Chapter 4 - The Visitor

Petunia watched as his nephew paced around the room restlessly. Almost two weeks had passed since they started training and even she had not received another note from Dumbledore. She assumed Privet Drive was still safe judging by the fact that she, Vernon and Dudley could still proceed to their normal activities without any unusual thing happening but the lack of news was beginning to get on her already frazzled nerves.

'How ironic' she thought. The nephew that she treated like vermin was the only one who could save them now. She had no illusions whatsoever that Voldemort would only attack wizards. Her past experiences taught her that. And as relatives of his mortal enemy, they were one of the primary targets. If not for the protection that Dumbledore had cast to Privet Drive, they might have been killed a long time ago. She shuddered at the memory of the dementor's attack last summer. It was as if history was repeating itself but not quite. Life was not as bad as before. She could feel it. The order was better prepared but could they hang on until Harry was ready for battle?

Harry stopped brooding from time to time to glance at his aunt. He noticed that she was frequently gazing at the door or window as if waiting for something terrible to happen. He mimicked her actions and stared at the door too only to be surprised with a loud bang on the door. Aunt Petunia jumped nervously and shrieked like a banshee before a soft voice called out.

"Hello, is someone there? I need to see Harry. Please tell him it's Luna." The soft voice said while knocking loudly on the door.

Harry cautiously peeked through the little hole on their door to look at the person outside. What he saw was a girl with dirty blond, waist-length and straggly hair, protuberant eyes and a dreamy expression. 'Yes, this is Luna, alright. No one can possibly imitate that classic expression.' Harry thought to himself as he opened the door for her.

"Hi, Harry!" She greeted him warmly as she entered the living room.
"Hi there too. It's so nice to see you. What brings you here?" He asked as his gaze fell on the huge backpack she is carrying on her shoulders. By the looks of her dusty face and dirty clothes, she must have been traveling for quite some time now and was probably dying of hunger and exhaustion although her facial expression didn't show it.

"Oh, well. After reading your last letter, I have decided to take a walk and noticed all the dark marks hovering above some of the houses in our neighborhood at so I have decided to pack up and leave. No one's there anyway." She answered as Harry relieved her of her heavy burden and offered her some drink while his aunt is busy preparing for lunch.

"But, but how did you arrive here." Harry asked thinking about death-eaters scattered everywhere waiting for him to come out.

"I walked." She quickly anwered as if it is the most obvious thing to do. "Of course I disillusioned myself so as not to be seen by you-know, unfriendly beings. After that, I refrained from using anymore magic to avoid being detected." She added after seeing his incredulous expression.

"Oh, ok. How far did you travel by the way?"

"Oh, I'm not really sure about the distance but our home is near Ottery St. Catchpole."

Harry almost choked at her words. "You live near the Weasley's? And you said dark marks are everywhere?"

Harry wanted to apparate to the Weasley's right then and then but was distracted by Luna swaying helplessly beside him. Fortunately, he was able to catch her before she fell down. With Luna there, he couldn't leave yet. While waiting for her to recover, he drove himself to his limit trying to master wandless magic at the soonest possible time. He had to be prepared.

'Now I understand. The Order has their hands full and probably stretching themselves trying to save as many people as they can while he prepares. At least, I will no longer be a burden now. No one needs to guard me. I can take care of myself.' Harry was brought back to earth by Luna's soft moans.

"Harry, I know what's happening outside. And I know that however much I wanted to believe otherwise, Father might not really come back. Evil is everywhere. That is why I am here. I want to help you, Harry. I have nothing to lose." She whispered but every word that she uttered was engraved on his mind.

"Do you know what happened to the Weasleys?" He asked her with apprehension. The Weasleys were very nice people and he would hate it if anything bad happens to them especially Ron who had been his bestfriend since freshman year.

"I'm not so sure. There's no dark mark there but aside from the wreck inside, the house is empty."

"WRECK? What ------"

He was interrupted by Aunt Petunia's call for lunch. He helped Luna up and accompanied her to the kitchen. He thought it best to discuss that while eating. Petunia eyed them carefully.

"So, is she your girlfriend, Harry?"

"No, she's one of my friends in school." He answered quickly failing to notice the cloud that passed Luna's eyes for a moment.

"Oh, I was just wondering...Can you please tell us what has been happening now?" She asked as if discussing the activities of the Dark Lord is just an ordinary past time but Harry knew better. He knew that she was quite terrified but was trying hard not to make it noticeable so as not to make them nervous.

Just then, an owl sailed past the still open door and headed straight to Petunia. Harry stared nervously at his aunt who immediately collapsed after reading the message. He quickly ran to her and picked up the letter.

"WAR HAS BEGUN...." The message was written in blood.

Harry froze and even Luna seemed afraid after he let her read it. He quickly revived his aunt to discuss the letter.

"I don't understand. I thought the war begun with the battle at the Department of Mysteries. But from this letter, it seemed that it has just started." Harry asked his aunt who has just been awakened.

"It simply means that the random killings has begun..." His aunt answered softly as if hearing it in that manner would make it less shocking and less real that it was.

Harry quickly finished his meal and beckoned for Luna to follow him. They both collected their things.

"Harry! Where do you think you're going?"

"To help the others."

"No, not yet! Harry, we should wait for further instruction." Aunt Petunia desperately tried to hold them back but to no avail.

"No, I'm tired of waiting already. I have to do something. I will not hide here like a coward who lets others die to protect me. Stay here and wait for instructions. I'll be in touch." With that said, Harry took hold of Luna's hand and apparated both of them to Grimmauld Place where they got another nasty shock of their life. Would it never end?

The once majestic manor was now like another delapidated building as if a hurricane arrived and left without so much of an apology to the inhabitants there. Tables were turned and the irritatingly noisy mother of Sirius was speechless for once. Kreacher was also nowhere to be found. And yes, there were burn marks on the walls too...and blood was everywhere.....BLOOD?!?

Harry and Luna walked around the house in a daze. Both had their wands out expecting the worst. They inspected the rooms hoping for any clue, any sign of life at all. But there was none. The house was empty and its eerie silence was getting to their nerves.

"What is this place, Harry?"

"This is my godfather's house and the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix."

Luna's eyes clouded with concern but was quickly replaced with a steely look of determination. "Come on, let's search the house again. We might have missed something."

They carefully inspected the living room again where the destruction is at its worst. But still they found......nothing. They both slumped on the sofa in exhaustion and once again scanned the room until they both felt the coldness enveloping them. Wondering why, their eyes both turned to the fireplace and for the first time since they entered the room, they both noticed that there was no fire burning there.

"This is bad." Harry shook his head as if not daring to believe it.

"What's bad?"

"No fire. It usually burns for one week before it dies. It means this has happened almost a week ago or more. And another thing." Harry quickly extracted some floo powder beside the fireplace and instructed Luna to follow him.

"Hogwarts!" They both shouted quickly but nothing happened.

"It seems that it has also been disconnected from the floo network. Nobody can travel to and from that fireplace."

"Excellent, Potter!" Someone clapped from behind him and they both turned to look at the intruder.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING HERE?" Harry angrily asked the malicious intruder now walking nonchalantly to him.

"Now, is that a way to treat an old friend?"

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