Hello! I started this where Harry's at Grimmuald Place, because I find it
hard to write about the Dursleys. Enjoy!
NO CHARACTERS FROM THE BOOKS BELONG TO ME
CHAPTER ONE THE UNEXPECTED SURPRISE
Harry Potter smiled lazily as he watched his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, battle their wits against each other in a game of wizard's chess. Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley were outside the door, trying to eavesdrop on the meeting below.
It had been a week since Harry had arrived at Grimmuald Place. When Harry had arrived, Hermione had told Harry all she could about what had happened in the past weeks, while Ron nodded and added little afterthoughts. From what they had told him, the dementors had left Azkaban Prison, allowing all who were held prisoner in the fortress to return to Voldemort. The Order of the Phoenix had caught four of Voldemort's most ruthless followers, and were now being held somewhere they did not know.
Fred, George, and Ginny returned, looking very pleased.
"Well, we've gotten a little bit more information about the Azkaban breakout," said George, rolling up his Extendable Ear.
"It seems that they've got those four Death Eaters in some place where there's some sort of big fire or something," said Fred.
"And?" asked Ron.
"We really shouldn't know this," Hermione said forbiddingly. "It's not our business."
"Well, how are we supposed to be prepared if we don't know whether or not he's going to burst in and kill us all?" George demanded. Hermione gave him a "that's not funny" look and returned to the game.
"Ron, did you steal my rooks?" she asked.
"No," Ron said innocently, then turning to Harry. "She was about to take my queen."
When the game ended with Ron's bishop slicing Hermione's king in half, there was a sudden crescendo of chatter downstairs.
"Meeting's over," Ginny said, as she snuck out. They followed her and crouched down to listen through the banisters.
"...completely ruined! If only I hadn't left the bag of lemon drops on the ground..."
"...was definitely a good one. Thought I was going to die of shock!"
"...are all done now. They just have to be guarded..." Harry turned to leave until he heard his name. He turned back and tried to hear through all the chaos.
"...think that Harry Potter will sure be surprised. I hope he sees--"
But what the person wanted him to see was not revealed, for Hagrid had just boomed out a greeting to Professor McGonnagall, making them all jump.
Harry, curious about what was going on, crept down the stairs. Mrs. Weasley pushed her way through the crowd.
"Harry, dear, why don't you get the others? We're about to start dinner," she said, turning back around. Harry turned to go up the stairs but ran smack into Hermione, toppling all of them down the last few stairs.
"Sorry," Harry said quickly, getting to his feet as the others lazily got to theirs. They all followed Harry into the kitchen, at least until they got to the door.
"Oh," gasped Hermione. "I...erm...forgot to see if Hedwig came back." She looked at Harry.
"I'll look," Harry said slowly, suspicious of something. He flew up the stairs, saw that Hedwig was there, and was about to go out the door when he realized that Hedwig had been sleeping in her cage since that morning.
Harry ran down the stairs and blindly threw the kitchen door open.
"Hermione, what—"
But he was cut off by a loud shout of "Happy Birthday, Harry!"
Harry was blown away. He had never had a birthday party. Most of the Order, it seemed, had circled to the back so as to not make it suspicious. Ron and Hermione dragged Harry to a table, where (to Harry's disbelief) lay a mountainous pile of packages, all shapes, sizes, and colors.
That night was the happiest night in Harry's life. All around him were people who were talking to him or giving him food or more packages. Harry opened the packages, with the enthusiastic help from Ron, and found the most incredible things he had ever seen.
When the party had died down a bit (at which point the Weasley twins were not trying to force Harry into the large, fluffy blue sweater with purple spots that Dobby had sent), Lupin pulled Harry aside.
"What?" Harry asked.
"There is something I need to settle with you," Lupin said, pulling out a small stack of parchment from his tattered suitcase. "I never hoped I would have to do this, but...well...Sirius made me swear that I would give you these papers...if something happened to him."
Harry took the papers and read them. When he finished, he looked up at Lupin.
"What does this mean?"
