. She could tell he was hiding something.
"Just let me see Harry!" She sobbed, Dumbledore slowly shook his head. She found herself getting angry.
"I don't think-"
"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK! I WANT TO SEE HARRY!" She yelled at him, she didn't care if he was her Headmaster, nothing mattered. Dumbledore didn't flinch, he just remained calm, but she saw it in his eyes. He was worried. "No," She sobbed out, "No, he's going to be okay. Is he?" Nothing needed to be said, she saw it in his eyes. She sunk to the ground in disbelief, gasping for air.
The door slid open and she ran in with Ron slowly following and when she saw Harry she muffled a scream. Harry looked like something out of a horror movie. His mouth hung open, his head rolled over to his side. His arms and legs were in tangles sprawled on either side of him. He was pale, no. He was white, pure white. there was no color left in his body, she was certain even if his eyelids were open and she was able to look into his brilliant green eyes they would probably of turned white.
Shaking, she slowly inched towards him. When she reached the bedside she dropped to her knees as she swept her damp hair from her eyes, it was wet from crying. She looked at Harry, his head was facing her.
With a trembling hand she slowly reached out for his. When she came into contact she was expecting nothing but him to be cold and lifeless, just like he looked. He was still warm, he was still there. She let out a small sigh of relief. Then smiled and squeezed his hand. She waited, hoping he would squeeze back.
Nothing.
She sobbed and was disappointed, she didn't know why she expected him to squeeze back. that's how I always happened in the movies she thought. no, this wasn't a movie and if it were it was a sick, twisted one, no. this was reality and it sucked.
Trembling and crying she carefully sat next to Harry on the bed, she grasped his hand with both of hers and lay her head on his shoulder and cuddled up to him as if he was her favorite pillow.
She just lay there, sub-consciously squeezing his hand every minute or two as she cried herself to sleep on his shoulder.
*
When Harry heard his two best friends enter his room his heart lifted, spirit soared, he felt like he was flying on his firebolt again. High up where he could leave all of his problems and worries back on the ground.
He then felt like he was crashing back down to earth when Hermione screamed. Huh? He was expecting his friends to come and tell him everything would be okay, to make him feel better and make him laugh. Not scream at him.
He heard what was obviously Ron trying to stop himself from crying, he wasn't doing a very good job Harry thought. He sounded something like a dying dog, how when sick go crawl under a hole and wait to die, or recover.
Then he felt Hermione's hand come in contact with his, briefly. She jumped her hand back from his hand when she touched it, like he was carrying some contagious disease. She tried again and took it in both her hands, she squeezed his hand with both of hers, then she held her breath in anticipation.
Harry knew he couldn't squeeze back. She then squeezed harder, Harry was crying out on the inside, he was shattered, knowing he couldn't sooth Hermione's crying and make her feel better.. He was so close, yet so far.
*
Harry slowly opened his eyes and looked around, studying his new surroundings. He saw that he was in the room he and Ron had stayed in the summer before and it was looking positively great. He was now able to see and move, but none of the pain had left his body.
Harry looked down at his chest to see Hermione was still sleeping peacefully, on his chest. "Hermione," Harry coughed out, she kept on sleeping so he tried again, "Hermoine, wakey wakey."
Harry needed her to get off of him, his chest had been slept on all night and it now ached, it even hurt to talk. She slept on. "Herms," Harry said as he slid his hands over her head, like you did when petting a dog. She stirred.
"Mmmm?" she managed to sound, her eyes still shut.
"Herms, I cant breathe properly." Her eyes snapped open and she looked up at Harry, who was smiling weakly down at her, she flung her arms around him and happily shouted.
"HARRY!" as she pulled him into a tight bear hug.
Harry winced in pain, "Hermione, your crushing me!" He said as he managed to ease her off him as he sat up. She beamed up at him, a twinkle in her eyes, "Harry, we've been so worried about you, we thought you might never regain consciousness," she then hugged him and started to cry lightly into his shoulder. Harry was taken aback.
