In Every Darkness

Chapter Two: A Rude Awakening

(9.7.1996) (Later on)

The Dursleys were sitting down to a light morning tea. Harry's breakfast, long since gone cold, still lay on the counter. Vernon and Petunia did not want to incur the wrath of the odd wizards who had spoken to them at the train station, and therefore weren't going to remove it any time soon.

Suddenly they heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Immediately all activity ceased.

When Harry entered the room, there was no sound, no movement from any of his relatives. Petunia opened her mouth to tell him where the food was, but Harry's cold glare made the noise die in her throat.

The young wizard snatched his plate from the countertop and whipped around, disappearing out the door and back up the stairs.

A collective sigh of released breath from his relatives was all that marked his passing.

Back upstairs, Harry slouched over his desk, picking at the cold bacon, eggs and toast in front of him. He didn't want to eat, goddamn it! He wanted to sleep! He wanted Sirius to come back again.

In her cage, Hedwig watched Harry with pensive amber eyes. It had been she that had awoken him, her hoots had been the sounds that had invaded his dream.

But, for once, he wasn't angry with her for this. He'd seen his godfather, and Sirius didn't blame Harry for killing him! For a little while, Harry had been in a happy, almost blissful mood.

Then he remembered his situation. He was forbidden to join his friends at Sirius's house, no one had really taken the time to contact him … then he tried to dismiss it. Had they contacted him, he'd probably now be wishing for them to stop coddling him.

Shaking his head, he became somewhat angry with himself. Why was he like this? He didn't like being angry, but he couldn't help it. For the moment, at least, he would be angry with himself.

The Dursleys had made it worse, of course. They always did, even without trying. Harry could not like them.

This summer, for the few days that it had been so far, had been better than any previous. Now the Dursleys knew that if they put a foot wrong, Harry could summon the Order of the Phoenix, and that if his relatives tried to stop this, the Order would come and check up on him anyway.

So his relatives were even more bearable this year than they had been in the last two holidays. They fed him well enough, and had even once or twice attempted to make pleasant conversation – no doubt hoping to make extra 'points' with the Order of the Phoenix, showing that they were taking care of Harry and that there was no need to come and check up on him.

Harry had done everything he could to keep the Dursleys from disturbing him. He had wanted to be alone with his grief, and, not liking his relatives, had certainly not wanted them to be with him any more than necessary.

Hedwig was out again, flying over the forests near the outskirts of Little Whinging. Harry couldn't blame her, knowing what company he'd been these last few days.

Harry did know that if he slept, he'd probably be a lot less angry, but fear of the dreams that would come prevented him from doing this.

But now, Sirius was there … he could talk to Sirius, rather than endure nightmares. That would be much better! But he did not want to sleep now – tonight, though… tonight he would sleep.

Harry sighed. It was only mid-morning now, and he had long to wait before he could try to visit his godfather in dreams.

He looked at his desk and, with a second sigh, decided to start on the homework he'd been sent for the holidays.

Most of it was simple stuff from the subjects that he would have to take in his last two years, but nothing had come yet from either his N.E.W.T. level work or elective courses. He still had yet to receive his O.W.L. results.

Harry tugged out a Defense Against the Dark Arts book, and some parchment. Flipping through the book, he began reading almost absently, anything that looked potentially interesting.

Two hours later he had quite a bit of information scribbled down over his parchment – not quite enough, but enough that he could begin to order it into a proper essay tomorrow, if he wanted to.

With a sigh, he tossed down his pen. He was tired, the overall lack of sleep in the last few days was catching up on him, and Sirius could come to talk to him now!

Please review!

WolfMoon