Author: darkjedi
Title: The wall
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Yeah, sure. I'm J.K. Rowling and I own this. No, I don't think so.
Summary: An alternate Universe fic. Sirius only killed Peter. And was released from prison. Now, ten years later, Harry's' sparked interest in his godfather leads him to a man who calls himself 'The Grim.'
A/N: I know, I know, it took a while. I couldn't seem to get this right. I feel like I've let you down on the Cyrus/Vernon confrontation. I mean, lets face it; it's what we're all waiting in the true book series, right? I might try and sneak another fight or two in here if I can; I'm not promising anything, though. I think this chapter is just ... disappointing, I'm sorry if I let you down. I hope you enjoy the rest of it though.
The Wall, chapter 8
The next morning went by quick for Harry. He woke up to Ron and the twins attacking him from all angles. Then the 'The Demon Ball of Fluff' attacked him again, because he had a piece of bacon in his hands. Finally when they (Harry, The Weasleys, and Hermione) finally got everything in the car (which was no small task) Mr.Weasley had rented and got everyone (Again, no small task) in and on the road, Mrs. Weasley immediately started the 'Beginning of the year mother speech' as Fred put it. Which was basically a long plea from Mrs. Weasley to be good and study, accompanied by the usual life threats and so on.
The station seemed more crowded somehow, though Harry didn't see anyone he knew. As he, Hermione and the mob of red heads moved closer to the barrier, Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle up. Someone was watching him. He glanced around slowly to see Cyrus standing behind him, a few yards away. Cyrus was looking strait at him, but it wasn't the same look Harry had seen his first night in Diagon ally. Although his face was still covered, Harry could clearly see Cyrus' shining blue eyes and they looked angry. Harry swore he could feel Cyrus' anger. What was he mad at? Was he mad at Harry? What did he do?
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked. Glancing in the direction that Harry was looking at.
"Nothing." Harry lied. Why was Cyrus here? Were they in trouble? They couldn't be, could they? And what did he do to make Cyrus look at him like that? Was Cyrus mad at him or someone else?
"OOOO, Harry. Is that him? Is that that Cyrus guy you told us about?" Ron hissed suddenly. "Yeah." He said off-handily. But he wasn't paying attention to Rom or Hermione anymore. Cyrus had started walking toward him, not an angry walk, just a normal, everyday walk. Even under the cloak Harry could see that Cyrus was more graceful than he looked. The way he moved seemed calm. But Harry could tell something was seriously wrong here. Cyrus' eyes were still shining as if a fire was burning in them. 'Is he mad at me?' Harry thought. 'Did I do something? And if so, what?' It seemed that Harry's question was never going to be answered. Because at that moment, Ron grabbed Harry's arm and jerked him from his eye contact with Cyrus.
"What?" Harry asked and looked at Ron indigently. Ron said nothing, he just pointed at the other stalking figure heading toward them. Harry saw the person he had least expected to see, and the person he had least wanted to see.
Uncle Vernon.
Uncle Vernon was charging thru the crowd to Harry's left. Harry felt the bottom of his stomach fall out. Not now! He was almost on the train! He was almost home free!
" Got you!" Vernon hissed. And he seized Harry's arm, HARD. Pushing Ron and Hermione over to the side, and Hermione nearly tripped, had someone not caught her. 'Uh-oh' Harry thought 'Now what do I do?'
Vernon pushed the few people around him and Harry, including the Weasleys, out of the way. Harry could smell alcohol on his breath,
'Didn't they lock this maniac up?' Harry thought. Vernon let go of him and leaned forward and growled dangerously.
" YOU KILLED MY SISTER!" He bellowed, "YOU FREAK, YOU LITTLE MONSTER!! And do you know what they're doing, boy? Their trying to take my son from me, and it's your fault!" Vernon raised his hand and Harry braced himself for the blow that did not come. Harry opened his eyes and gasped.
Vernon had either been punched, kicked, cursed, hexed or all three at once. Harry wasn't sure, but which ever it was, it had obviously been a hard one as he was a good few feet away from Harry now.