"What's wrong Hermione?" asked Harry with his voice full of concern as he looked down at her, still crying into his shoulder. She looked up into his eyes.
"We. I-I. I thought I'd lost you." She said, her eyes gazing into his.
"Hermione, you know me. You know this is nothing compared to what other things we've done and been through," he said, trying to sound happy and comforting, he was doing a pretty poor job at it, he didn't even believe it himself.
She smiled weakly at him and flung her arms back around him and said, "Come on, everyone will be so happy to see you, they're all so worried," as she helped him onto his feet. "Can you walk? Actually I think it would be best if I got you back in bed and ill go down and bring them up here. You must be in pain."
"No, no, I feel fine," Harry lied as he took a step forward and felt his feet give way to the pressure of his body, he stumbled and fell to his knees, "Er. perhaps not." He said as he held up a hand so Hermione could help him up, admitting defeat.
She laughed, "Harry you big idiot," she said playfully as she held her hand out for him to take but she pulled away at the last second, teasing him.
"Herrmmionnnnneeeee!" Harry said reaching back out a hand.
"Okay, okay!" With a great big smile on her face she helped him up and still supporting him they made their way out of the room and made their way, very slowly, down the stairs.
"Hmm.. I think their all in a meeting right now, well I'm pretty sure they're mostly about you so I don't think they'll mind." Hermione said as fatigue settled in, hauling harry across the house was harder than it would of looked.
As they noisily stepped into the hall he noticed it looked very different, in fact he noticed that the whole house looked very different. Everything was clean and sparkling, all the old things full of dark magic were gone and were now replaced with things like photos of members of the order, beautiful antiques and, in what was the most significant change, he saw that all the portraits of dark wizards and witches had been taken off the walls and now, in there place stood the previous headmasters and headmistresses of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Dumbledore must of installed second portraits, it was a nice change, not being called a 'DIRTY BLOOD TRAITER', among many other bad things when you stepped into the hall.
"Nice, isn't it?" Hermione commented when she noticed harry was staring around at the new look, 'Noble and most Ancient House of Black.'
Harry attention turned back to Hermione, "Sirius would have been proud of this." It had been the first time he had mentioned his god-fathers death in a while and, suprisingly, he smiled. Hermione beamed right back at him and then they resumed their journey down to the kitchen.
Hermione stepped forward and opened the door, and they stared in at the meeting, it appeared that Dumbledore had been half-way through a speech when he was interrupted. When everyone else noticed Harry and Hermione standing at the door there was many different reactions.
Remus shot up out of his chair, sending it backwards into the wall in the process. Two wizards Harry had never seen quickly flicked their wands and made all the scattered notes and diagrams from the meeting disappear. Mr Weasly beamed at Harry while Mrs Weasly broke down and started to cry while she, also, beamed at him.
"Harry!" yelled Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself as he also got from his chair. They all swarmed to Harry and showered him with hugs, kisses and greetings. Harry looked over Mrs Weaslys shoulder as he, still in pain, hugged her. He saw Snape, the only person still sitting at the table. He looked positively heart-broken. Harry smiled to himself.
Everything was going to be fine.
*
Light had crept in from the window of Harry's room and he groaned when it woke him from the best sleep he had had in years. He quickly turned over to face the other side of his bed so the bright, summer sun was out of his eyes.
Harry let out a big yawn and looked at his bedside table for the time. It was already half past ten but Harry had no intention to get up from his comfortable bed, he just wanted to sleep. Harry yawned again and closed his eyes, trying to get back to sleep.
The sun was so bright that he could feel it on his back. With an angry groan he picked his wand up from his bedside table and with a little flick the room was dark again. "That's better," he told himself and relaxed back into his bed.
Harry could now use magic, even though it was still the summer holidays, because Fudge, Minister for Magic, had arranged it since he was now in the order. Harry liked Fudge a lot better now that he was in the order.
