Ch. 2- as before, nothing belongs to me, if it did, I wouldn't be writing a
disclaimer.
Title: The Wall
Rating: PG-13
Summery: Sirius didn't kill 13 muggles he only killed Peter and was
released from Azkaban after only ten years there. Now, Harry's sparked
interest in his missing godfather leads him to a man who calls himself 'the
Grim'
A/N: Ok, I think I got the hang of this now. Thank you all who reviewed
''=Thoughts " "=talking
Harry sat his trunk down and surveyed his situation.
After he had left the Dursley's, he had carried his trunk down several blocks and was in no way going to go back. He had nowhere to go. No way of getting to his friends, and even if he did, what would he tell them? No matter how he looked at it, he didn't see how things could get any better.
Could this get ANY worse?
Harry yawned and looked down at his hands.
'What am I going to do now? Maybe I could like. Fly to the Weasley's on my broom and we could come and get my trunk later...'
'No, that's stupid, I don't even know where they live.'
'Well, you though of it..'
SNAP.
Harry's head jerked up and he looked around him frantically. A tree branch had snapped. He felt a wave of panic come over him. He hadn't seen anyone on the street....
'It was probably just a cat.'
"Hello, Harry."
Harry spun around. A tall, cloaked man stood behind him. The stranger stood in the shadows, just out of the streetlights range. Harry felt his heart jump in his throat, and a new wave of panic swept threw him.
"Um.... hi."
The man tilted his head slightly, as if studying Harry.
" In a spot of trouble, are you?"
" Well, err... What makes you say that?"
" You are out here, in the middle of the night, with no visible mode of transportation, no way to contact help and, by the looks of it, no intention of going home."
"Well, when you put it that way...wait. Who are you? And how do you know who I am?"
The stranger stepped forward, his dark form coming in to the light; his whole body was covered in a long, black cloak. Even his head was covered and a shawl was wrapped around the lower part of his face to mask him from view.
" Doesn't everyone know the famous Harry Potter? And as for who I am, they call me 'The Grim'," he paused. " But you can call me Cyrus. "
" Ok, well, what are you doing out here?"
" I could ask you the same question."
" I asked first."
To Harry's surprise, He laughed.
" True," he paused again. " I got a feeling that you would need my help, here, tonight.Now , what are you doing here?"
Harry got the impression that he was not being told the whole truth. Of course, he was taking to a wizard he had just met on a muggle street in the dead of night. And if this guy, Cyrus, wasn't going to be completely honest, then Harry wasn't go to be completely honest.
," I...err...was kicked out." It wasn't a lie; it was only a half-truth.
"Kicked out?" Cyrus said in disbelief.
" Of my uncles house, well sort of. " He was bad at this lying to strangers' thing.
" How do you 'sort of' get kicked out of your house?"
It was Harry's turn to laugh
" How did you get the feeling you'd be needed here, tonight?"
"Well, you've made you're point. I suppose." Was that humor Harry heard?
" Why are you really here?" Harry asked, cautiously.
" I was sent here." He answered.
" By who?" 'Please don't say Voldermort. Please don't say Voldermort. Please don't say Voldermort.'
" That I can't tell you." 'Well, at least it wasn't Voldermort.'
" Why not?" Harry asked.
" I just can't. Now come, we must get you off the street and into safety."
" I'm not going back."
" Of course not. It's not safe for you there anymore. Come."
Harry hesitated. He didn't know this man. Why did he seem so intent on getting Harry out of here? Was it a trick or was he really trying to help? Who would know that Harry would be in trouble tonight? None of this made sense.
Cyrus seemed to sense his hesitation and sighed.
"I will not hurt you. I promise."
" How can I trust you?"
" You have to trust yourself."
'Makes perfect sense.' thought Harry "Um. ok.what are we going to do?"
" Well, first we must get a ride."
" Ok."
Cyrus reached inside the folds of his robe and pulled out a wand. Raised it over his head and brought it down with one quick swipe. Harry didn't see the point in this and was just about to ask what he was doing when.
BANG!
Harry jerked back and almost tripped, he looked up to see the source of the bang and felt his jaw drop in shock.
A large, purple bus now sat in the once empty street. Its bright lights laminated the dark street and pealing gold letters on the side read 'The Knight Bus'
'Ok' thought Harry' Now I've seen everything.'