Cyrus was standing over Harry. He hissed a few words Harry couldn't understand and held reached inside his robes, as Vernon staggered up again and advanced on them, Cyrus held out his wand. There was blood on his hands, but Harry didn't think he was bleeding, nor was Vernon. But Harry didn't have time to think on it. Vernon had caught his breath and was now completely standing up.
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ? ! " Vernon yelled. Harry backed away; He had spent 12 years with Vernon and knew that that tone of voice was never a good sign.
" HOW DARE YOU! " Cyrus yelled. " I F YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH HIM AGAIN I'LL PROMISE YOU WON'T SURVIVE THE DAY."
" Harry." Harry felt himself being pulled into someone, the folds of their robes wrapping themselves around his shoulders. Mrs. Weasley, no doubt.
" Cyrus!" Remus Lupin, who had been holding Hermione up right, let her go and was now dashing forward; Harry vaguely wondered what he was doing there and then mentally slapped himself, he was going to Hogwarts too. Lupin ran in front of Cyrus and grabbed the darker figures wand-wielding wrist. (a/n- try saying that three times fast)
" Not here. Not now." He said, barley above a whisper, trying to remain calm.
Vernon took this opportunity to run at the both of them. Cyrus pushed Remus aside and swung around, kicking Vernon dead in the stomach. Vernon let out a 'oaf' as Cyrus' foot came in contact with his stomach. He staggered backward and nearly missed a large group of students that, to Harry's horror, instantly recognized him. That could mean only one thing. Hogwarts students.
" ALL RIGHT GUYS, THAT'S ENOUGH!" a few muggle guards were running over to them and the small crowd that had surrounded them backed away.
"What's going on here?" One of them demanded, and Mr. Weasley started talking to him in hushed whispers. The rest ran over and grabbed Vernon. Cyrus had disappeared.
Harry turned and pulled himself out of Mrs. Weasley's protective arms. A few muggles were shacking their heads and muttering something about how ridicules it was that the men were fighting, in the middle of a train station, with flimsy tree limbs. The Hogwarts students were staring at Harry as if he were dying; one second-year girl even had stray tear running down her cheek. The Weasleys were all completely silent around him, not saying a word, just staring at him. Lupin turned to Harry in the commotion and put his hands on his shoulders, he nodded to the Weasleys and pulled Harry toward the side out of the way from the bustling crowd and toward a door. A bathroom door, to be exact. After checking that no one was in the stalls, Lupin turned to Harry, who had climbed on the counter.
" Are you all right?"
"Yeah." Harry said dully.
"No you're not."
" Why shouldn't I be? I've lived with this all my life, why should this be any different?"
" Because they know now, because people saw him try to do that to you." This discussion sounded vaguely familiar somehow. Years ago, in the Gryffindor common room, late at night, with his beat friends, he had unconsciously used almost the same line James had used when Remus had said nothing had changed when they found out about him, they could just leave him alone and tell the whole world if they wanted to, he had lived with the other wizards prejudiced for years, what was supposed to make Hogwarts any different ... "It's different, now that we know. Because we're not them, we're us. And I have no problem with it what so ever. I just wish you had told us. "
"Personally, I think it's kind of cool."
Cyrus had said that, only it was Sirius back then. Remus thought he was nuts back then, now, he knew better...
But now was no time to worry about the past and its twisted future. He had a suffering godson here who was undoubtedly close to a break down and needed comforting, and since Cyrus had disappeared when the muggles grabbed Vernon, Remus was all Harry had right now.
" I don't care." Harry said. " I hate him. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I'm not going back there, if they try and send me I'll just run away. Everyone thinks I'm so great because I've fought Voldemort and lived to tell the tale. I can't even breathe at that house with out getting hit and if they make this public, if word gets out that he's connected to a wizard like me, a freak, he'll kill me. So I'm not going back. I'll live with Snape if I have to, but I'm not going back."
" No, you're not."
Harry, who had let his head fall to stare at his hands, looked up at Remus in surprise.
"How do you know?"
