Disclaimer: Don't own anything
Chapter 2: Snuffles
It's been two days since Harry's birthday and two days since he received the mysterious letter from Dumbledore. Harry was still stuck on what Dumbledore wanted with him. He also couldn't get the thought of Sirius' present from his mind. Ah, the great things he could do once he learned some of that stuff, plus, no more floo powder once he learned how to apparate. Life was almost starting to look up; if it wasn't for the fact Cornelius Fudge purposely remained blissfully unaware of Voldemort. Also, Voldemort was attacking more frequently, which meant more brutal murders and tortures for Harry.
Harry was currently working outside in the garden since it was his day off. He had his shirt off thinking that he didn't have any bulging biceps; he might as well get a tan. Harry was wiping sweat from his eyes, and thanks to his haircut, was not wiping hair out of his eyes also. His hair usually spiky when dry was plastered to his head. His sweaty bangs reached down to his mid forehead, covering up half of the famous scar. His side burns were coming in nicely and stopped about an inch where his earlobe started. He was happy for two reasons. One they weren't patchy, and two, they were infuriating his aunt and uncle.
Harry was currently pulling a particularly tough weed from his aunt's garden, when he heard wing beats. At first, he thought it was Hedwig with something important, until the owl got closer. It was about the same size as Hedwig, but it was whiter, if possible, and had no black `freckles' as Harry liked to call them. The owl was very elegant, and Harry could tell it came from a rich family.
`Well I wonder who this would be from.' Harry pondered as the owl landed in front of him and stuck out its leg for him. `One way to find out,' Harry thought as his curiosity got the better of him.
`Dear Harry,
Bonjour! How has your summer been? If you haven't guessed already, this is Fleur. I just found out about your birthday when I got home, and on behalf of the Delacour family, thank you for saving Gabby (I know nothing would have happened, but it's the thought that counts).
I know that a book isn't exactly the perfect gift to give a teenage boy, but this is an interesting book I read, and I just happen to have found one in English. Well, anyways, I heard you were pretty busy, so I best be letting you get back to whatever you were doing.
With love from the Delacour family, Fleur
(P.S. if you're wondering why I can write English so good, that's because I can write and read it fine, just have trouble talking it. Oh, Gabby says hi)
`Well, that was an interesting letter,' Harry thought. Not being able to wait any longer (`curse my curiosity'), Harry opened his parcel. In it was, `Modern Psychology' and it had a lot of famous psychologists and had a bunch of stuff on Freud.
`Huh, I wonder if it's really that interesting, it looks so boring. Hermione might like it though.' Harry thought, but then reconsidered, considering that Fleur went through all that trouble just to get him a gift. `Might as well read it, already know my course books.'
"What ya' got there?" asked a strange voice that made Harry jump out of his skin. After he calmed a bit, he turned around only to have his heart race back up. Sirius was standing right in front of Harry.
"Sirius, are you crazy? What if you get caught?" Harry said in a rushed whisper. Harry was since that one of his favorite people was standing right in front of him, and the other was worried sick that his escaped convict of a Godfather was going to get captured, and another part was thinking of all the grief he could cause the Dursleys with Sirius.
"No worries Harry," Sirius reassured, "the reason I'm here is, did you take a look at the little present I gave you?" Sirius questioned, knowing very well Harry did and he also knew it was killing Harry to know why he was there.
"Yes, now go on." Harry almost blew up because his interest had been piqued.
"Well, you know how you need some supervision on some of the things in there," he said as he watched Harry nod, "well, I'm here to help you."
"But, Sirius, you need a wand for that stuff, and you don't have one, and another thing is the Ministry will track it to you." Harry argued with Sirius.
"Harry, how far did you look into the book?" Sirius asked.
"Just the apparating and animagi." Harry said, puzzled.
"OK then, I will explain some things to you, so you might as well get comfy because it might be awhile." Sirius said, as he watched Harry sit up against a tree.
"Right then, in there are things that the Ministry restricts to things you need a license for that are dangerous to you, like apparating and animagi. They also restrict things that are dangerous to other people if they weren't able to keep tabs on you, like wandless magic." He stopped here to make sure Harry wasn't lost, and at which Harry was listening patiently, for a change.
"Wandless magic is harder to trace then magic done with a wand. Think of it this way, magic you use would end up on something like a muggle radar screen. Wizards unconsciously use magic to heighten there physical abilities all the time. It would show up like a quick bleep, and then be gone. A wand on the other hand would produce a longer, stronger bleep, there for causing the Ministry to investigate.
"Normal strength magic casted wandlessly, would just show up like a bleep. If you cast stronger magic wandlessly, then the Ministry comes a runnin'. Any questions?" he asked.
