In Every Darkness
Chapter Seven: Permission
12.7.1996(Early Morning)
Harry looked down on the street. Remus Lupin was duelling with what could only be a Death Eater. There were two other Death Eaters already down, apparently stunned.
Muggles were clustering in the street, looking amazed as the two wizards duelled. If Remus lost, he would lose his life.
Harry's hand tightened on his wand, he was more than ready to raise it and help Remus, and deal with whatever crap the Ministry was going to give him, but, suddenly, a spell came from another direction and Alastor Moody stepped into view.
The Death Eater hit the ground, out cold. "Get the Ministry, Lupin, I'll do what I can here," the retired Auror snapped. Remus nodded and Aparated with a cracking noise.
The watching Muggles oohed and ahed over it for a moment. Seconds later there was a storm of cracks as Remus returned with several Ministry Wizards.
Obliviators swiftly gathered the Muggles together to perform memory charms, while several Aurors tied up the three stunned Death Eaters and Aparated away.
Alastor Moody had disappeared moments after his former colleagues appeared, and it wasn't much longer before Harry heard a gentle knock on the door.
"Come in, Alastor," he called out, moving quickly to stand in a shadowy corner of the room, wand drawn. It should be Alastor, but at the same time, it could just as easily be a forth Death Eater.
The door opened, Harry smiled in relief, seeing the old Auror, but didn't move from his position.
"Good, boy," Alastor growled out. "You can come out of that corner though, there aren't any Death Eaters here – they couldn't get in."
Harry came out to stand in the centre of the room. Alastor looked over him quickly. "Good to see you're out of those ridiculous clothes you were wearing last summer," the old Auror remarked. "What did you see?"
Harry knew exactly what the older man was saying. "I was asleep for most of it. I woke up only a few moments ago, and went to the window just as you arrived," he replied.
The Auror sighed and nodded. "I'll talk to Remus then. Good thing it's morning, Arthur Weasley will be around somewhere today, if you need any help with things."
There was a crack and Alastor Moody was gone. Harry sighed and headed downstairs. The Dursleys were all clustered fearfully in the living room.
"It's alright," he told them curtly. "The Death Eaters are gone now; they won't be coming back for a while."
His uncle gave him a cold look. "It's you being here that made them come, isn't it?" he snarled.
Harry gave a single nod. "Yes. And it's me being here that makes you safe," he said, walking into the kitchen and snorting in disgust at the burned food, obviously left behind when his aunt ran for cover in the living room.
He went over to the fridge and took out more bread and some toppings, making himself a light breakfast, packing everything away again and going upstairs.
The Dursleys were still cowering in the living room.
Upstairs, Harry quickly finished eating his breakfast, giving the last of it to Hedwig, who seemed very appreciative of it. With a slight pang, Harry realised this was because he'd not given her much attention this holidays.
Harry could feel the anger that seemed to mar his very soul; it wanted to escape, to find a target.
Immediately he turned his mind to Voldemort. Voldemort, humiliating him, Voldemort's laugh of triumph as he killed Harry's parents. Immediately the anger that he was feeling turned towards the Dark Lord.
Harry smiled coldly. Voldemort would pay for the lives he'd taken.
Harry picked up The Hobbit – he was almost half way through now, and the story was really getting interesting.
He was roused from his reading an hour or so later by an owl tapping politely on his window.
It was not one he recognized. Harry let the owl in curiously. "Could you wait by the desk?" he asked it after a moment. The owl nodded and stepped to the desk.
Slightly relieved by this, Harry picked up a sheaf of parchment and scribbled a hasty note on it.
"Hedwig, could you take this Arthur Weasley, please?" he asked her quietly.
His owl nodded, took the note and flew out of the window. A few seconds later there was a crack and Arthur appeared in his room. He took one look at the owl and smiled in relief.
"It's alright Harry," he said. "It's a Ministry owl." Harry's note had been brief. There's an owl I don't recognize in my room. Not sure I should trust it, Harry.
"Ah," Harry said, smiling slightly.
"No doubt they want to ask you about this morning's attack. Be careful what you tell them," Arthur told Harry. "I'd best get back outside to my post."
Harry nodded. "Thanks for coming, Arthur," he said, somewhat absent-mindedly.
"You're welcome Harry. What else am I here for?"
Arthur Aparated out with a crack, leaving Harry looking at the Ministry owl, still somewhat wary.
He held out his hand and the owl immediately dropped its letter into Harry's hand. Wondering what he'd done wrong this time, Harry opened the letter and read, his eyes widening, and by the time he reached the end, they were the size of saucers.
Dear Mr. Potter,
Looking at your past history, and this mornings Death Eater attack, the Department for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry had made a decision.
We are going to lift the wards that decree you an underage wizard, so that you will be able to do any magic that you deem needed to protect both yourself and your relatives.