There was so many things Harry had wanted to ask yesterday after he had been swamped by people when he emerged from his five days of 'unconsciousness', but before he knew it he was being forced to eat down some dinner (bacon and eggs) that Mrs Weasly had managed to scrounge up and then he was back up in his bed. Of all the places he could be, they said he needed rest and that they would talk tomorrow.
Harry tried to argue, "I've been resting for five days!" but it was no good, so he just quickly went to sleep thinking the sooner he did the sooner his questions would be answered.
But now that Harry was awake he didn't want to get up, he knew he had been 'resting' for five days but all he wanted to do was sleep. Harry knew he wasn't going to be able to get back to sleep so, reluctantly he got up from his bed feeling refreshed and new.
Harry pulled on some of Dudley's old, worn jeans and a scraggy T- shirt, when he stood up he wondered what had happened to the Dursley's and how there kitchen was, then just as quick as he had wondered he came to the conclusion, Who cares?
Harry opened the door of his room and stepped into the upstairs hallway then made his way down the stairs.
The smell of eggs on toast wafted through the hallway and Harry's stomach gave a tremendous rumble and he just realised how hungry he was. Harry stepped into the kitchen and the only person in there was Mrs Weasly, cooking.
"Harry, dear, sleep alright?" she asked Harry while she popped some more toast into the toaster, she was smiling at him.
"Yeah, best I've had in-in agggeesss-sss," Harry managed to say through a big yawn. Mrs Weasly just smiled back and continued cooking Harry's breakfast. "Mrs Weasly?"
"Yes, dear?" she said absent-mindedly while she levitated some egg shells into the bin with her wand.
"How did you know to make breakfast so it would be done when I was awake?"
She smiled at him, "Percy gave a great gift to the order after he apologized. Take a look!" she said happily pointing to the wall behind him.
Harry felt happy for Mrs Weasly, he knew she was heart-broken when Percy had sided with the ministry over her own family but he was now happy knowing he had apologized and made up with his family. Harry turned around to look at what Mrs Weasly had indicated.
It was a clock just like the one the Weasly family had at the burrow, but this clock was useless for telling the time. Instead, it showed what each of the Weaslys were doing at any given time during the day from travelling to being in mortal peril. Harry studied it closer and realized this one had lots of improvements, instead of showing just the Weasly family, Harry noticed the clock had roughly fifty hands and three times as many situations and even sub-categories in the category. Next to working was lunch-break and slacking off. Harry laughed, but he wondered how on Earth you were meant to tell who's hand is who's without putting your face to it so you could read the names.
Harry thought where Ron and Hermione were at this moment, then, to Harry's astonishment, all the hands but Ron's and Hermione's disappeared at the same time their hands became bigger so you could easily tell the difference between the two. Both of the hands were pointing to the same thing and he followed the hands to where things were written and laughed. Both of them pointing to slacking off. Harry turned back to Mrs Weasly.
"That's really good Mrs Weasly!! Percy outdid himself!"
"I'm glad you like it dear, that clock was what alerted us to your predicament, we were halfway through an important meeting of the order when your hand was on mortal peril. Dumbledore didn't waste any time in getting you. Here you go," she told Harry as she passed him a plate stacked with eggs and toast.
"Mrs Weasly," Harry said as he took the plate and placed it on the table, "About that, why was I like I was for five days?" Harry wondered, he needed his questions answered.
"Harry, dear, the order is having a meeting tonight and we will all explain what happened to the best of our abilities," she smiled and turned her attention to the food she cooked, "Now eat up! Then you can join Ron and Hermione at Diagon Alley."
Harry sat down and just as he was about to raise a piece of egg on toast to his mouth he remembered the clock, turned around and looked. He couldn't see anything again, then remembered it seemed to work when you thought about who you wanted to see.