With a hiss, the doors to the Knight bus slid open and a young man of about 19 stepped out.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus" the man began " emergency transportation for any witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand and step on board and we'll take you where you want to go, My names Stan Shunpike and I'll be your conductor this evening."
The man smiled at the two.
" How can I help you?"
"My young friend and I would to go to Diagon Ally, How much?"
Harry didn't hear the rest of the conversation; he had been to busy paying attention to the 'details' of the bus to notice. Harry hadn't even noticed that he had backed up into Cyrus until he felt a hand on his shoulder, urging him forward.
" Come now, Harry." Cyrus said. " Let's go."
" Um. ok." Harry said, still a little shocked.
Cyrus grabbed Harry's trunk and walked in behind Stan. Harry followed him.
There were no seats, instead, Half a dozen brass beds were lined up against the walls with small bedside tables and little candles lighting each one.
"You can have these two." Said Stan, pointing to the last two beds.
Cyrus sat Harry's trunk down at the foot of one of the beds and sat on the other one. Harry took this as his signal to sit down on the other bed and quickly crawled into the bed.
" London is a long way away, Harry, perhaps you should try to rest." Cyrus said staring at Harry calmly.
Harry was about to reply but another loud bang caught his attention, this time though, it was accompanied by a rather gut-wrenching jerk as the bus took off. Harry was nearly thrown off of his bed.
" I.ow." The memory of the rather hard hit Vernon had given him earlier that very night suddenly hit Harry and he clutched his stomach.
"Harry, What's wrong?" Cyrus asked, voice full of concern. Harry, who had clenched his eyes shut, cautiously opened them to see Cyrus' concerned face hovering over him.
"I'm fine." Harry lied." I was.just surprised." Cyrus didn't seem satisfied and Harry gave a fake, half-smile.
"It's nothing really."
Cyrus nodded but still didn't seem too happy.
"Lay down." He said. "Rest, you'll need to."
Harry nodded and slipped off his shoes, but he didn't crawl under the covers, maybe it was the jerk, or maybe it was the fact this was the first time in weeks Harry had felt truly comfortable, Harry wasn't really for sure, but whatever it was, it mad Harry VERY tired, and he was asleep only moments after he had laid his head down.
" Harry." A soft voice spoke. "Harry, we're here, get up."
Harry moaned as Cyrus shook him up slightly.
"I'm up, I'm up."
"Prove it." Cyrus said, and Harry let out a soft laugh and sat up.
"Better?"
" Yes, now let's go."
Harry slipped on his shoes and followed Cyrus and his floating trunk (Cyrus had enchanted it.) out onto the street, in front of the 'Leaky Cauldron.'
"Um. Why are we here?"
" You'll be staying here the rest of the summer."
"With you?" Harry asked hopefully.
"No, I have to go." Cyrus said.
"Will I see you again?"
" OH, of course you will." Cyrus said reassuringly " Just not for a while."
"Um.. Well, why can't you stay?"
" I have my reasons."
As they talked they moved forward into the tavern. Cyrus tapped the desk bell and a very tired looking Tom, the innkeeper, came out in his sleeping gown and a candle.
" Can I help you?" He asked sleepily.
" Yes, We would like a room, please. Single, I won't be staying."
Cyrus put his hand on Harry's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
Tom held up the candle to get a clear picture of Cyrus' face. No such luck.
"Very well," said Tom " follow me. "
He lead them up a winding way of stairs to a well lit hall then stopped in front of a old door with a peeling brass-colored #11on it and began to search for the keys. Upon finding the right one he opened the right door and let them go inside the room.
Harry liked the room. It was small and cozy. It had a large bed and window, a chest of draws and a nice well-mannered mirror in the bathroom.
"Get into your night clothes." Said Cyrus. And Harry nodded. If it had been late when he left the Dursley's, it was most defiantly late now.
Tom gestured for Cyrus to come out into the hall where Tom had stayed, and Cyrus nodded and gave a nod to Harry.
As Harry slipped on his night pants on he thought he heard a familiar tapping sound, but it couldn't be.
Harry looked up to see none other than Hedwig herself, sitting on the window seal.
Harry rushed over and opened the window and smiled as she fluttered in and on the top of the chest of draws and cooed at him affectionately.
"Smart owl you have there." Cyrus had returned and now more than ever Harry wished there was no shawl to block Cyrus' face.
"Thanks." Harry mumbled.
