The next day went by uneventfully. They were still unable to play Quidditch of course because of Harry's arm. Instead they sat around watching a muggle TV that Mr.Weasley had brought home. They had dinner, which was delicious and Mrs.Weasley began to clear the table. Everyone began to leave the room. Ginny caught Harry before he could leave and dragged him back into the kitchen closing the door.
"Harry," said Ginny, "Isn't there something you want to tell Mum and Dad."
"ummm.," sputtered Harry," err.."
"Go on Harry," said Mr.Weasley.
"Yes Dear," said Mrs.Weasley, "Tell us."
"Fine," said Ginny, "I'll tell them. What Harry is trying to tell you is that his Uncle has been pushing him around a lot lately." Harry just looked down at the floor not knowing what to say.
"What do you mean?" asked Mrs.Weasley, slightly confused and most definitely worried.
"Just show them Harry," said Ginny, Helping him get his sleeve over the sling and pulled off his shirt.
"Oh My God," gasped Mrs.Weasley looking at all the marks and bruises. She guided him to a chair and ordered him to sit down. She put her hand to one of the bruises. "Arthur hand me my wand." Mr.Weasley quickly obeyed handing the wand to his wife.
"Amelioralisim," muttered Mrs.Weasley and Harry felt all the pain fade instantly.
"I'll go contact Dumbledore," said Mr.Weasley quickly as he roused Hedwig from her perch next to Errol. He quickly scribbled a note to Dumbledore and sent her off. Within a few minutes Dumbledore had appeared in the Weasley kitchen through flew powder.
"Oh my," said Dumbledore when he saw Harry. "Arthur, I need you to send an owls to Arabella and Sirius. Tell them both to come here as soon as they can." Mr.Weasley quickly sent off the letters.
"Harry, Ginny. You two can go wait in the living room until they arrive," said Dumbledore. Harry put back on his shirt and walked into the living room.where he and Ginny sat silently for a few minutes. When Harry had heard the name Arabella Figg it had clicked that she was the same woman who had been his baby-sitter for years. Thoughts of this were quickly replaced when he had heard Sirius's name though.
"Oh no," Harry thought, "Sirius is going to kill me for not telling him." They continued to sit there until they heard noise in the kitchen signaling the arrival of Sirius and Mrs. Figg. Ginny and Harry went into the kitchen.
"Where's Harry and What's wrong?" asked Sirius, looking around frantically.
"I'm right here," said Harry. "What happened to your arm?" asked Sirius. "My fault actually," said Ginny, "I fell off my broom and Harry caught me."
"Well, I can see why they say you're the best seeker Hogwart's has seen," replied Sirius with a grin, "but now what is the problem?" asked Sirius. "I know this isn't just a social call."
"Unfortunately not." replied Dumbledore, drawing everyone's attention, "In case your wondering," said Dumbledore, looking at Harry and Ginny, "This is Arabella Figg. She is one of our Best Aurors who has been in charge of the wards around the Dursley home. She is also one of the best wizarding lawyers and I intend on putting her in charge of Harry's case."
"Hello Harry," said Mrs.Figg smiling, "You remember me don't you?"
Harry nodded blankly. To think, old Mrs. Figg with her cats and cabbage smelling house.
Sirius turned to Dumbledore and asked once more, "Could someone please explain why we are here?"
"Yes, I would like to know," said Mrs.Figg.
"Arabella, You are here because I want to put you in charge of the case against Harry's uncle and Sirius you are naturally here being his Guardian," said Dumbledore.
"Case against his uncle?" asked Sirius. "Yes, a child abuse case," replied Dumbledore slowly, grimly anticipating Sirius' reaction.
"WHAT?!?," roared Sirius, fuming now, "That son of a - "
"Calm down Sirius," said Dumbledore. Then he sighed. "Harry could you remove your shirt again and show them what your Uncle has done."
At this point Hermione and Ron had entered the room already and had realized what had taken place. Harry reluctantly took off his shirt. Sirius immediately broke into a new round of expletives before collapsing into a chair and dropping his head into his arms.
Arabella however immediately began asking him questions and received muttered answers.
"How long has this been going on?"
"Ever since I can remember"
"How often"
"Every few weeks until this summer."