A moment later Ron's and Hermione's hands appeared and they were still pointing to slacking off and switching quickly to laughing then back to slacking off. Harry stared at it for a few seconds and it kept switching from the two actions as if it couldn't make up its mind. "Mrs Weasly?" Harry asked still staring at the clock.
"Yes, dear?" she asked while cleaning the mess she had made while making Harry breakfast.
"I was just wondering, you said I could go join Ron and Hermione at Diagon Ally, but their hands are pointing at slacking off and laughing, what are they doing there? Working?" Harry asked still confused at what was happening.
"Yes, they are running the store for Fred and George."
"Cool. but why is their hands pointing to slacking off?" Harry asked curiously.
"Well. The clock doesn't exactly take running a joke shop as 'working'," she laughed, "After-all, Percy made it."
It was Harry's turn to laugh, "Why are they running the shop for Fred and George?" Harry wondered out-loud, thinking Fred and George wouldn't dare spend a day away from their beloved creation.
"They are currently busy working on the opening of their Hogsmeade branch of Weaslys Wizard Wheezes. It should be open before your first Hogsmeade weekend, so they left us in charge!" she replied happily.
"Wow, I didn't know their joke shop would be that good! It hasn't been long and they are already opening a new shop. Good on them, you should be proud of them, Mrs Weasly."
Tears of joy came to her eyes and she said, "More proud than they'll ever know!"
And with that she mischievously pulled a packet of Canary Creams from her pocket and threw them to Harry, "Leave some for me!" she warned with a grin on her face. They both laughed.
After eating his breakfast Harry hurried up to his room and took a quick, refreshing shower. He quickly got changed and was just about to leave the room when he saw himself in the mirror in the bathroom that's was joined to his room, something wasn't right. something was different. With a feeling of uncertainty he stepped in front of the mirror and started studying himself.
His jet-black hair was as messy as it had ever been, he now knew it was futile to attempt to tame it, and laying around for the previous five days had made it, if possible, messier than it had ever been, even by Harry's low standards. His eyes then noticed that he had grown nearly an inch over the two weeks he had been away from Hogwarts, he felt proud of this achievement. His eyes then fell upon. his. eyes.
Harry jumped, finally realizing what wasn't right, he didn't have his glasses on and he had still perfect vision in both eyes. He didn't know what caused it, but he would of bet all his gold and his firebolt that it had something to do with what happened five days ago. It took him a great deal of control to stop from rushing downstairs and demanding someone gave him some answers, but somehow, he didn't think anyone knew. They were just all to happy to see him alive and well that they probably didn't notice, so he told himself he would ask about it tonight, and until then not to worry about it.
Downstairs, Harry found Mrs Weasly in the kitchen and she looked up, "Ready, dear?"
"Yep!" he answered happily, he had a feeling today was going to be. better from the past five days. Duh. Harry thought feeling stupid, anything is better than spending five days trapped like a prisoner in your own body.
"Okay, follow me, I need to stock up on some unicorn tails so I might as well go in now and get it." She headed out of the room and Harry followed.
"Unicorn tails? Wouldn't they be extremely rare and expensive?" Harry thought out loud, knowing unicorns aren't easy to come by.
"Yeah, very rare, but Dumbledore has his contacts in high places and told me a place I could pick some up with minimum hassle in Knockturn Ally," Mrs Weasly answered leading Harry into what used to be a blocked hallway of Grimmauld Place that was now covered in fireplaces, on both sides of the hallway. Harry had a strange sense that he had been here before, then he remembered this was very much like the ministry of magic.
"Wow," Harry said dumbfounded, something just struck him, "I had no idea the order was so big!"
"Well, Harry dear, with the minister behind us you'd be surprised, you'll be seeing people from the order in places you wouldn't have thought possible," she said looking around, "Dumbledore has called for a big meeting tonight so that's why no one is here right now, It's usually booming with people. Fudge had to buy out both the houses next to this one so plans could commence, building is still in progress but it should be finished by the time you're back at Hogwarts."
"Plans? Plans for what?"