"Here, your shirt." Said Cyrus, holding out the short-sleeved shirt Harry had laid out for himself.
"Thanks," Harry said, slipping off his shirt and quickly slipping the other on.
" Listen. What do I.?"
But Harry stopped in mid sentence. Cyrus was looking at him in a strange way. The blue eyes which shine so brightly under the hood seemed to blaze with an emotion Harry had never scene before, and he quickly scanned his mind over the last few moments to see what had caused this expression.
'What could I have done.. I . NO! I Am so stupid!!! I changed my shirt!!! STUPID STUPID! STUPID!!! He saw it!!! He saw!'
Harry felt his blood run cold in his veins.
"Who. Hit. You." Cyrus growled
Harry was rather surprised by the sound of rage dripping in Cyrus' voice.
"I.I.."
"Was it your Uncle?"
"Well.'
" Harry, tell me." Cyrus voice was rising in volume and Harry felt himself getting a little scared." I won't hurt you, I promise. But please tell me."
Harry paused.
" I promise I won't be mad. Please Harry.."
"Vernon." Harry said, not being able to take the way Cyrus' voice sounded.
Cyrus seemed to sense this. He took a deep breath and nodded.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I'll take care of it. Now come, get into bed." Cyrus pulled down the covers.
"It's not your fault, and what do you mean, you'll take care of it? Cyrus, don't."
"Get into bed Harry." Cyrus voice held no room argue or discussion. Harry crawled on the bed and was surprised when Cyrus pulled the covers over him. Harry had never been tucked in before.
"Now listen." Said Cyrus, his voice had finally regained it's soft, smooth sound. " I'm going to give you some rules before you drift off, First, No going out after dark."
" You're giving me a curfew?" Asked Harry.
" Yes, say around 7:45, and no later. And I'd rather you not go into muggle London. Here and Diagon Ally are fine, and finally." Cyrus paused " If anyone comes to you claiming to know me, get away, FAR away, make sure to draw attention to yourself and that someone notices you are in trouble."
Harry didn't understand, but nodded anyway.
"Ok."
"Good now, rest, sleep." Cyrus reached over and turned out the bedside light.
"I'll be gone by sun rise." He whispered. And sure enough, when Harry woke up the next morning, he was gone.
Now see, that wasn't so bad, was it? It was? Oops, well it gets better. (I hope) The next one will take awhile; I just can't seem to get it right, you know?
''=Thoughts " "=talking
Harry sat his trunk down and surveyed his situation.
After he had left the Dursley's, he had carried his trunk down several blocks and was in no way going to go back. He had nowhere to go. No way of getting to his friends, and even if he did, what would he tell them? No matter how he looked at it, he didn't see how things could get any better.
Could this get ANY worse?
Harry yawned and looked down at his hands.
'What am I going to do now? Maybe I could like. Fly to the Weasley's on my broom and we could come and get my trunk later...'
'No, that's stupid, I don't even know where they live.'
'Well, you though of it..'
SNAP.
Harry's head jerked up and he looked around him frantically. A tree branch had snapped. He felt a wave of panic come over him. He hadn't seen anyone on the street....
'It was probably just a cat.'
"Hello, Harry."
Harry spun around. A tall, cloaked man stood behind him. The stranger stood in the shadows, just out of the streetlights range. Harry felt his heart jump in his throat, and a new wave of panic swept threw him.
"Um.... hi."
The man tilted his head slightly, as if studying Harry.
" In a spot of trouble, are you?"
" Well, err... What makes you say that?"
" You are out here, in the middle of the night, with no visible mode of transportation, no way to contact help and, by the looks of it, no intention of going home."
"Well, when you put it that way...wait. Who are you? And how do you know who I am?"
The stranger stepped forward, his dark form coming in to the light; his whole body was covered in a long, black cloak. Even his head was covered and a shawl was wrapped around the lower part of his face to mask him from view.
" Doesn't everyone know the famous Harry Potter? And as for who I am, they call me 'The Grim'," he paused. " But you can call me Cyrus. "
" Ok, well, what are you doing out here?"
" I could ask you the same question."
" I asked first."
To Harry's surprise, He laughed.
" True," he paused again. " I got a feeling that you would need my help, here, tonight.Now , what are you doing here?"
Harry got the impression that he was not being told the whole truth. Of course, he was taking to a wizard he had just met on a muggle street in the dead of night. And if this guy, Cyrus, wasn't going to be completely honest, then Harry wasn't go to be completely honest.