"How often recently?"
"Every few days. Whenever something sets him off, especially when he's been drinking."
"Has there been any medical treatment?" Arabella asked them.
"Just a few pain-numbing charms," informed Ginny.
Mrs.Figg summoned a camera and took Harry begrudgingly let her take pictures of many of the injuries he'd recieved.
"Now that we have evidence of the damage we can begin healing charms," said Arabella, "We should call Poppy for that."
"Of course," said Mrs. Weasley, disappearing to the fire place. Madame Pomfrey was quickly summoned and had soon taken Harry into another room and performed a round of healing charms.
"There are going to be a few scars dear," she said, "but they will probably fade away eventually." She quickly marked some things off in the medical folder she'd brought with her and returned to the kitchen. Sirius soon appeared in the living room for the encounter Harry dreaded.
"Soo.. Um what's up?" asked Harry nervously, knowing full well that he was in big trouble by the look on Sirius's face.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER," said Sirius, "You had better have a VERY good explanation for not telling me this."
Harry flinched and looked at the floor.
"It's just I guess I was sort of used to dealing with it before I even met you and It seemed sort of like my fault anyway."
"Harry, How could it ever be your fault," said Sirius, even more angry now.
" I was a burden," he whispered, "I didn't want to be one to you too."
Sirius just pulled Harry into a hug.
"I could never feel that way towards you. Harry, I love you. Not because you're the boy who lived or because you're James' son. I love you because you're you."
Harry almost broke down in tears again before returning the hug. He'd never once been told those words, at least not since his parents had died. He finally managed the words.
"Sirius, I-I love you too."
Before they went into the kitchen Sirius put his hands firmly on Harry's shoulders and told him, "I'll let you slide this time, but if you ever neglect to tell me something like this again you will be in trouble. Understood?."
Harry nodded in response and Sirius put his arm around his shoulder as they walked back into the kitchen.
"Harry," said Dumbledore as they returned, "We will hold the trial on August 1rst. Also, we should be able to make arrangements for Sirius to come here for you're birthday the day before.That way you can celebrate it beforehand."
Harry and Sirius both smiled at the second part. Everyone said goodbye and then they all dissapeared by floo powder. Harry said goodnight to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before trudging up the stairs to Ron's room.
"Harry," said Ginny, "Isn't there something you want to tell Mum and Dad."
"ummm.," sputtered Harry," err.."
"Go on Harry," said Mr.Weasley.
"Yes Dear," said Mrs.Weasley, "Tell us."
"Fine," said Ginny, "I'll tell them. What Harry is trying to tell you is that his Uncle has been pushing him around a lot lately." Harry just looked down at the floor not knowing what to say.
"What do you mean?" asked Mrs.Weasley, slightly confused and most definitely worried.
"Just show them Harry," said Ginny, Helping him get his sleeve over the sling and pulled off his shirt.
"Oh My God," gasped Mrs.Weasley looking at all the marks and bruises. She guided him to a chair and ordered him to sit down. She put her hand to one of the bruises. "Arthur hand me my wand." Mr.Weasley quickly obeyed handing the wand to his wife.
"Amelioralisim," muttered Mrs.Weasley and Harry felt all the pain fade instantly.
"I'll go contact Dumbledore," said Mr.Weasley quickly as he roused Hedwig from her perch next to Errol. He quickly scribbled a note to Dumbledore and sent her off. Within a few minutes Dumbledore had appeared in the Weasley kitchen through flew powder.
"Oh my," said Dumbledore when he saw Harry. "Arthur, I need you to send an owls to Arabella and Sirius. Tell them both to come here as soon as they can." Mr.Weasley quickly sent off the letters.
"Harry, Ginny. You two can go wait in the living room until they arrive," said Dumbledore. Harry put back on his shirt and walked into the living room.where he and Ginny sat silently for a few minutes. When Harry had heard the name Arabella Figg it had clicked that she was the same woman who had been his baby-sitter for years. Thoughts of this were quickly replaced when he had heard Sirius's name though.
"Oh no," Harry thought, "Sirius is going to kill me for not telling him." They continued to sit there until they heard noise in the kitchen signaling the arrival of Sirius and Mrs. Figg. Ginny and Harry went into the kitchen.