"It means that everything Sirius owned is now yours," Lupin said grimly. "His Gringotts vault, this house, and Kreacher."
Harry shuddered at the mention of Kreacher.
"I don't want that accursed house-elf," Harry said coldly.
"Well, you are his master now..." Lupin drifted off vaguely as Ginny, Fred, and George caused a commotion on the other side of the room. Lupin rushed off to help, leaving Harry to ponder. [end scene]
Harry woke the next morning, having slept horribly. His dreams had consisted of a large quill chasing him around a roll of parchment, while Kreacher twirled around in a pink skirt and the blue sweater Harry received from Dobby.
"You awake, Harry?" Ron said groggily.
"Yeah," Harry replied as they all woke up. He was suddenly happy, because he remembered that he was in his house.
"Ron. Hermione. I have to tell you something."
[end scene]
The next few weeks went by rather fast, because Harry was having so much fun. It was two before the return to Hogwarts when they went outside for a walk and the topic about Harry's inheritance came up again.
"Wow," said Ron, looking back at the house. "I can't believe it's all yours now."
"It is nice and all," said Harry. "but...well...I would rather have Sirius than his house."
"We know, Harry," said Hermione sympathetically. "But Sirius would have wanted you to be happy and live in his home."
Harry shrugged the topic out of his head.
"And all that gold..." Ron said vaguely.
They talked the morning away. They were just heading back when a swarm of people on started appearing out of nowhere in the street, and walking to the now invisible house. Curious as to what was happening, they ran for the back door, where Mrs. Weasley shunted them up the stairs to their bedroom. Fred and George came bursting in to the room, looking excited.
"Emergency meeting!" Fred said in glee. "Ginny's outside, trying to get the Extendables ready."
But it seemed that they did not need the Extendable Ears, for Albus Dumbledore had opened the door and beckoned them down the stairs. They exchanged puzzled looks, but followed eagerly all the same.
The chatter was chaos. It seemed as though each person was trying to be the loudest. When they saw Dumbledore, it died away instantly.
"I am sure you all have heard," Dumbledore said, looking wary, yet alert. "Otherwise, you would not have come."
"Is it true, Albus?" a short witch with blue hair asked hesitantly, as though dreading the answer.
"I'm afraid it is," he said. "The dementors have found this house. They know whom resides her."
He gave Harry a significant look from the corner of his eye.
"You all know what this means."
"But where else is there?" asked a skinny wizard, who seemed to be on the edge of unconciousness. Harry suddenly realized what was happening.
"Does this mean—"he began, but Dumbledore interrupted. The chatter began again.
"I'm afraid so, Harry," he said. "You can't stay here until the dementors have been controlled."
"But—"Harry sputtered. "Where--?"
Harry saw the dreadful answer in Dumbledore's eyes.
"I'm afraid you'll have to go back to your relatives', Harry."
"No..." Harry said distantly. "Not now!"
Dumbledore looked at the ground grimly. Harry trudged up the stairs. When he got to his room, he sat down on the bed and watched Hedwig absent- mindedly. After a while, Mrs. Weasley came up and told Harry to pack his things, for they were taking him back to the Dursleys the next morning. Hermione and Ron came up after they had lunch. Hermione, seeing Harry so downtrodden, came up with an idea.
"Harry," she said suddenly through the silence. "What if one of us stayed with you at the Dursleys until school starts?"
"Yeah!" Ron said, but then he frowned. "I can't do it...Mum said that we were going France this weekend. It'll have to be you, Hermione."
"I'll ask Mum and Dad. Can I use Hedwig, Harry?" she asked.
"Sure," Harry replied, taking Hedwig out of her cage. Hedwig glared at Harry for waking her up from her nap. She nonetheless was eager to be sent rather than Pigwidgeon, who was yapping in his own cage. Hermione scrawled a quick letter, rolled the parchment, and attached it to Hedwig's outstretched leg. She soared through the open window.
[end scene]
I've changed the ending of this chapter because I felt it wasn't time to reveal anything too soon. Hopefully, most of you haven't seen the original chapter. I think I may have put in too much dialogue. Oh well.