"Um, yeah," Harry started off slowly, "awhile back, a house-elf casted some regular strength magic and I got in trouble for that how could that happen if it was a simple spell? And won't the spells you need if I splinch myself, be stronger than normal magic? And why would it be harder for casting stronger magic wandlessly?" Harry asked, afraid that he might be ignorant of something.
"Good questions, first, house elf magic is stronger than wizard wandless magic. There for the bleep would appear to be a wand. Secondly, no it is a normal spell that will easily be performed and easily exhaust me. And your third, every wizard has like a magic reserve. Actually, it's a lot like working your muscles. You have to rip 'em up to make them get bigger. You don't feel sore, like when you push your muscles, you just feel tried and exhausted for a few days," Harry gave a sigh of relief, "and the reason it would exhaust me so much, is because my reserves have gone down over the years while I was in Azkaban." A shadow passed over Sirius' face as he said this.
Harry finally got a good look at him since he was lost in thought. He was still gaunt and skinny, but he looked cleaner and had trimmed his hair and cut his beard. His robes looked fairly fresh, but he could still see some threads that were coming out.
Sirius popped out of his daze, and asked his question again.
"Oh, it's just a present from Fleur Delacour, you remember her? She was the competitor from Beauxbatons." Harry said.
"Uh oh, does little, itsy, bitsy, Harry have himself a girlfriend?" asked Sirius who acted like he was talking to a five year old, "she was that veela right? Watch out Harry, when they want something, they get it."
"Shut up Sirius, it was a thank you gift for saving her sister during the second task." An annoyed Harry replied.
"I'm serious though, veela will cause a lot of trouble for." Sirius said matter-of-factly.
"Well, I'm glad you at least know your Sirius." Harry replied trying to shift the topic of their conversation so it wasn't so embarrassing for himself, which worked with the overly-used pun.
Harry decided to ask another question that popped into his head, "Sirius, where are you going to stay and for how long, because even though the Dursley's are scared shitless of you," Sirius gave a little chuckle at that, "I don't think they will let you stay there?"
Sirius, still chuckling, replied, "I'm currently staying at an old teacher of mine's place, you know her and I played a whole lotta' pranks on her, which worries me since the last time I seen her, which was right before I came here, she had a weird glint in her eye, and she knows where I'll be sleeping," Sirius shuddered, and Harry was chuckling, which he quickly turned into a coughing fit, Sirius continued as though he forgot Harry was there and looked like he was thinking aloud, "which wouldn't worry me too much, but she was a Slytherin, and they're tricky little buggers, and I made fun of her all the time, but still." Sirius came out of his revere as he seen Harry laughing at his pale face.
"Ha, that's funny, but who is she?" Harry asked as his curiosity broke through once again.
"Mrs. Figg," Sirius replied.
"You're kidding! All those times she coulda' told me about, well, me." After that said Harry was starting to feel betrayed.
"Harry, don't worry about it. She's old, and a bit off her rocker, she found out she had to play an old lady muggle, and got really into her part. She even bought, like, a million cats and made her house smell funny because the only time she seen a muggle woman like herself, that's what she was like! She's crazy I tell you, she doesn't even like cats, and has to get fresh air every ten minutes because the smell makes her gag!"
Harry, at this point, would have been rolling on the ground with laughter with Sirius' tiraiding and his arms flailing, if it wasn't for the fact that Mrs. Figg was standing behind Sirius.
"Mister Black," she said in a cool voice that made Sirius pale so bad, he made it look like a ghost could beat him in a tanning contest, "just remember one thing, I know where you sleep and you also better be coming home soon, because it's still light out, and we wouldn't want to get caught now would we?"
Harry recognized that glint in her eye that Sirius was talking about, and she was rubbing her hands together evilly which made her look sinister, and making Sirius cower even though the little old lady didn't come up to his shoulder.
She turned to Harry, and, thinking he was going to get the same treatment, braced himself, when all she said was, "good day Harry, and I'm so sorry to hear about what happened last school term." She offered him a sad, small smile and turned to Sirius which, her smile turned instantly to a sinister smile to rival Snapes, and started walking back to her home, which Harry and Sirius could hear her start cackling evilly.
Harry stood there dumbfounded, as Sirius visibly gulped. "Well, Harry," he said in a high, squeaky voice, "I better go, don't want to make her any madder now, huh?" he gave a nervous chuckle that turned into a muffled cry.
"Yeah, right, see you later, Sirius." Harry said distractedly as he started to process all the shocks and new information he had received that day as he watched Sirius drag his feet towards Mrs. Figg's house making whining sounds as he went.
(AN: thanks epholge, hope he has been described a bit better. I like the name Cali too, I knew one in eighth grade and she was a looker, but also a bitch, but what can ya do?)