"Where's Harry and What's wrong?" asked Sirius, looking around frantically.
"I'm right here," said Harry. "What happened to your arm?" asked Sirius. "My fault actually," said Ginny, "I fell off my broom and Harry caught me."
"Well, I can see why they say you're the best seeker Hogwart's has seen," replied Sirius with a grin, "but now what is the problem?" asked Sirius. "I know this isn't just a social call."
"Unfortunately not." replied Dumbledore, drawing everyone's attention, "In case your wondering," said Dumbledore, looking at Harry and Ginny, "This is Arabella Figg. She is one of our Best Aurors who has been in charge of the wards around the Dursley home. She is also one of the best wizarding lawyers and I intend on putting her in charge of Harry's case."
"Hello Harry," said Mrs.Figg smiling, "You remember me don't you?"
Harry nodded blankly. To think, old Mrs. Figg with her cats and cabbage smelling house.
Sirius turned to Dumbledore and asked once more, "Could someone please explain why we are here?"
"Yes, I would like to know," said Mrs.Figg.
"Arabella, You are here because I want to put you in charge of the case against Harry's uncle and Sirius you are naturally here being his Guardian," said Dumbledore.
"Case against his uncle?" asked Sirius. "Yes, a child abuse case," replied Dumbledore slowly, grimly anticipating Sirius' reaction.
"WHAT?!?," roared Sirius, fuming now, "That son of a - "
"Calm down Sirius," said Dumbledore. Then he sighed. "Harry could you remove your shirt again and show them what your Uncle has done."
At this point Hermione and Ron had entered the room already and had realized what had taken place. Harry reluctantly took off his shirt. Sirius immediately broke into a new round of expletives before collapsing into a chair and dropping his head into his arms.
Arabella however immediately began asking him questions and received muttered answers.
"How long has this been going on?"
"Ever since I can remember"
"How often"
"Every few weeks until this summer."
"How often recently?"
"Every few days. Whenever something sets him off, especially when he's been drinking."
"Has there been any medical treatment?" Arabella asked them.
"Just a few pain-numbing charms," informed Ginny.
Mrs.Figg summoned a camera and took Harry begrudgingly let her take pictures of many of the injuries he'd recieved.
"Now that we have evidence of the damage we can begin healing charms," said Arabella, "We should call Poppy for that."
"Of course," said Mrs. Weasley, disappearing to the fire place. Madame Pomfrey was quickly summoned and had soon taken Harry into another room and performed a round of healing charms.
"There are going to be a few scars dear," she said, "but they will probably fade away eventually." She quickly marked some things off in the medical folder she'd brought with her and returned to the kitchen. Sirius soon appeared in the living room for the encounter Harry dreaded.
"Soo.. Um what's up?" asked Harry nervously, knowing full well that he was in big trouble by the look on Sirius's face.
"HARRY JAMES POTTER," said Sirius, "You had better have a VERY good explanation for not telling me this."
Harry flinched and looked at the floor.
"It's just I guess I was sort of used to dealing with it before I even met you and It seemed sort of like my fault anyway."
"Harry, How could it ever be your fault," said Sirius, even more angry now.
" I was a burden," he whispered, "I didn't want to be one to you too."
Sirius just pulled Harry into a hug.
"I could never feel that way towards you. Harry, I love you. Not because you're the boy who lived or because you're James' son. I love you because you're you."
Harry almost broke down in tears again before returning the hug. He'd never once been told those words, at least not since his parents had died. He finally managed the words.
"Sirius, I-I love you too."
Before they went into the kitchen Sirius put his hands firmly on Harry's shoulders and told him, "I'll let you slide this time, but if you ever neglect to tell me something like this again you will be in trouble. Understood?."
Harry nodded in response and Sirius put his arm around his shoulder as they walked back into the kitchen.
"Harry," said Dumbledore as they returned, "We will hold the trial on August 1rst. Also, we should be able to make arrangements for Sirius to come here for you're birthday the day before.That way you can celebrate it beforehand."
Harry and Sirius both smiled at the second part. Everyone said goodbye and then they all dissapeared by floo powder. Harry said goodnight to Mr. and Mrs. Weasley before trudging up the stairs to Ron's room.