Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this fanfic. They belong
to the wonderful JK Rowling. This is merely a tribute to one of the great
book series that I have come across.
********************
It was still dark when the boy Harry Potter was awoken by a series of short, sharp taps at his window in the smallest bedroom of Number 4, Privet Drive. Harry looked up to see a large brown owl tapping its beak impatiently at the window, Harry's copy of the Daily Prophet tied to its leg. Harry climbed out of his bed and walked over to the window to pay the owl and receive his newspaper. As the owl flew away, Harry read the headlines of the morning's paper:
----------------------
DEATH EATERS TO GO ON TRIAL TODAY
Previously arrested death-eaters who were discovered along with You-Know- Who at least weeks break-in of the Ministry of Magic, will go on trial today. Included in the accused death-eaters is Lucius Malfoy who is rumoured to be connected to the fiasco of the Quidditch World Cup held here two years ago, and said to have been heavily involved in all death-eater doings since the first rise of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named several years ago.
----------------------
Harry almost smiled "At least he's getting what he deserves" he thought, although well aware that will the Ministry loosing control of the dementors of Azkabam, Malfoy might not be in prison all the long. "That's even if he's found guilty at all" Harry thought miserably.
Shaking the thought out of his head, Harry turned the page in his newspaper and almost gasped when he saw the headline:
----------------------
CONVICTED MURDERER SIRIUS BLACK KILLED DURING MINISTRY BREAK-IN
Reports have been handed to the Prophet allowing us to exclusively reveal that one of the deaths at the Ministry of Magic last week when You-Know-Who entered the Ministry, was none other than convicted murderer of the wizard Peter Pettigrew and 13 muggles, Sirius Black. As we all know, Black has been on the run for the past three years after escaping Azkabam Prison. At first thought, it would seem that Black was present in support of You-Know- Who and he fellow death-eaters, however, out sources tell us that Pettigrew is infact, alive and has been working for You-Know-Who himself for all this time. This leads us to the question - was Black wrongly accused and sent to prison for a crime he did not commit?
----------------------
Harry stopped reading. Were they all finally, after all this time, figuring out the truth? Harry lay on his bed and closed his eyes. Maybe he could go back to sleep for a while. In fact, that's all he had been doing since he arrived back to the Dursleys. The Dursleys had been very cautious around him, hardly saying a word to him. Used to this treatment, it suited Harry just fine. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts. He thought on Hermione, Ron and the rest of the Weasleys, he thought of the DA and the secret meetings and he thought of Sirius and how much he missed him. When his mind allowed him to think of Dumbledore and the prophecy about Harry, he would stop thinking before he could think too much about it. He just wanted to sleep.
*************************
Later that day, Harry dragged himself downstairs where the Dursleys were sitting round the kitchen table eating lunch. It wasn't until Harry had gotten himself some food and was sitting back at the kitchen table that he realised that the three Dursleys were looking shocked and slightly scared, especially Dudley.
"Looks like you've seen a ghost" said Harry, thinking how funny it would be if he turned around and Nearly Headless Nick was floating behind him. Uncle Vernon cleared his voice.
"We received a letter today, a letter concerning you" spoke Uncle Vernon, his moustache twitching, "From one of YOUR kind". As soon as he spoke those words, Vernon suddenly looked worried and turned his head left and right, just in case someone had heard.
"What your Uncle Means" spoke Aunt Petunia, "Is that we got a letter today from Albus Dumbledore. He is coming around to speak to us this afternoon". At this, Dudley made a squeaking noise and shuddered. Harry looked bewildered at Petunias words.
"Professor Dumbledore? Here? What does he want?"
"How should we know?" bellowed Uncle Vernon. Again, he worried has he raised his voice, looking around anxiously as though Mad-Eye Moody was going to jump out from behind the cupboard and turn him into a toothpick.
"What your Uncle means" answered Petunia hurriedly for the second time "Is that the letter doesn't explain why he's coming around. It only says that he'll be in the lounge room at 3 o'clock to discuss some 'important issues'". Petunia spoke softly, almost kindly as she finished off the sentence. Again, Harry was bewildered. "Now" snapped Petunia, returning back to her normal tone, "Go get yourself cleaned up!".
Harry couldn't believe his luck as he walked up the stairs. "Dumbledore, coming to see them?" As he entered his room, his stomach lurched. What did Dumbledore have to say? Surely it couldn't be good news. Slowly, Harry sat on his bed and was again lost in his thoughts.