" I won't let it. Dumbledore won't let it. Hell, half the staff at Hogwarts won't let you go back. The Weasleys..No one who knows you will let you go back, you don't deserve that, no one does."
' You're godfather won't let you go back.' Remus added to himself.' After this little incident, we'll be lucky if Cyrus lets Dursley live.'
"But now everyone will know. I ....I don't want them to. This is my life; I just wish people would leave me alone. I don't want any of this. I HATE THIS!"
Harry nearly fell off the sink counter, but Remus caught him and held him close as he started to shiver and cry. Not a howling cry, just a few soft sobs on Remus' chest before he pulled away suddenly as if Remus had a disease. He was blushing furiously and shaking his head quickly as if to snap out of a dream world.
" I...I'm so sorry, professor. I ... I didn't mean to....to .... I bet they're worried, the train leaves in a minute, I have to go, I..." Harry leapt down and ran to the door, but just as his hand touched the doorknob, he turned around and looked Lupin straight in the eye, he was still blood red and shaking a little.
"Um...Thanks, professor, for listening to me, no one's ever done that before, not like you, it means a lot to me. Thanks. Thanks a lot."
He then left, leaving Remus to his rather lost thoughts.
Harry didn't want to go back, that was good. It meant that if Remus did get custody, Harry wouldn't leave. And Remus would get him. Because now nothing in heaven or hell could stop Remus from taking Harry from that place. Nothing.
Harry was still blushing and shaking a little when Mrs. Weasley handed him his ticket and kissed him goodbye, Harry was sure that she started crying when he climbed on the train. He calmed down, though, right before he entered the compartment that Ron and Hermione had gotten to themselves. For the first few minutes, they didn't say anything. Then Hermione, not being able to take the tension anymore, asked if either of them were going to go to Hogsmede with her. Ron eagerly said that he would try and move in to Honeydukes. And the conversation slowly but surly got back to normal.
" I can't wait to see all the historical sites the town is supposed to have." "You and only you." Said Ron, "I'm going to go Zonkos. Fred and George have been there before. They say it's the best shop down there."
"OH, I can't wait to start the new classes. It'll be so much fun. Arithmancy looks so challenging!"
Ron and Harry stared at her, and then laughed.
When the lady with the trolley came by, they each bought a large lunch and continued their discussion on how to find Harry's godfather, which was the only topic they had left by the time the train pulled to a stop.
As they climbed out of their compartment, Harry noticed that some of the students were staring at him. Had word traveled hat fast? What if the Slytherins found out?
"Why, hello, Potter."
'Speaking of Slytherin...'
Malfoy was walking toward them and looking as though Christmas had come early for him.
"Is what their saying true, Potter? You're uncle's an alcoholic? Did the famous Harry Potter get a little boo-boo over the summer? Tell me it's not true, please."
" Go to hell, Malfoy."
Malfoy's eyes shone with malice.
"It is true, well now look at this. The famous Harry Potter can stop the all powerful Voldermort but not his stupid, drunk muggle uncle..."
"MR. MALFOY!!" Malfoy grew a few shades paler and turned to see Lupin standing behind him, staring at him. " COME WITH ME! NOW!"
Malfoy stared, dumbstruck at Lupin, still going paler. And when he didn't follow Lupin out, Lupin came back, grabbed him by the ear and pulled him out of the crowd. A few Gryffindors cheered and hollered Lupin on as he stood in the corner and toughly chewed Malfoy out. Even Harry, who had gone just as pale as Malfoy was now, laughed.
" You know what?" Ron said between fits of laughter as they climbed in their carriage.
"What?" said Hermione.
" I think I like Lupin, a lot."
" Yeah." Said Harry, smiling. " I like him, too."
A/N- I still feel like I let you down on this. I'm sorry if you're disappointed in it. I also realize that people turn around a lot to see a big surprise over their shoulders, but I like doing that.
(A note from the Beta-It's a great chapter, isn't it guys? Review and tell her that it was great and that you weren't disappointed at all. You know you aren't. ^~)
Title: The wall
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Yeah, sure. I'm J.K. Rowling and I own this. No, I don't think so.