"Oh, Harry. I've really just remembered how much has happened that you wouldn't know about since school ended. I'm sure Dumbledore will fill you in tonight but we best be off," she said holding out some floo power to Harry and he threw it into the fire and stepped in. The green flames gently licking his legs.
Harry yelled, "Diagon Alley!" and he jolted and spun very fast, felling like he was being swept down a massive plug-hole. Just as soon as it had started it had stopped. Feeling like he could throw up and second he slowly stepped out of the massive fireplace. He never did get used to travelling by floo powder, he didn't think he ever would. He would take his broomstick over travelling by floo powder any day. He felt slightly better now he had stopped for a quick breather.
Harry looked around himself and studied the busy street of Diagon Ally, the place was alive with laughter and excited voices, that was only to be expected when you were in Diagon Ally. It was the biggest non-muggle street in all of Britain and was one of the only places young wizards and witches could shop and hang out in their holidays, minus Hogsmeade of course.
Harry's eyes fell on it at once, it was packed with people all talking excitedly and Harry saw people walking out of the shop with their hands crammed with Canary Creams, Nosebleed Nougats, Puking Pastilles, Extendable Ears and many other new inventions the Weasly brothers have thought of. Harry smiled and made his way over to the shop and stepped inside. It was quite a sight, shelves packed full of sweets and tricks, hundreds and hundreds of them. There was an excited and tense atmosphere that swallowed you as soon as you entered the shop.
Harry made his way over to a large group of people surrounding the counter and looked what they were looking at. On, if you call it on, the counter he saw Ron and Hermione laughing as they floated around the air bumping into each other and beaming down at the crowd when they landed back down on the counter. The crowd cheered and asked for more. His remembered the sign he saw on his way in that said there would be testing of new products and this must be it.
Then Ron's magically amplified voice boomed over the crowd, "You've seen us do it now you can, today, only with every purchase of the Weasly Party Pack you will receive not one, not two, but three, that's right, THREE, FREE 'FLOATING FUDGE-CAKES'!"
The crowd cheered, screamed and yelled all rushing to be the first in line at the counter to get their hands on the new product. Harry couldn't believe it, Ron was a great at selling things, he was a natural salesman. Harry had the feeling Ron would be working with his brothers permanently sooner or later.
"Hey guys!" he shouted as he jumped over the counter, he found it rather amusing as they were rushing like mad-men around the counter area grabbing things and selling them to the impatient crowd.
"HARRY!" Ron yelled as he ran up to him with a big grin on his face, "How are ya, mate?" he asked and before he could answer Ron gave Harry a bone crushing hug while he whacked him on the back a little too hard due to his excitement.
"Well I felt great, before you decided to break my back, that is," he answered happily with a big, stupid grin on his face. "Ron, this place is amazing, your brothers sure know what they're doing." He said in awe, still absorbing his surroundings.
"Yeah, I'm psyched they left me in charge. They're even paying me a ton of money, too. And I even get to-" Ron said before Hermione interrupted.
"Guys! Perhaps you don't see the people in front of you yelling and screaming for service, and are on the brink of starting a riot, but I do! HELP!" she said, half hysterical. Typical Hermione. Harry laughed to himself.
"Oh, sorry. Harry help us out, once we get through selling this stuff we can test out Fred and George's best invention yet." Ron exclaimed, unable to contain his glee. Harry thought about asking but thought it would be best if he didn't for some reason.
Then he joined them and found that it wasn't as amusing as it looked, after fifteen minutes of franticly trying to deal with the horde of over excited people they finally had served all of them. Ron jumped up onto the counter again and motioned for Harry and Hermione to do so.
Harry jumped up onto the counter and helped Hermione up and then looked over the happy crowd, all eyes gazing into theirs, Ron hadn't even said anything and everyone waited in silence. I could get used to this. Harry thought.
Ron took out his wand and pointed it at his throat and muttered, "Sonorus!"
