A/N: To let everyone know, tomorrow(Tuesday) I will be leavingfor a weeklong trip. I really hoped to be able to work on a lot more of this before leaving, but I am just now getting down my thoughts. Don't worry about whether I will update again or not. I plan on continuing this for quite a while.
Chapter Two: The Trouble with Waiting
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By the time everyone got back from their appointed duties at the Dursley's, it was late afternoon. As they stepped through the fireplace one by one, they discussed everything that had happened, and immediately went to Harry's room to check how he was being helped.
Almost everyone occupying the house was in there, including a quiet Tonks, a hysterically sobbing Lupin, and Mrs Weasley letting said Lupin cry on her shoulder while her own tears ran down her face. Mr Weasley was the first to notice that they had come back and asked how it had gone.
Fred and George pulled out the few items they had found.
"All we could find was his wand and Invisibily Cloak," said George. Fred nodded and added,"It looked like they burned everything else, even the Firebolt."
At this last word, Harry spoke the first understandable word this evening: Sirius. Eevryone shifted uncomfortably.
"How is Harry doing Professor Snape?" asked Ron, holding onto Hermione. Snape turned around and addressed them. "Madam Pomfrey stayed for two hours, setting bones alone. She had to heal every_single_one, those bastards! I've been here trying to figure out what they burned his eyes with, probably a household cleaner or some other chemical; I don't know if he'll be blind or not." He paused to take a few breaths while Lupin cried harder at the prospect of Harry being blind. "The blood has clotted and I've applied an ointment to help with pain from the cuts. Other than the obvious need to get food into him, I think the only problems left are emotional ones. I don't know if those will ever heal properly..."
Hermione handed Mr Weasley the pictures, detailing everything from the cupboard to Hedwig to the offending weapons hidden in the dishwasher. Mr Weasley complimented her on being so observant and said there should be more than enough evidence to get the Dursley's life in prison with the Ministry.
"Why don't you four kids go get some sleep? And no Ron that's an order, not a suggestion. You all need it; don't worry, Harry will not be going anywhere."
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The next week passed in a blur to Ron and Hermione. They had run into Dumbledore visiting Harry, who they talked to, murder in those normally twinkling eyes when the conversation turned to the Dursley's. Everyone who had seen Harry now wanted to rip out the Dursley's hearts and jump up and down on them.
Lupin had now locked himself in his room, only coming out to use the restroom and to eat meals in silence. Molly had told Hermione that Remus thought Sirius and James would never forgive their old friend for letting Harry get abused which was really shaking him up. 'I think the only way he would forgive himself was if Harry said it was okay,' thought Hermione, sitting next to Harry. A sort of candlelight vigil had been set up in Harry's room; almost anyone with free time would come in there and sit.
"Harry would be hating all this attention," said Ron sitting down next to Hermione, both chuckling at this. He handed her an envelope, keeping his and Harry's. "Hogwarts letters' here. Looks like we'll have to go shopping without him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind me buying his stuff and getting a birthday present. It's only two days until the 31st."
"That's true." Hermione and Ron jumped and saw Remus standing at the door, looking a good deal more collected than he had been. "I know just what I'm getting him, too." He held up a flyer, and Ron gaped.
"A DARK FLAME?!"
"Yeah," shrugged the werewolf. "Fred and George were talking over breakfast about the Firebolt. I'm not going to let Harry give up Quidditch."
"But these are even more expensive than the Firebolts are!"
"Last year while you children were at school, Sirius had all his money moved from his Gringott's vault to mine, and between you and me, he was richer than the Malfoy's. Ron, pick you jaw up. It's almost like he knew something was going to happen... But, anyway, what do you say? School and present shopping?"
"Sure!" said Hermione, looking quite a bit picked up." It'd do good to get out of this house."
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The day of the 30th was busy for everyone. They had all planned on having a surprise birthday party for whenever Harry woke up. Therefore, Tonks and Mrs Weasley, with the help of Fred and George, decorated Harry's gloomy room with streamers and everything else a surprise party would need, several of the treats being supplied by Weasley's Wizard Wheezes at no expense.
While they were decorating the room, Harry's two closest friends and their ex-DADA teacher spent the entire day at Diagon Alley, buying enough presents for everyone to give Harry something. Hermone and Ron picked up everything they and Harry would need for sixth year, Lupin shrinking the bags so they could fit them all in their pockets. Then, Hermione bought Harry all-new quills, ink, parchment, and a new updated broom servicing kit. Ron picked up Harry several posters and a camera. Lupin went all out. Not only did he buy the new Dark Flame ("It beats out a Firebolt 2 to 1 in everything!") but an enire new wardrobe, both wizarding and muggle, considering Harry didn't have anything left. The wardrobe would be given by everyone, they decided, and bought a large cake from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
After getting home, thoroughly exhausted but content, they set everything out on the table, unshrunk it, and began wrapping all of it in some cool Gryffindor wrapping paper they found at Florish and Blotts, randomly putting names on the packages on clothes, and hoping all the while that Harry would wake up soon.
The next day was tense. So tense in fact that the tension seemed to disturb Harry in his deep sleep state, causing him to squint with his eyes closed and murmur some sort of song he had made up.
Snape wandered into the room just about when everyone was going to leave and exploded on the crowd of people.
"GOOD GOD! LEAVE THE BOY ALONE! HE WON'T WAKE UP SOME SO MANY BRAINLESS GITS IN THIS ROOM!"