Chapter 2: Snuffles
It's been two days since Harry's birthday and two days since he received the mysterious letter from Dumbledore. Harry was still stuck on what Dumbledore wanted with him. He also couldn't get the thought of Sirius' present from his mind. Ah, the great things he could do once he learned some of that stuff, plus, no more floo powder once he learned how to apparate. Life was almost starting to look up; if it wasn't for the fact Cornelius Fudge purposely remained blissfully unaware of Voldemort. Also, Voldemort was attacking more frequently, which meant more brutal murders and tortures for Harry.
Harry was currently working outside in the garden since it was his day off. He had his shirt off thinking that he didn't have any bulging biceps; he might as well get a tan. Harry was wiping sweat from his eyes, and thanks to his haircut, was not wiping hair out of his eyes also. His hair usually spiky when dry was plastered to his head. His sweaty bangs reached down to his mid forehead, covering up half of the famous scar. His side burns were coming in nicely and stopped about an inch where his earlobe started. He was happy for two reasons. One they weren't patchy, and two, they were infuriating his aunt and uncle.
Harry was currently pulling a particularly tough weed from his aunt's garden, when he heard wing beats. At first, he thought it was Hedwig with something important, until the owl got closer. It was about the same size as Hedwig, but it was whiter, if possible, and had no black `freckles' as Harry liked to call them. The owl was very elegant, and Harry could tell it came from a rich family.
`Well I wonder who this would be from.' Harry pondered as the owl landed in front of him and stuck out its leg for him. `One way to find out,' Harry thought as his curiosity got the better of him.
`Dear Harry,
Bonjour! How has your summer been? If you haven't guessed already, this is Fleur. I just found out about your birthday when I got home, and on behalf of the Delacour family, thank you for saving Gabby (I know nothing would have happened, but it's the thought that counts).
I know that a book isn't exactly the perfect gift to give a teenage boy, but this is an interesting book I read, and I just happen to have found one in English. Well, anyways, I heard you were pretty busy, so I best be letting you get back to whatever you were doing.
With love from the Delacour family, Fleur
(P.S. if you're wondering why I can write English so good, that's because I can write and read it fine, just have trouble talking it. Oh, Gabby says hi)
`Well, that was an interesting letter,' Harry thought. Not being able to wait any longer (`curse my curiosity'), Harry opened his parcel. In it was, `Modern Psychology' and it had a lot of famous psychologists and had a bunch of stuff on Freud.
`Huh, I wonder if it's really that interesting, it looks so boring. Hermione might like it though.' Harry thought, but then reconsidered, considering that Fleur went through all that trouble just to get him a gift. `Might as well read it, already know my course books.'
"What ya' got there?" asked a strange voice that made Harry jump out of his skin. After he calmed a bit, he turned around only to have his heart race back up. Sirius was standing right in front of Harry.
"Sirius, are you crazy? What if you get caught?" Harry said in a rushed whisper. Harry was since that one of his favorite people was standing right in front of him, and the other was worried sick that his escaped convict of a Godfather was going to get captured, and another part was thinking of all the grief he could cause the Dursleys with Sirius.
"No worries Harry," Sirius reassured, "the reason I'm here is, did you take a look at the little present I gave you?" Sirius questioned, knowing very well Harry did and he also knew it was killing Harry to know why he was there.
"Yes, now go on." Harry almost blew up because his interest had been piqued.
"Well, you know how you need some supervision on some of the things in there," he said as he watched Harry nod, "well, I'm here to help you."
"But, Sirius, you need a wand for that stuff, and you don't have one, and another thing is the Ministry will track it to you." Harry argued with Sirius.
"Harry, how far did you look into the book?" Sirius asked.
"Just the apparating and animagi." Harry said, puzzled.
"OK then, I will explain some things to you, so you might as well get comfy because it might be awhile." Sirius said, as he watched Harry sit up against a tree.
"Right then, in there are things that the Ministry restricts to things you need a license for that are dangerous to you, like apparating and animagi. They also restrict things that are dangerous to other people if they weren't able to keep tabs on you, like wandless magic." He stopped here to make sure Harry wasn't lost, and at which Harry was listening patiently, for a change.
"Wandless magic is harder to trace then magic done with a wand. Think of it this way, magic you use would end up on something like a muggle radar screen. Wizards unconsciously use magic to heighten there physical abilities all the time. It would show up like a quick bleep, and then be gone. A wand on the other hand would produce a longer, stronger bleep, there for causing the Ministry to investigate.
"Normal strength magic casted wandlessly, would just show up like a bleep. If you cast stronger magic wandlessly, then the Ministry comes a runnin'. Any questions?" he asked.
