Chapter six: News
Harry woke up at dinner time feeling very hungry. He went down to the kitchen hoping to grab something to eat before the Dursley's arrived back from the veterinarian clinic. Unfortunately they were back and obviously talking about him. He hid behind the door watching carefully.
"But why Vernon, why aren't you throwing him out?" demanded Marge "and I wonder why Ripper went after him even I told him to stop, and he never disobeys my command,"
Harry tried hard not to snigger remembering the event when his aunt visited him before his third year.
"Marge, you don't understand he's associated with criminals at St. Brutus's who've threatened us that if we try to mistreat him in any way, they'd kill us," said Uncle Vernon convincingly.
Aunt Marge clamped a hand to her mouth "Oh my god Vernon, why didn't you report him to the police?"
"They threatened us Marge, they even had a gun and the boy has one, too" he added
Marge let out a little shriek; Harry had never seen her so scared before.
"So please Marge don't say anything to him, just keep quiet and stay out of his way" said Aunt Petunia
"O-of course, Petunia" spluttered Marge.
Harry decided that this was a perfect time to crash their little party, stepping into the room he made everyone jump in surprise
"Hello everyone, did my criminal associates happen to drop by while I was having a lie in?" he asked faking a polite tone
Everyone was looking horrified that Harry had overheard their conversation.
He took some leftovers form the table where Dudley had left a large mess. He began making his way back to his room. When he reached the kitchen door he looked back at them "I guess I'll begin writing that letter to my 'friends' now," he said making them even more terrified than they were before.
He laughed all the way back to his room. After eating dinner, he decided to theorize those spells which Salazar had given him to do. When he opened the book, he was surprised to find just how difficult dark magic was and was even more surprised by the complexity of the spells. Harry wondered if Snape and Salazar would be related in some way.
"After all," he thought to himself "Anything could be possible after what I've been through."
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Amazingly by the next day he had been able to theorize them all. The Dursley's, meanwhile, completely horrified by the fact that Harry was writing to the Order, were not talking to him. Harry could care less however. When Harry went down for breakfast that morning there were eggs and toast waiting for him and the Dursley's were nowhere in sight.
"Must be up in their locked rooms" muttered Harry.
After eating breakfast he went out of the house to take a walk, he had completely forgotten about the Ministry attack considering he had gone to meet his parents and Sirius, since he didn't get the Daily prophet anymore, he had no idea what had happened. Not even the Muggle news reported any signs of unusual behavior yet.
He went to the back of the house. "Hello, anyone, sorry, but can you tell me what happened in well…you-know-where?" whispered Harry as he looked around, thinking of any invisible Order member around. He wondered what the neighbors would do if they saw him like this ("Probably think St. Brutus beatings have got to me" Harry thought)
"Ahem!" said someone behind Harry. Harry jumped. "Shouldn't leave your back exposed like that, boy." growled Moody taking off his Invisibility cloak "I could have killed you and you wouldn't have known about it,"
"Good morning to you, too," said Harry
Moody was looking weary and exhausted and wore blood tattered robes.
"What happened to you?" asked Harry staring at him
"This is nothing compared to some of the Death eaters I've been through" said Moody as he limped towards Harry
"What happened?" asked Harry sounding desperate
"Can't talk here right now, someone might be listening," said Moody
"WHAT?!!" yelled Harry feeling the anger rising in him
"Calm down, boy, I didn't say I wouldn't tell you," said Moody he said casting a small silver dome around them both "This dome is sound proof, no one can hear us outside it. I'll tell you about the attack later, first, tell me how you knew this was going to happen,"
"Can't,"
"Why?"
"Because you're too old to know, the information might be too painful for your poor heart to bear,"
"I'm not here for any games you know," said Moody growling
"It's my secret and besides, how do I know you're not a Death eater?
Moody smirked "You remind me of myself when I was your age. Very well, I was stuck in a trunk for ten months"
"A lot of people knew that, how do I know that you didn't get the information from them and modify their memory?
Moody gave Harry a strange look "Very well Potter, I showed you the Order's photo last year,"
"Ok, what happened at the Ministry?"
"We managed to evacuate everyone in time," said Moody "and hid and waited for the Death eaters. They didn't know what hit them. Most of them apparated away though, including Snape and a small number of Aurors were injured, now will you tell me how you knew?"
"I'm sorry, but I can't reveal my sources" said Harry
Moody didn't press the subject. "Oh, and by the way, Dumbledore told me to tell you that you're coming to Grimmauld place next week"
"Is that a request?"
"No, it's an order"
"Great, I can hardly wait" said Harry
*********
Harry was folded in darkness again
"Hi mum, dad, Sirius," said Harry
"Hi, Harry" greeted James "Ready for your first day?"
"Sure am," replied Harry
"What about the attack?" asked Sirius
"The Death eaters got busted, but most of them, including the ones working for Dumbledore, managed to get away," said Harry.
By the time they reached Salazar's hut Harry could see again
"Well here we are," said Harry trying hard not to think what Slytherin had in store for him. "Aren't you coming in?"
"Afraid not Harry, wish we could but Slytherin made it clear that we wouldn't interfere in his classes" said Sirius sadly
"Well, bye then" said Harry and with a dreadful feeling in his stomach, he went in.
The first thing he noticed was that when he entered the room the door closed behind him. The second thing he noticed put him in shock
A Basilisk
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I can't apologize enough for the delay in the postage of this chapter. I have exams so I am studying, but what disappoints me is the fact that no one bothered to review to ask where I was gone. Well I don't expect to get many reviews now since people will have long forgotten my fic. Bye