Chapter Thirteen:
Ian led the two wizards to his dilapidated house. Dumbledore eyed him curiously.
"You live here?"
"Yea. It isn't much, but no one ever bothers me."
"This is where the Lovegoods lived before Selena passed away."
"Yes, sir."
Dumbledore looked at Ian with what looked like awe, "Curious."
"Huh?"
"Ian, have you ever wondered why nobody bothered you the entire time you have lived
here?"
"No. I...I don't really have a good reputation around here."
"What are you getting at Albus?" Remus asked.
"I sense magic here. Not Harry's. It feels similar to the Fidelius Charm. Can you feel it,
Remus?"
Remus held his breath and stood still as if trying to listen for something hard to hear.
"A bit. Well, at least I think so."
"Er, sorry but what's the Fidelius Charm?" it sounded familiar to Ian but he could not
recall what it meant.
"It's an ancient charm used to hide witches and wizards that are in danger. Harry and his
parents were put under this charm when Voldemort was after them. People who are put under
the Fidelius have no way of being found unless their secret keeper reveals their location."
"And a secret keeper is someone who knows where they are?" Ian asked.
"Yes, the only one who knows where they are."
"I knew I've heard of it somewhere. Wait, are you saying my house is under this charm?"
"That seems to be the case, yes. If not then it is under a similar spell. There are many like
the Fidelius, only not quite as powerful."
"I hate to interrupt, but can we please see Harry now." Remus's stomach twisted with
worry.
Ian nodded and led them inside.
* * * * * * * * * *
The house was dim, even with lighting. Remus's nostrils filled with a familiar smell of
aging. The smell was similar to that of 12 Grimmauld Place, a smell Sirius might describe as "an
old hag's." It was also unbearably stuffy. Remus did a quick scan of his surroundings and saw
that not one window was open. The shades were drawn down, preventing the welcoming sun
from trickling in.
"This is the kitchen. I'm sorry about the mess." Ian stepped over a few empty bottles and
cans next to an overflowing garbage can.
"He's in here." Dumbledore and Remus were led to the living room.
"He woke up a few hours after obliviating himself. I told him to rest so he fell asleep on
the couch. That was two days ago. He hasn't woken up since."
Remus's eyes immediately darted to the couch. At first he had mistaken the mass hidden
under a blanket as a pile of clothes. Looking carefully he could see that it was indeed a sleeping
Harry Potter. At least...he thought it was Harry.
"H-Harry? That's Harry?" Remus stared at the sleeping boy with disbelief.
Ian looked down at the floor and nodded. He was ashamed.
"God, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry. I can't even tell you how- you can hex me now."
"What gives you the notion that we would do that?" Dumbledore asked softly.
Ian looked up at Dumbledore in confusion, "Sir, I did...well, this is all my fault." He
nodded his head towards Harry.
"Everything will mend itself with time."
"Will it? Will he ever wake up?" Remus whispered. He was hoovering right over Harry's
unconscious body. He brushed aside a lock of hair from Harry's face.
"Blimey, how many piercings does he have?"
"Er, five on each ear, and the one on his lip."
"I hope he didn't get to tattoos..."
"No, sir."
Remus looked relieved for a second, but then his eyes crinkled with worry and despair
once more. He put a hand on Harry's forehead, checking for signs of a fever. The moment the
back of his hand touched Harry's scar the boy opened his eyes widely. He gasped and clutched
the scar.
"Owww!" Tears ran down his cheeks as his entire body was put under the impression that
it was on fire.
Ian led the two wizards to his dilapidated house. Dumbledore eyed him curiously.
"You live here?"
"Yea. It isn't much, but no one ever bothers me."
"This is where the Lovegoods lived before Selena passed away."
"Yes, sir."
Dumbledore looked at Ian with what looked like awe, "Curious."
"Huh?"
"Ian, have you ever wondered why nobody bothered you the entire time you have lived
here?"
"No. I...I don't really have a good reputation around here."
"What are you getting at Albus?" Remus asked.
"I sense magic here. Not Harry's. It feels similar to the Fidelius Charm. Can you feel it,
Remus?"
Remus held his breath and stood still as if trying to listen for something hard to hear.
"A bit. Well, at least I think so."
"Er, sorry but what's the Fidelius Charm?" it sounded familiar to Ian but he could not
recall what it meant.
"It's an ancient charm used to hide witches and wizards that are in danger. Harry and his
parents were put under this charm when Voldemort was after them. People who are put under
the Fidelius have no way of being found unless their secret keeper reveals their location."
"And a secret keeper is someone who knows where they are?" Ian asked.
"Yes, the only one who knows where they are."
"I knew I've heard of it somewhere. Wait, are you saying my house is under this charm?"
"That seems to be the case, yes. If not then it is under a similar spell. There are many like
the Fidelius, only not quite as powerful."
"I hate to interrupt, but can we please see Harry now." Remus's stomach twisted with
worry.
Ian nodded and led them inside.
* * * * * * * * * *
The house was dim, even with lighting. Remus's nostrils filled with a familiar smell of
aging. The smell was similar to that of 12 Grimmauld Place, a smell Sirius might describe as "an
old hag's." It was also unbearably stuffy. Remus did a quick scan of his surroundings and saw
that not one window was open. The shades were drawn down, preventing the welcoming sun
from trickling in.
"This is the kitchen. I'm sorry about the mess." Ian stepped over a few empty bottles and
cans next to an overflowing garbage can.
"He's in here." Dumbledore and Remus were led to the living room.
"He woke up a few hours after obliviating himself. I told him to rest so he fell asleep on
the couch. That was two days ago. He hasn't woken up since."
Remus's eyes immediately darted to the couch. At first he had mistaken the mass hidden
under a blanket as a pile of clothes. Looking carefully he could see that it was indeed a sleeping
Harry Potter. At least...he thought it was Harry.
"H-Harry? That's Harry?" Remus stared at the sleeping boy with disbelief.
Ian looked down at the floor and nodded. He was ashamed.
"God, this is all my fault. I'm so sorry. I can't even tell you how- you can hex me now."
"What gives you the notion that we would do that?" Dumbledore asked softly.
Ian looked up at Dumbledore in confusion, "Sir, I did...well, this is all my fault." He
nodded his head towards Harry.
"Everything will mend itself with time."
"Will it? Will he ever wake up?" Remus whispered. He was hoovering right over Harry's
unconscious body. He brushed aside a lock of hair from Harry's face.
"Blimey, how many piercings does he have?"
"Er, five on each ear, and the one on his lip."
"I hope he didn't get to tattoos..."
"No, sir."
Remus looked relieved for a second, but then his eyes crinkled with worry and despair
once more. He put a hand on Harry's forehead, checking for signs of a fever. The moment the
back of his hand touched Harry's scar the boy opened his eyes widely. He gasped and clutched
the scar.
"Owww!" Tears ran down his cheeks as his entire body was put under the impression that
it was on fire.