," I...err...was kicked out." It wasn't a lie; it was only a half-truth.
"Kicked out?" Cyrus said in disbelief.
" Of my uncles house, well sort of. " He was bad at this lying to strangers' thing.
" How do you 'sort of' get kicked out of your house?"
It was Harry's turn to laugh
" How did you get the feeling you'd be needed here, tonight?"
"Well, you've made you're point. I suppose." Was that humor Harry heard?
" Why are you really here?" Harry asked, cautiously.
" I was sent here." He answered.
" By who?" 'Please don't say Voldermort. Please don't say Voldermort. Please don't say Voldermort.'
" That I can't tell you." 'Well, at least it wasn't Voldermort.'
" Why not?" Harry asked.
" I just can't. Now come, we must get you off the street and into safety."
" I'm not going back."
" Of course not. It's not safe for you there anymore. Come."
Harry hesitated. He didn't know this man. Why did he seem so intent on getting Harry out of here? Was it a trick or was he really trying to help? Who would know that Harry would be in trouble tonight? None of this made sense.
Cyrus seemed to sense his hesitation and sighed.
"I will not hurt you. I promise."
" How can I trust you?"
" You have to trust yourself."
'Makes perfect sense.' thought Harry "Um. ok.what are we going to do?"
" Well, first we must get a ride."
" Ok."
Cyrus reached inside the folds of his robe and pulled out a wand. Raised it over his head and brought it down with one quick swipe. Harry didn't see the point in this and was just about to ask what he was doing when.
BANG!
Harry jerked back and almost tripped, he looked up to see the source of the bang and felt his jaw drop in shock.
A large, purple bus now sat in the once empty street. Its bright lights laminated the dark street and pealing gold letters on the side read 'The Knight Bus'
'Ok' thought Harry' Now I've seen everything.'
With a hiss, the doors to the Knight bus slid open and a young man of about 19 stepped out.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus" the man began " emergency transportation for any witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand and step on board and we'll take you where you want to go, My names Stan Shunpike and I'll be your conductor this evening."
The man smiled at the two.
" How can I help you?"
"My young friend and I would to go to Diagon Ally, How much?"
Harry didn't hear the rest of the conversation; he had been to busy paying attention to the 'details' of the bus to notice. Harry hadn't even noticed that he had backed up into Cyrus until he felt a hand on his shoulder, urging him forward.
" Come now, Harry." Cyrus said. " Let's go."
" Um. ok." Harry said, still a little shocked.
Cyrus grabbed Harry's trunk and walked in behind Stan. Harry followed him.
There were no seats, instead, Half a dozen brass beds were lined up against the walls with small bedside tables and little candles lighting each one.
"You can have these two." Said Stan, pointing to the last two beds.
Cyrus sat Harry's trunk down at the foot of one of the beds and sat on the other one. Harry took this as his signal to sit down on the other bed and quickly crawled into the bed.
" London is a long way away, Harry, perhaps you should try to rest." Cyrus said staring at Harry calmly.
Harry was about to reply but another loud bang caught his attention, this time though, it was accompanied by a rather gut-wrenching jerk as the bus took off. Harry was nearly thrown off of his bed.
" I.ow." The memory of the rather hard hit Vernon had given him earlier that very night suddenly hit Harry and he clutched his stomach.
"Harry, What's wrong?" Cyrus asked, voice full of concern. Harry, who had clenched his eyes shut, cautiously opened them to see Cyrus' concerned face hovering over him.
"I'm fine." Harry lied." I was.just surprised." Cyrus didn't seem satisfied and Harry gave a fake, half-smile.
"It's nothing really."
Cyrus nodded but still didn't seem too happy.
"Lay down." He said. "Rest, you'll need to."
Harry nodded and slipped off his shoes, but he didn't crawl under the covers, maybe it was the jerk, or maybe it was the fact this was the first time in weeks Harry had felt truly comfortable, Harry wasn't really for sure, but whatever it was, it mad Harry VERY tired, and he was asleep only moments after he had laid his head down.
" Harry." A soft voice spoke. "Harry, we're here, get up."
Harry moaned as Cyrus shook him up slightly.
"I'm up, I'm up."
"Prove it." Cyrus said, and Harry let out a soft laugh and sat up.
"Better?"