"Stupid Snape..."
Everyone in the room turned around, gaping at the now awakening Harry Potter.
Chapter Two: The Trouble with Waiting
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
By the time everyone got back from their appointed duties at the Dursley's, it was late afternoon. As they stepped through the fireplace one by one, they discussed everything that had happened, and immediately went to Harry's room to check how he was being helped.
Almost everyone occupying the house was in there, including a quiet Tonks, a hysterically sobbing Lupin, and Mrs Weasley letting said Lupin cry on her shoulder while her own tears ran down her face. Mr Weasley was the first to notice that they had come back and asked how it had gone.
Fred and George pulled out the few items they had found.
"All we could find was his wand and Invisibily Cloak," said George. Fred nodded and added,"It looked like they burned everything else, even the Firebolt."
At this last word, Harry spoke the first understandable word this evening: Sirius. Eevryone shifted uncomfortably.
"How is Harry doing Professor Snape?" asked Ron, holding onto Hermione. Snape turned around and addressed them. "Madam Pomfrey stayed for two hours, setting bones alone. She had to heal every_single_one, those bastards! I've been here trying to figure out what they burned his eyes with, probably a household cleaner or some other chemical; I don't know if he'll be blind or not." He paused to take a few breaths while Lupin cried harder at the prospect of Harry being blind. "The blood has clotted and I've applied an ointment to help with pain from the cuts. Other than the obvious need to get food into him, I think the only problems left are emotional ones. I don't know if those will ever heal properly..."
Hermione handed Mr Weasley the pictures, detailing everything from the cupboard to Hedwig to the offending weapons hidden in the dishwasher. Mr Weasley complimented her on being so observant and said there should be more than enough evidence to get the Dursley's life in prison with the Ministry.
"Why don't you four kids go get some sleep? And no Ron that's an order, not a suggestion. You all need it; don't worry, Harry will not be going anywhere."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next week passed in a blur to Ron and Hermione. They had run into Dumbledore visiting Harry, who they talked to, murder in those normally twinkling eyes when the conversation turned to the Dursley's. Everyone who had seen Harry now wanted to rip out the Dursley's hearts and jump up and down on them.
Lupin had now locked himself in his room, only coming out to use the restroom and to eat meals in silence. Molly had told Hermione that Remus thought Sirius and James would never forgive their old friend for letting Harry get abused which was really shaking him up. 'I think the only way he would forgive himself was if Harry said it was okay,' thought Hermione, sitting next to Harry. A sort of candlelight vigil had been set up in Harry's room; almost anyone with free time would come in there and sit.
"Harry would be hating all this attention," said Ron sitting down next to Hermione, both chuckling at this. He handed her an envelope, keeping his and Harry's. "Hogwarts letters' here. Looks like we'll have to go shopping without him. I'm sure he wouldn't mind me buying his stuff and getting a birthday present. It's only two days until the 31st."
"That's true." Hermione and Ron jumped and saw Remus standing at the door, looking a good deal more collected than he had been. "I know just what I'm getting him, too." He held up a flyer, and Ron gaped.
"A DARK FLAME?!"
"Yeah," shrugged the werewolf. "Fred and George were talking over breakfast about the Firebolt. I'm not going to let Harry give up Quidditch."
"But these are even more expensive than the Firebolts are!"
"Last year while you children were at school, Sirius had all his money moved from his Gringott's vault to mine, and between you and me, he was richer than the Malfoy's. Ron, pick you jaw up. It's almost like he knew something was going to happen... But, anyway, what do you say? School and present shopping?"
"Sure!" said Hermione, looking quite a bit picked up." It'd do good to get out of this house."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The day of the 30th was busy for everyone. They had all planned on having a surprise birthday party for whenever Harry woke up. Therefore, Tonks and Mrs Weasley, with the help of Fred and George, decorated Harry's gloomy room with streamers and everything else a surprise party would need, several of the treats being supplied by Weasley's Wizard Wheezes at no expense.
While they were decorating the room, Harry's two closest friends and their ex-DADA teacher spent the entire day at Diagon Alley, buying enough presents for everyone to give Harry something. Hermone and Ron picked up everything they and Harry would need for sixth year, Lupin shrinking the bags so they could fit them all in their pockets. Then, Hermione bought Harry all-new quills, ink, parchment, and a new updated broom servicing kit. Ron picked up Harry several posters and a camera. Lupin went all out. Not only did he buy the new Dark Flame ("It beats out a Firebolt 2 to 1 in everything!") but an enire new wardrobe, both wizarding and muggle, considering Harry didn't have anything left. The wardrobe would be given by everyone, they decided, and bought a large cake from Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlour.
After getting home, thoroughly exhausted but content, they set everything out on the table, unshrunk it, and began wrapping all of it in some cool Gryffindor wrapping paper they found at Florish and Blotts, randomly putting names on the packages on clothes, and hoping all the while that Harry would wake up soon.
The next day was tense. So tense in fact that the tension seemed to disturb Harry in his deep sleep state, causing him to squint with his eyes closed and murmur some sort of song he had made up.
Snape wandered into the room just about when everyone was going to leave and exploded on the crowd of people.
"GOOD GOD! LEAVE THE BOY ALONE! HE WON'T WAKE UP SOME SO MANY BRAINLESS GITS IN THIS ROOM!"
"Stupid Snape..."
Everyone in the room turned around, gaping at the now awakening Harry Potter.