"Um, yeah," Harry started off slowly, "awhile back, a house-elf casted some regular strength magic and I got in trouble for that how could that happen if it was a simple spell? And won't the spells you need if I splinch myself, be stronger than normal magic? And why would it be harder for casting stronger magic wandlessly?" Harry asked, afraid that he might be ignorant of something.
"Good questions, first, house elf magic is stronger than wizard wandless magic. There for the bleep would appear to be a wand. Secondly, no it is a normal spell that will easily be performed and easily exhaust me. And your third, every wizard has like a magic reserve. Actually, it's a lot like working your muscles. You have to rip 'em up to make them get bigger. You don't feel sore, like when you push your muscles, you just feel tried and exhausted for a few days," Harry gave a sigh of relief, "and the reason it would exhaust me so much, is because my reserves have gone down over the years while I was in Azkaban." A shadow passed over Sirius' face as he said this.
Harry finally got a good look at him since he was lost in thought. He was still gaunt and skinny, but he looked cleaner and had trimmed his hair and cut his beard. His robes looked fairly fresh, but he could still see some threads that were coming out.
Sirius popped out of his daze, and asked his question again.
"Oh, it's just a present from Fleur Delacour, you remember her? She was the competitor from Beauxbatons." Harry said.
"Uh oh, does little, itsy, bitsy, Harry have himself a girlfriend?" asked Sirius who acted like he was talking to a five year old, "she was that veela right? Watch out Harry, when they want something, they get it."
"Shut up Sirius, it was a thank you gift for saving her sister during the second task." An annoyed Harry replied.
"I'm serious though, veela will cause a lot of trouble for." Sirius said matter-of-factly.
"Well, I'm glad you at least know your Sirius." Harry replied trying to shift the topic of their conversation so it wasn't so embarrassing for himself, which worked with the overly-used pun.
Harry decided to ask another question that popped into his head, "Sirius, where are you going to stay and for how long, because even though the Dursley's are scared shitless of you," Sirius gave a little chuckle at that, "I don't think they will let you stay there?"
Sirius, still chuckling, replied, "I'm currently staying at an old teacher of mine's place, you know her and I played a whole lotta' pranks on her, which worries me since the last time I seen her, which was right before I came here, she had a weird glint in her eye, and she knows where I'll be sleeping," Sirius shuddered, and Harry was chuckling, which he quickly turned into a coughing fit, Sirius continued as though he forgot Harry was there and looked like he was thinking aloud, "which wouldn't worry me too much, but she was a Slytherin, and they're tricky little buggers, and I made fun of her all the time, but still." Sirius came out of his revere as he seen Harry laughing at his pale face.
"Ha, that's funny, but who is she?" Harry asked as his curiosity broke through once again.
"Mrs. Figg," Sirius replied.
"You're kidding! All those times she coulda' told me about, well, me." After that said Harry was starting to feel betrayed.
"Harry, don't worry about it. She's old, and a bit off her rocker, she found out she had to play an old lady muggle, and got really into her part. She even bought, like, a million cats and made her house smell funny because the only time she seen a muggle woman like herself, that's what she was like! She's crazy I tell you, she doesn't even like cats, and has to get fresh air every ten minutes because the smell makes her gag!"
Harry, at this point, would have been rolling on the ground with laughter with Sirius' tiraiding and his arms flailing, if it wasn't for the fact that Mrs. Figg was standing behind Sirius.
"Mister Black," she said in a cool voice that made Sirius pale so bad, he made it look like a ghost could beat him in a tanning contest, "just remember one thing, I know where you sleep and you also better be coming home soon, because it's still light out, and we wouldn't want to get caught now would we?"
Harry recognized that glint in her eye that Sirius was talking about, and she was rubbing her hands together evilly which made her look sinister, and making Sirius cower even though the little old lady didn't come up to his shoulder.
She turned to Harry, and, thinking he was going to get the same treatment, braced himself, when all she said was, "good day Harry, and I'm so sorry to hear about what happened last school term." She offered him a sad, small smile and turned to Sirius which, her smile turned instantly to a sinister smile to rival Snapes, and started walking back to her home, which Harry and Sirius could hear her start cackling evilly.
Harry stood there dumbfounded, as Sirius visibly gulped. "Well, Harry," he said in a high, squeaky voice, "I better go, don't want to make her any madder now, huh?" he gave a nervous chuckle that turned into a muffled cry.
"Yeah, right, see you later, Sirius." Harry said distractedly as he started to process all the shocks and new information he had received that day as he watched Sirius drag his feet towards Mrs. Figg's house making whining sounds as he went.
(AN: thanks epholge, hope he has been described a bit better. I like the name Cali too, I knew one in eighth grade and she was a looker, but also a bitch, but what can ya do?)