*************************
At 3 o'clock that afternoon, Harry walked down the stairs and entered the lounge room to find the three Dursley's sitting tensely on the couch. Harry sat in an armchair and waited. Two minutes later, a popping noise was heard as Albus Dumbledore apparated into the Dursley's lounge room. He was wearing his long purple robes and Harry noticed that he looked worn out. None of the Dursley's moved. "Good afternoon" Dumbledore nodded to the Dursley's, "Hello Harry" Dumbledore smiled warmly at him.
"Hello Professor" Replied Harry, as Uncle Vernon got to his feet.
"What is it you wanted?" Vernon asked rudely. Dumbledore did not look taken a-back. Instead, he turned to Harry.
"Harry, I am here to explain to your Aunt, Uncle and cousin everything that has been going on with you and what you have been through over the past year. It may be easier if you were not present whilst this was happening". Harry began to protest before realising that it was probably for the best. He nodded and left the room.
*************************
Harry sat outside and waited for Dumbledore to finish speaking to the Dursleys. Two hours had passed when Dudley came outside. "You can come in now" Said Dudley, quietly. Harry followed Dudley back inside and into the lounge room. Both Vernon and Petunia looked slightly distressed, Petunia more than Vernon, but that might have been because a man dressed in purple robes was sitting in their lounge room.
"I have told the Dursley's everything" Dumbledore told Harry, "They understand everything you have been through, however" Dumbledore said, turning back to the Dursley's, "I think you could make Harry's life a little more pleasant around here" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I think that maybe allowing Harry to have visitors for a start would be quite appropriate. I'm sure you would like to have friends over, wouldn't you Harry?"
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could only nod as a huge smile crept across his face. Dumbledore continued "Members of the Order will be visiting Harry frequently to check up on him. In the meantime, I'm sure Harry would like to explore your attic. You know what I am referring to Petunia". Petunia nodded. "Right then, that's all settled, I should be off" Said Dumbledore has he stood up. Harry stood up and looked at Dumbledore.
"Thank you Professor"
"Anytime Harry" answered Dumbledore as he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Good to day to you" Dumbledore said to the Dursley's and with a crack, he had disapparated and was gone.
"What's upstairs in the attic?" Harry asked his Aunt Petunia.
********************
It was still dark when the boy Harry Potter was awoken by a series of short, sharp taps at his window in the smallest bedroom of Number 4, Privet Drive. Harry looked up to see a large brown owl tapping its beak impatiently at the window, Harry's copy of the Daily Prophet tied to its leg. Harry climbed out of his bed and walked over to the window to pay the owl and receive his newspaper. As the owl flew away, Harry read the headlines of the morning's paper:
----------------------
DEATH EATERS TO GO ON TRIAL TODAY
Previously arrested death-eaters who were discovered along with You-Know- Who at least weeks break-in of the Ministry of Magic, will go on trial today. Included in the accused death-eaters is Lucius Malfoy who is rumoured to be connected to the fiasco of the Quidditch World Cup held here two years ago, and said to have been heavily involved in all death-eater doings since the first rise of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named several years ago.
----------------------
Harry almost smiled "At least he's getting what he deserves" he thought, although well aware that will the Ministry loosing control of the dementors of Azkabam, Malfoy might not be in prison all the long. "That's even if he's found guilty at all" Harry thought miserably.
Shaking the thought out of his head, Harry turned the page in his newspaper and almost gasped when he saw the headline:
----------------------
CONVICTED MURDERER SIRIUS BLACK KILLED DURING MINISTRY BREAK-IN
Reports have been handed to the Prophet allowing us to exclusively reveal that one of the deaths at the Ministry of Magic last week when You-Know-Who entered the Ministry, was none other than convicted murderer of the wizard Peter Pettigrew and 13 muggles, Sirius Black. As we all know, Black has been on the run for the past three years after escaping Azkabam Prison. At first thought, it would seem that Black was present in support of You-Know- Who and he fellow death-eaters, however, out sources tell us that Pettigrew is infact, alive and has been working for You-Know-Who himself for all this time. This leads us to the question - was Black wrongly accused and sent to prison for a crime he did not commit?