Summary: An alternate Universe fic. Sirius only killed Peter. And was released from prison. Now, ten years later, Harry's' sparked interest in his godfather leads him to a man who calls himself 'The Grim.'
A/N: I know, I know, it took a while. I couldn't seem to get this right. I feel like I've let you down on the Cyrus/Vernon confrontation. I mean, lets face it; it's what we're all waiting in the true book series, right? I might try and sneak another fight or two in here if I can; I'm not promising anything, though. I think this chapter is just ... disappointing, I'm sorry if I let you down. I hope you enjoy the rest of it though.
The Wall, chapter 8
The next morning went by quick for Harry. He woke up to Ron and the twins attacking him from all angles. Then the 'The Demon Ball of Fluff' attacked him again, because he had a piece of bacon in his hands. Finally when they (Harry, The Weasleys, and Hermione) finally got everything in the car (which was no small task) Mr.Weasley had rented and got everyone (Again, no small task) in and on the road, Mrs. Weasley immediately started the 'Beginning of the year mother speech' as Fred put it. Which was basically a long plea from Mrs. Weasley to be good and study, accompanied by the usual life threats and so on.
The station seemed more crowded somehow, though Harry didn't see anyone he knew. As he, Hermione and the mob of red heads moved closer to the barrier, Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck prickle up. Someone was watching him. He glanced around slowly to see Cyrus standing behind him, a few yards away. Cyrus was looking strait at him, but it wasn't the same look Harry had seen his first night in Diagon ally. Although his face was still covered, Harry could clearly see Cyrus' shining blue eyes and they looked angry. Harry swore he could feel Cyrus' anger. What was he mad at? Was he mad at Harry? What did he do?
"What's wrong?" Hermione asked. Glancing in the direction that Harry was looking at.
"Nothing." Harry lied. Why was Cyrus here? Were they in trouble? They couldn't be, could they? And what did he do to make Cyrus look at him like that? Was Cyrus mad at him or someone else?
"OOOO, Harry. Is that him? Is that that Cyrus guy you told us about?" Ron hissed suddenly. "Yeah." He said off-handily. But he wasn't paying attention to Rom or Hermione anymore. Cyrus had started walking toward him, not an angry walk, just a normal, everyday walk. Even under the cloak Harry could see that Cyrus was more graceful than he looked. The way he moved seemed calm. But Harry could tell something was seriously wrong here. Cyrus' eyes were still shining as if a fire was burning in them. 'Is he mad at me?' Harry thought. 'Did I do something? And if so, what?' It seemed that Harry's question was never going to be answered. Because at that moment, Ron grabbed Harry's arm and jerked him from his eye contact with Cyrus.
"What?" Harry asked and looked at Ron indigently. Ron said nothing, he just pointed at the other stalking figure heading toward them. Harry saw the person he had least expected to see, and the person he had least wanted to see.
Uncle Vernon.
Uncle Vernon was charging thru the crowd to Harry's left. Harry felt the bottom of his stomach fall out. Not now! He was almost on the train! He was almost home free!
" Got you!" Vernon hissed. And he seized Harry's arm, HARD. Pushing Ron and Hermione over to the side, and Hermione nearly tripped, had someone not caught her. 'Uh-oh' Harry thought 'Now what do I do?'
Vernon pushed the few people around him and Harry, including the Weasleys, out of the way. Harry could smell alcohol on his breath,
'Didn't they lock this maniac up?' Harry thought. Vernon let go of him and leaned forward and growled dangerously.
" YOU KILLED MY SISTER!" He bellowed, "YOU FREAK, YOU LITTLE MONSTER!! And do you know what they're doing, boy? Their trying to take my son from me, and it's your fault!" Vernon raised his hand and Harry braced himself for the blow that did not come. Harry opened his eyes and gasped.
Vernon had either been punched, kicked, cursed, hexed or all three at once. Harry wasn't sure, but which ever it was, it had obviously been a hard one as he was a good few feet away from Harry now.