Well, hope you liked it!
CHAPTER ONE THE UNEXPECTED SURPRISE
Harry Potter smiled lazily as he watched his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, battle their wits against each other in a game of wizard's chess. Fred, George, and Ginny Weasley were outside the door, trying to eavesdrop on the meeting below.
It had been a week since Harry had arrived at Grimmuald Place. When Harry had arrived, Hermione had told Harry all she could about what had happened in the past weeks, while Ron nodded and added little afterthoughts. From what they had told him, the dementors had left Azkaban Prison, allowing all who were held prisoner in the fortress to return to Voldemort. The Order of the Phoenix had caught four of Voldemort's most ruthless followers, and were now being held somewhere they did not know.
Fred, George, and Ginny returned, looking very pleased.
"Well, we've gotten a little bit more information about the Azkaban breakout," said George, rolling up his Extendable Ear.
"It seems that they've got those four Death Eaters in some place where there's some sort of big fire or something," said Fred.
"And?" asked Ron.
"We really shouldn't know this," Hermione said forbiddingly. "It's not our business."
"Well, how are we supposed to be prepared if we don't know whether or not he's going to burst in and kill us all?" George demanded. Hermione gave him a "that's not funny" look and returned to the game.
"Ron, did you steal my rooks?" she asked.
"No," Ron said innocently, then turning to Harry. "She was about to take my queen."
When the game ended with Ron's bishop slicing Hermione's king in half, there was a sudden crescendo of chatter downstairs.
"Meeting's over," Ginny said, as she snuck out. They followed her and crouched down to listen through the banisters.
"...completely ruined! If only I hadn't left the bag of lemon drops on the ground..."
"...was definitely a good one. Thought I was going to die of shock!"
"...are all done now. They just have to be guarded..." Harry turned to leave until he heard his name. He turned back and tried to hear through all the chaos.
"...think that Harry Potter will sure be surprised. I hope he sees--"
But what the person wanted him to see was not revealed, for Hagrid had just boomed out a greeting to Professor McGonnagall, making them all jump.
Harry, curious about what was going on, crept down the stairs. Mrs. Weasley pushed her way through the crowd.
"Harry, dear, why don't you get the others? We're about to start dinner," she said, turning back around. Harry turned to go up the stairs but ran smack into Hermione, toppling all of them down the last few stairs.
"Sorry," Harry said quickly, getting to his feet as the others lazily got to theirs. They all followed Harry into the kitchen, at least until they got to the door.
"Oh," gasped Hermione. "I...erm...forgot to see if Hedwig came back." She looked at Harry.
"I'll look," Harry said slowly, suspicious of something. He flew up the stairs, saw that Hedwig was there, and was about to go out the door when he realized that Hedwig had been sleeping in her cage since that morning.
Harry ran down the stairs and blindly threw the kitchen door open.
"Hermione, what—"
But he was cut off by a loud shout of "Happy Birthday, Harry!"
Harry was blown away. He had never had a birthday party. Most of the Order, it seemed, had circled to the back so as to not make it suspicious. Ron and Hermione dragged Harry to a table, where (to Harry's disbelief) lay a mountainous pile of packages, all shapes, sizes, and colors.
That night was the happiest night in Harry's life. All around him were people who were talking to him or giving him food or more packages. Harry opened the packages, with the enthusiastic help from Ron, and found the most incredible things he had ever seen.
When the party had died down a bit (at which point the Weasley twins were not trying to force Harry into the large, fluffy blue sweater with purple spots that Dobby had sent), Lupin pulled Harry aside.
"What?" Harry asked.
"There is something I need to settle with you," Lupin said, pulling out a small stack of parchment from his tattered suitcase. "I never hoped I would have to do this, but...well...Sirius made me swear that I would give you these papers...if something happened to him."
Harry took the papers and read them. When he finished, he looked up at Lupin.
"What does this mean?"
"It means that everything Sirius owned is now yours," Lupin said grimly. "His Gringotts vault, this house, and Kreacher."