----------------------
Harry stopped reading. Were they all finally, after all this time, figuring out the truth? Harry lay on his bed and closed his eyes. Maybe he could go back to sleep for a while. In fact, that's all he had been doing since he arrived back to the Dursleys. The Dursleys had been very cautious around him, hardly saying a word to him. Used to this treatment, it suited Harry just fine. He wanted to be alone with his thoughts. He thought on Hermione, Ron and the rest of the Weasleys, he thought of the DA and the secret meetings and he thought of Sirius and how much he missed him. When his mind allowed him to think of Dumbledore and the prophecy about Harry, he would stop thinking before he could think too much about it. He just wanted to sleep.
*************************
Later that day, Harry dragged himself downstairs where the Dursleys were sitting round the kitchen table eating lunch. It wasn't until Harry had gotten himself some food and was sitting back at the kitchen table that he realised that the three Dursleys were looking shocked and slightly scared, especially Dudley.
"Looks like you've seen a ghost" said Harry, thinking how funny it would be if he turned around and Nearly Headless Nick was floating behind him. Uncle Vernon cleared his voice.
"We received a letter today, a letter concerning you" spoke Uncle Vernon, his moustache twitching, "From one of YOUR kind". As soon as he spoke those words, Vernon suddenly looked worried and turned his head left and right, just in case someone had heard.
"What your Uncle Means" spoke Aunt Petunia, "Is that we got a letter today from Albus Dumbledore. He is coming around to speak to us this afternoon". At this, Dudley made a squeaking noise and shuddered. Harry looked bewildered at Petunias words.
"Professor Dumbledore? Here? What does he want?"
"How should we know?" bellowed Uncle Vernon. Again, he worried has he raised his voice, looking around anxiously as though Mad-Eye Moody was going to jump out from behind the cupboard and turn him into a toothpick.
"What your Uncle means" answered Petunia hurriedly for the second time "Is that the letter doesn't explain why he's coming around. It only says that he'll be in the lounge room at 3 o'clock to discuss some 'important issues'". Petunia spoke softly, almost kindly as she finished off the sentence. Again, Harry was bewildered. "Now" snapped Petunia, returning back to her normal tone, "Go get yourself cleaned up!".
Harry couldn't believe his luck as he walked up the stairs. "Dumbledore, coming to see them?" As he entered his room, his stomach lurched. What did Dumbledore have to say? Surely it couldn't be good news. Slowly, Harry sat on his bed and was again lost in his thoughts.
*************************
At 3 o'clock that afternoon, Harry walked down the stairs and entered the lounge room to find the three Dursley's sitting tensely on the couch. Harry sat in an armchair and waited. Two minutes later, a popping noise was heard as Albus Dumbledore apparated into the Dursley's lounge room. He was wearing his long purple robes and Harry noticed that he looked worn out. None of the Dursley's moved. "Good afternoon" Dumbledore nodded to the Dursley's, "Hello Harry" Dumbledore smiled warmly at him.
"Hello Professor" Replied Harry, as Uncle Vernon got to his feet.
"What is it you wanted?" Vernon asked rudely. Dumbledore did not look taken a-back. Instead, he turned to Harry.
"Harry, I am here to explain to your Aunt, Uncle and cousin everything that has been going on with you and what you have been through over the past year. It may be easier if you were not present whilst this was happening". Harry began to protest before realising that it was probably for the best. He nodded and left the room.
*************************
Harry sat outside and waited for Dumbledore to finish speaking to the Dursleys. Two hours had passed when Dudley came outside. "You can come in now" Said Dudley, quietly. Harry followed Dudley back inside and into the lounge room. Both Vernon and Petunia looked slightly distressed, Petunia more than Vernon, but that might have been because a man dressed in purple robes was sitting in their lounge room.
"I have told the Dursley's everything" Dumbledore told Harry, "They understand everything you have been through, however" Dumbledore said, turning back to the Dursley's, "I think you could make Harry's life a little more pleasant around here" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "I think that maybe allowing Harry to have visitors for a start would be quite appropriate. I'm sure you would like to have friends over, wouldn't you Harry?"
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. He could only nod as a huge smile crept across his face. Dumbledore continued "Members of the Order will be visiting Harry frequently to check up on him. In the meantime, I'm sure Harry would like to explore your attic. You know what I am referring to Petunia". Petunia nodded. "Right then, that's all settled, I should be off" Said Dumbledore has he stood up. Harry stood up and looked at Dumbledore.
"Thank you Professor"
"Anytime Harry" answered Dumbledore as he placed his hand on Harry's shoulder. "Good to day to you" Dumbledore said to the Dursley's and with a crack, he had disapparated and was gone.
"What's upstairs in the attic?" Harry asked his Aunt Petunia.