Cyrus was standing over Harry. He hissed a few words Harry couldn't understand and held reached inside his robes, as Vernon staggered up again and advanced on them, Cyrus held out his wand. There was blood on his hands, but Harry didn't think he was bleeding, nor was Vernon. But Harry didn't have time to think on it. Vernon had caught his breath and was now completely standing up.
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE ? ! " Vernon yelled. Harry backed away; He had spent 12 years with Vernon and knew that that tone of voice was never a good sign.
" HOW DARE YOU! " Cyrus yelled. " I F YOU SO MUCH AS TOUCH HIM AGAIN I'LL PROMISE YOU WON'T SURVIVE THE DAY."
" Harry." Harry felt himself being pulled into someone, the folds of their robes wrapping themselves around his shoulders. Mrs. Weasley, no doubt.
" Cyrus!" Remus Lupin, who had been holding Hermione up right, let her go and was now dashing forward; Harry vaguely wondered what he was doing there and then mentally slapped himself, he was going to Hogwarts too. Lupin ran in front of Cyrus and grabbed the darker figures wand-wielding wrist. (a/n- try saying that three times fast)
" Not here. Not now." He said, barley above a whisper, trying to remain calm.
Vernon took this opportunity to run at the both of them. Cyrus pushed Remus aside and swung around, kicking Vernon dead in the stomach. Vernon let out a 'oaf' as Cyrus' foot came in contact with his stomach. He staggered backward and nearly missed a large group of students that, to Harry's horror, instantly recognized him. That could mean only one thing. Hogwarts students.
" ALL RIGHT GUYS, THAT'S ENOUGH!" a few muggle guards were running over to them and the small crowd that had surrounded them backed away.
"What's going on here?" One of them demanded, and Mr. Weasley started talking to him in hushed whispers. The rest ran over and grabbed Vernon. Cyrus had disappeared.
Harry turned and pulled himself out of Mrs. Weasley's protective arms. A few muggles were shacking their heads and muttering something about how ridicules it was that the men were fighting, in the middle of a train station, with flimsy tree limbs. The Hogwarts students were staring at Harry as if he were dying; one second-year girl even had stray tear running down her cheek. The Weasleys were all completely silent around him, not saying a word, just staring at him. Lupin turned to Harry in the commotion and put his hands on his shoulders, he nodded to the Weasleys and pulled Harry toward the side out of the way from the bustling crowd and toward a door. A bathroom door, to be exact. After checking that no one was in the stalls, Lupin turned to Harry, who had climbed on the counter.
" Are you all right?"
"Yeah." Harry said dully.
"No you're not."
" Why shouldn't I be? I've lived with this all my life, why should this be any different?"
" Because they know now, because people saw him try to do that to you." This discussion sounded vaguely familiar somehow. Years ago, in the Gryffindor common room, late at night, with his beat friends, he had unconsciously used almost the same line James had used when Remus had said nothing had changed when they found out about him, they could just leave him alone and tell the whole world if they wanted to, he had lived with the other wizards prejudiced for years, what was supposed to make Hogwarts any different ... "It's different, now that we know. Because we're not them, we're us. And I have no problem with it what so ever. I just wish you had told us. "
"Personally, I think it's kind of cool."
Cyrus had said that, only it was Sirius back then. Remus thought he was nuts back then, now, he knew better...
But now was no time to worry about the past and its twisted future. He had a suffering godson here who was undoubtedly close to a break down and needed comforting, and since Cyrus had disappeared when the muggles grabbed Vernon, Remus was all Harry had right now.
" I don't care." Harry said. " I hate him. I know I shouldn't, but I do. I'm not going back there, if they try and send me I'll just run away. Everyone thinks I'm so great because I've fought Voldemort and lived to tell the tale. I can't even breathe at that house with out getting hit and if they make this public, if word gets out that he's connected to a wizard like me, a freak, he'll kill me. So I'm not going back. I'll live with Snape if I have to, but I'm not going back."
" No, you're not."
Harry, who had let his head fall to stare at his hands, looked up at Remus in surprise.