Harry shuddered at the mention of Kreacher.
"I don't want that accursed house-elf," Harry said coldly.
"Well, you are his master now..." Lupin drifted off vaguely as Ginny, Fred, and George caused a commotion on the other side of the room. Lupin rushed off to help, leaving Harry to ponder. [end scene]
Harry woke the next morning, having slept horribly. His dreams had consisted of a large quill chasing him around a roll of parchment, while Kreacher twirled around in a pink skirt and the blue sweater Harry received from Dobby.
"You awake, Harry?" Ron said groggily.
"Yeah," Harry replied as they all woke up. He was suddenly happy, because he remembered that he was in his house.
"Ron. Hermione. I have to tell you something."
[end scene]
The next few weeks went by rather fast, because Harry was having so much fun. It was two before the return to Hogwarts when they went outside for a walk and the topic about Harry's inheritance came up again.
"Wow," said Ron, looking back at the house. "I can't believe it's all yours now."
"It is nice and all," said Harry. "but...well...I would rather have Sirius than his house."
"We know, Harry," said Hermione sympathetically. "But Sirius would have wanted you to be happy and live in his home."
Harry shrugged the topic out of his head.
"And all that gold..." Ron said vaguely.
They talked the morning away. They were just heading back when a swarm of people on started appearing out of nowhere in the street, and walking to the now invisible house. Curious as to what was happening, they ran for the back door, where Mrs. Weasley shunted them up the stairs to their bedroom. Fred and George came bursting in to the room, looking excited.
"Emergency meeting!" Fred said in glee. "Ginny's outside, trying to get the Extendables ready."
But it seemed that they did not need the Extendable Ears, for Albus Dumbledore had opened the door and beckoned them down the stairs. They exchanged puzzled looks, but followed eagerly all the same.
The chatter was chaos. It seemed as though each person was trying to be the loudest. When they saw Dumbledore, it died away instantly.
"I am sure you all have heard," Dumbledore said, looking wary, yet alert. "Otherwise, you would not have come."
"Is it true, Albus?" a short witch with blue hair asked hesitantly, as though dreading the answer.
"I'm afraid it is," he said. "The dementors have found this house. They know whom resides her."
He gave Harry a significant look from the corner of his eye.
"You all know what this means."
"But where else is there?" asked a skinny wizard, who seemed to be on the edge of unconciousness. Harry suddenly realized what was happening.
"Does this mean—"he began, but Dumbledore interrupted. The chatter began again.
"I'm afraid so, Harry," he said. "You can't stay here until the dementors have been controlled."
"But—"Harry sputtered. "Where--?"
Harry saw the dreadful answer in Dumbledore's eyes.
"I'm afraid you'll have to go back to your relatives', Harry."
"No..." Harry said distantly. "Not now!"
Dumbledore looked at the ground grimly. Harry trudged up the stairs. When he got to his room, he sat down on the bed and watched Hedwig absent- mindedly. After a while, Mrs. Weasley came up and told Harry to pack his things, for they were taking him back to the Dursleys the next morning. Hermione and Ron came up after they had lunch. Hermione, seeing Harry so downtrodden, came up with an idea.
"Harry," she said suddenly through the silence. "What if one of us stayed with you at the Dursleys until school starts?"
"Yeah!" Ron said, but then he frowned. "I can't do it...Mum said that we were going France this weekend. It'll have to be you, Hermione."
"I'll ask Mum and Dad. Can I use Hedwig, Harry?" she asked.
"Sure," Harry replied, taking Hedwig out of her cage. Hedwig glared at Harry for waking her up from her nap. She nonetheless was eager to be sent rather than Pigwidgeon, who was yapping in his own cage. Hermione scrawled a quick letter, rolled the parchment, and attached it to Hedwig's outstretched leg. She soared through the open window.
[end scene]
I've changed the ending of this chapter because I felt it wasn't time to reveal anything too soon. Hopefully, most of you haven't seen the original chapter. I think I may have put in too much dialogue. Oh well.
Well, hope you liked it!