This morning's attack has shown us that you, more than any other, are at risk from the return of You-Know-Who. All other magical children, wizard or Muggle-born, have an older wizard living very close to them.
Except for you. If Mr. Lupin had not been there this morning, you could easily have been killed.
The Department asks that you do not speak of this to anyone, not even Dumbledore and definitely not the Minister. It is the Department's belief that if Mr. Fudge heard of this, he would suspend us indefinitely from the Ministry.
If word gets to any student, they will want the wards lifted for them also. The Department cannot do this. I hope that you will understand.
Should you be asked about this owl, say that the Ministry was asking over this morning's attack. There is enclosed a letter from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Auror Headquarters, asking about this, so you will not be telling a lie.
Sincerely,
And there was a list of signatures that lasted almost a page.
Harry gaped in amazement. This was a far cry from the slap on the wrist he'd been expecting. Though it was not at all unwelcome.
He took out his wand, smiling slightly, and waved it, whispering "accio!" under his breath.
The letter immediately leapt from the desk to his hand. Harry waited for ten minutes to see if another one arrived, but since nothing did, he decided that the letter had been real.
With a soft whoop, Harry grinned wickedly and waved his wand in a rather complex motion, performing a charm on his room that wouldn't let any sound out of it.
Smiling to himself, he picked up some of his new clothes and headed out of his room to the bathroom.
Once he'd showered and changed, Harry walked back downstairs. The Dursleys had vacated the living room and were eating in the kitchen now.
When they saw him standing in the door way, the family immediately stopped talking. Harry smiled slightly at the look on their faces. Fear, and awe.
"What?" he asked, voice almost innocent.
None of them said anything, but Harry knew that they were all somewhat afraid of what they'd seen this morning. He sighed and threw himself down in the last chair at the kitchen table.
"I guess I should tell you what's going on," he remarked with a sigh. "Last summer I told you that Voldemort had come back, remember?"
There was a round of nods. "Have you seen the murder reports on the TV?" His 'family' all blanched simultaneously. "I see you know what I'm talking about. That's the work of Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
"Voldemort hates Muggles -non magical people-, he thinks that they are the scum of the Earth – rather the way that you think of magic and its users. But Voldemort is actually doing something about his beliefs.
"With his followers, the Death Eaters, he goes around killing Muggles, Muggle-born witches and wizards, half-bloods and any other wizard that is known to like Muggles.
"Which is quite surprising, considering that he himself is a half-blood," Harry mused.
The Dursley's' were gaping at him. "You mean that this person is trying to wipe normal people out?" Uncle Vernon spluttered.
"That's exactly what I mean, Uncle," Harry's eyes met his uncle's squarely. "But, no matter what you might think, the majority of the Wizarding World doesn't agree with what he's doing. They are trying to stop him – me, my friends and most of my teachers. Voldemorts supporters are relatively few, thank the gods.
"You saw Death Eaters this morning – they were the masked ones that were fighting with Remus. Remus is on the 'Light' side – meaning he opposes Voldemort, as was demonstrated this morning."
"Those other people who came didn't seem to like him much," Uncle Vernon snorted.
"They seem to think the fact that he's a werewolf makes him less than they are," Harry replied, walking out of the kitchen rather than hear the explosions that would come as soon as the family realised what he'd said.
He grinned to himself and strode outside, the warm summer sun warming his skin pleasantly.
Harry walked down the drive way, knowing that Arthur Weasley would be keeping an eye on him. He wished once again that he didn't need to be watched over.
As Harry turned down the street, Arthur's voice came from the hedge beside him. "Where are you going?"
"I don't know, Mr. Weasley," Harry replied with a faint sigh. "But since you'll obviously be coming with me, please stay invisible or whatever? I'd rather delude myself into thinking that I'm alone."
"Right, Harry." There was a trace of laughter in Arthur's voice.
Harry stopped at the corner of Privet Drive, looking up and down the street and wondering which way he would go. After a little while, he turned and headed toward the town proper, allowing his meandering steps to take him where they would.
He paused, surprised to find himself by Mongolia Crescent
– the place where he had first seen his godfather … This time the thought of his godfather did not fill him with thoughts of grief, anger and self-loathing.
Smiling slightly, Harry wandered on for a little while before turning back towards Privet Drive with a sigh.
Once he'd returned home, he checked the sound proofing charm, and grinned when he found that it worked perfectly. He was very happy that Professor Flitwick had taught them this charm the year before.
He was careful to allow sound to go out the window, so that if anything happened, he could yell to whoever it was that was guarding him. As an extra precaution, he also added a turn-off mechanism – if he spoke the words 'Death Eaters' the sound-proof charm would automatically disperse.
Happy with the afternoon's activities, Harry settled down with The Hobbit once more, feeling very contented indeed.
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WolfMoon