" Yes, now let's go."
Harry slipped on his shoes and followed Cyrus and his floating trunk (Cyrus had enchanted it.) out onto the street, in front of the 'Leaky Cauldron.'
"Um. Why are we here?"
" You'll be staying here the rest of the summer."
"With you?" Harry asked hopefully.
"No, I have to go." Cyrus said.
"Will I see you again?"
" OH, of course you will." Cyrus said reassuringly " Just not for a while."
"Um.. Well, why can't you stay?"
" I have my reasons."
As they talked they moved forward into the tavern. Cyrus tapped the desk bell and a very tired looking Tom, the innkeeper, came out in his sleeping gown and a candle.
" Can I help you?" He asked sleepily.
" Yes, We would like a room, please. Single, I won't be staying."
Cyrus put his hand on Harry's shoulder and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
Tom held up the candle to get a clear picture of Cyrus' face. No such luck.
"Very well," said Tom " follow me. "
He lead them up a winding way of stairs to a well lit hall then stopped in front of a old door with a peeling brass-colored #11on it and began to search for the keys. Upon finding the right one he opened the right door and let them go inside the room.
Harry liked the room. It was small and cozy. It had a large bed and window, a chest of draws and a nice well-mannered mirror in the bathroom.
"Get into your night clothes." Said Cyrus. And Harry nodded. If it had been late when he left the Dursley's, it was most defiantly late now.
Tom gestured for Cyrus to come out into the hall where Tom had stayed, and Cyrus nodded and gave a nod to Harry.
As Harry slipped on his night pants on he thought he heard a familiar tapping sound, but it couldn't be.
Harry looked up to see none other than Hedwig herself, sitting on the window seal.
Harry rushed over and opened the window and smiled as she fluttered in and on the top of the chest of draws and cooed at him affectionately.
"Smart owl you have there." Cyrus had returned and now more than ever Harry wished there was no shawl to block Cyrus' face.
"Thanks." Harry mumbled.
"Here, your shirt." Said Cyrus, holding out the short-sleeved shirt Harry had laid out for himself.
"Thanks," Harry said, slipping off his shirt and quickly slipping the other on.
" Listen. What do I.?"
But Harry stopped in mid sentence. Cyrus was looking at him in a strange way. The blue eyes which shine so brightly under the hood seemed to blaze with an emotion Harry had never scene before, and he quickly scanned his mind over the last few moments to see what had caused this expression.
'What could I have done.. I . NO! I Am so stupid!!! I changed my shirt!!! STUPID STUPID! STUPID!!! He saw it!!! He saw!'
Harry felt his blood run cold in his veins.
"Who. Hit. You." Cyrus growled
Harry was rather surprised by the sound of rage dripping in Cyrus' voice.
"I.I.."
"Was it your Uncle?"
"Well.'
" Harry, tell me." Cyrus voice was rising in volume and Harry felt himself getting a little scared." I won't hurt you, I promise. But please tell me."
Harry paused.
" I promise I won't be mad. Please Harry.."
"Vernon." Harry said, not being able to take the way Cyrus' voice sounded.
Cyrus seemed to sense this. He took a deep breath and nodded.
"I'm sorry, Harry, I'll take care of it. Now come, get into bed." Cyrus pulled down the covers.
"It's not your fault, and what do you mean, you'll take care of it? Cyrus, don't."
"Get into bed Harry." Cyrus voice held no room argue or discussion. Harry crawled on the bed and was surprised when Cyrus pulled the covers over him. Harry had never been tucked in before.
"Now listen." Said Cyrus, his voice had finally regained it's soft, smooth sound. " I'm going to give you some rules before you drift off, First, No going out after dark."
" You're giving me a curfew?" Asked Harry.
" Yes, say around 7:45, and no later. And I'd rather you not go into muggle London. Here and Diagon Ally are fine, and finally." Cyrus paused " If anyone comes to you claiming to know me, get away, FAR away, make sure to draw attention to yourself and that someone notices you are in trouble."
Harry didn't understand, but nodded anyway.
"Ok."
"Good now, rest, sleep." Cyrus reached over and turned out the bedside light.
"I'll be gone by sun rise." He whispered. And sure enough, when Harry woke up the next morning, he was gone.
Now see, that wasn't so bad, was it? It was? Oops, well it gets better. (I hope) The next one will take awhile; I just can't seem to get it right, you know?