"How do you know?"
" I won't let it. Dumbledore won't let it. Hell, half the staff at Hogwarts won't let you go back. The Weasleys..No one who knows you will let you go back, you don't deserve that, no one does."
' You're godfather won't let you go back.' Remus added to himself.' After this little incident, we'll be lucky if Cyrus lets Dursley live.'
"But now everyone will know. I ....I don't want them to. This is my life; I just wish people would leave me alone. I don't want any of this. I HATE THIS!"
Harry nearly fell off the sink counter, but Remus caught him and held him close as he started to shiver and cry. Not a howling cry, just a few soft sobs on Remus' chest before he pulled away suddenly as if Remus had a disease. He was blushing furiously and shaking his head quickly as if to snap out of a dream world.
" I...I'm so sorry, professor. I ... I didn't mean to....to .... I bet they're worried, the train leaves in a minute, I have to go, I..." Harry leapt down and ran to the door, but just as his hand touched the doorknob, he turned around and looked Lupin straight in the eye, he was still blood red and shaking a little.
"Um...Thanks, professor, for listening to me, no one's ever done that before, not like you, it means a lot to me. Thanks. Thanks a lot."
He then left, leaving Remus to his rather lost thoughts.
Harry didn't want to go back, that was good. It meant that if Remus did get custody, Harry wouldn't leave. And Remus would get him. Because now nothing in heaven or hell could stop Remus from taking Harry from that place. Nothing.
Harry was still blushing and shaking a little when Mrs. Weasley handed him his ticket and kissed him goodbye, Harry was sure that she started crying when he climbed on the train. He calmed down, though, right before he entered the compartment that Ron and Hermione had gotten to themselves. For the first few minutes, they didn't say anything. Then Hermione, not being able to take the tension anymore, asked if either of them were going to go to Hogsmede with her. Ron eagerly said that he would try and move in to Honeydukes. And the conversation slowly but surly got back to normal.
" I can't wait to see all the historical sites the town is supposed to have." "You and only you." Said Ron, "I'm going to go Zonkos. Fred and George have been there before. They say it's the best shop down there."
"OH, I can't wait to start the new classes. It'll be so much fun. Arithmancy looks so challenging!"
Ron and Harry stared at her, and then laughed.
When the lady with the trolley came by, they each bought a large lunch and continued their discussion on how to find Harry's godfather, which was the only topic they had left by the time the train pulled to a stop.
As they climbed out of their compartment, Harry noticed that some of the students were staring at him. Had word traveled hat fast? What if the Slytherins found out?
"Why, hello, Potter."
'Speaking of Slytherin...'
Malfoy was walking toward them and looking as though Christmas had come early for him.
"Is what their saying true, Potter? You're uncle's an alcoholic? Did the famous Harry Potter get a little boo-boo over the summer? Tell me it's not true, please."
" Go to hell, Malfoy."
Malfoy's eyes shone with malice.
"It is true, well now look at this. The famous Harry Potter can stop the all powerful Voldermort but not his stupid, drunk muggle uncle..."
"MR. MALFOY!!" Malfoy grew a few shades paler and turned to see Lupin standing behind him, staring at him. " COME WITH ME! NOW!"
Malfoy stared, dumbstruck at Lupin, still going paler. And when he didn't follow Lupin out, Lupin came back, grabbed him by the ear and pulled him out of the crowd. A few Gryffindors cheered and hollered Lupin on as he stood in the corner and toughly chewed Malfoy out. Even Harry, who had gone just as pale as Malfoy was now, laughed.
" You know what?" Ron said between fits of laughter as they climbed in their carriage.
"What?" said Hermione.
" I think I like Lupin, a lot."
" Yeah." Said Harry, smiling. " I like him, too."
A/N- I still feel like I let you down on this. I'm sorry if you're disappointed in it. I also realize that people turn around a lot to see a big surprise over their shoulders, but I like doing that.
(A note from the Beta-It's a great chapter, isn't it guys? Review and tell her that it was great and that you weren't disappointed at all. You know you aren't. ^~)