"What you are about to witness has never, in history, been done before!" Ron looked down at the crowd who whispered quietly and excitedly about what they had just heard. Then Ron's voice boomed over the crowd again, "I can hear you all thinking, what is it? What hasn't been done before? Fire breathing? Nah, that's been done. Flying? No, too easy. But instead of shouting false promises and dreams, I thought I'd show you."
In a flash of red flames Ron was no longer standing on the counter, but flying around the room, to everyone's shock, including both Harry's and Hermione's, in the form of a Phoenix. Harry heard everyone 'Ooooohh' and 'Aahhhh', he was one of them.
The phoenix flew gracefully around the rooms then in a quick flash of bright flames it was now on the other side of the room, the crowd was stunned even more. Whispers of 'How did he do that?' swept over the room.
Harry and Hermione seemed to be the only ones who knew what had happened though, phoenixes' were perhaps the rarest and most magical of all living creatures. They carried their own brand of magic, enabling them to teleport from one place to another in a flash of fire, just last year Harry had seen Dumbledore's phoenix, Fawkes, do the same thing to help Dumbledore escape from Hogwarts.
Then the phoenix disappeared in a flash of flames again, then reappeared on the other side of the room, then again another flash and he was on the side of the store. All eyes were trained on him, like they were watching one big tennis rally. Ron kept doing this so fast so people just got glimpses of flame, 'There!', 'No there!' people were yelling and pointing trying to follow his movements. It was impossible, Ron flashed around the room like a phoenix on speed for the next minute then with another flash of flame an eagle now flew around the room.
It swooped down onto the counter then in a confusion of feathers a monkey now stood next in the middle of Harry and Hermione ('Ooooooo!'), it then kissed Hermione on the cheek and she screamed while her face contorted in disgust and she kicked the monkey hard in the leg.
The room broke out into laughter then into whistles, screams, and claps as Ron was standing before them again. His arms raised in the air asking for more. Harry had never heard such noise, not even at the Quidditch World Cup. Harry, and even Hermione, who seemed to have forgotten a monkey kissing her, tried there best to compete with the screaming crowd.
"How about that!" Ron boomed and somehow, the crowd got louder, "I present to you, a WEASLY WIZARD WHEEZES only.. ANIMAGCAKES!" The crowd cheered some more before Ron continued, "Now YOU can change into any animal you desire just by popping a piece of this cake into your mouth, and without a hint of animagical talent! Your not going to believe this, it lasts for TWENTY FOUR HOURS!"
The crowd gasped, Hermione loudest, Harry just managed to contain laughter when he saw Hermione mouth the words, 'Three Owls?', a pained expression on her face. Harry knew she was talking about Fred and George.
Ron continued, "Animagcakes are available in three sizes, the quick snack," he said as he pointed to the small block of cake, "The Far-Out Feast," Harry laughed, Fred and George were geniuses in there own right, but he just had to wonder if it was them or a three year old that came up with these names, "AND THE PARTY ANIMAL SIZE! AND RIGHT NOW I FEEL LIKE PARTYING!" Ron boomed.
With a flick of his wand massive, cakes appeared all over the room and the crowd all cheered in appreciation for Ron's kind gesture and in minutes the room was full of all different kinds of animals and magical creatures, from house-elves to unicorns to eagles and snakes, soon the fun spilled out into the street of Diagon Ally. A passer-by would assume that all the animals had escaped from the zoo and were on a rampage down Diagon Ally, and some certainly thought so as they ran into shops in fear.
Before everything got too out of hand ministry officials had issued them a warning and they were told to round up all products sold and close down for the day. It was nearly tea time and Harry's stomach rumbled as he thought of dinner.
Harry, Ron and Hermione made there way to the fireplace, laughing and joking around and one by one they floo'ed back into Grimmauld Place and found Mrs Weasly waiting for them, with a seriousness in her voice she spoke, "Harry, dear. They're all waiting for you."
Finally. he was going to get some answers.