It's July 31… Happy Birthday Rowling! And of course, Harry Potter! Thanks for your reviews!
If Harry Potter belonged to me, I'd be J.K. Rowling, and I'm MLynnBloom. Simple.
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Chapter Two: The Unexpected Auror
The birthday presents sent by Ron, Hermione, and Hagrid remained at the end of his bed for nearly a week. Hedwig was perched in her cage, her head buried in her feathers as she slept after hunting all night. It was mid morning and Harry rubbed his eyes groggily as he fumbled for his glasses. He unlocked Hedwig's cage incase she wanted to stretch her wings; she nipped his finger softly as in saying hello.
He took a good look around as he scratched his head yawning. School books and homework was scattered all over the floor along with his dirty clothes. He looked towards the blank walls and never realized how sickly the yellowing paint made the room look. His room was a complete mess and after staying in his room for nearly a month, Harry was suddenly sick of it and left, closing the door behind him as Hedwig squawked loudly for being abandoned.
Aunt Petunia was preparing breakfast over the stove but Harry didn't feel like waiting to eat. He poured himself cereal and looked in the refrigerator for the milk, but found a nearly empty carton of soymilk instead. A new carton of whole milk was peering through the back but Harry sighed and suddenly regretted not waiting for breakfast. He knew the Dursleys would have a fit if he opened an entire carton of milk when there was soymilk left. Harry shuddered. He didn't know how long the carton had been there; it was another one of Aunt Petunia's failing attempts to get her family on a diet although no one touched it.
He brought the carton to the table and Aunt Petunia eyed him cautiously as if he was going to spill it. He cringed at the first spoonful. It was definitely worse than Aunt Petunia's leftover casseroles, and that was saying something.
"You better put that milk away before it curdles," Aunt Petunia snapped as if he would sit there until dinner.
Too late, Harry thought disgustedly as he stirred his cereal and clumps of milk around. Aunt Petunia left the kitchen briefly, eyeing Harry as if he was going to steal the sausage, and when she left upstairs, he skid across the kitchen and dumped it down the sink. Harry considered pouring the rest of the soymilk down the drain, but thought better of it and set it back in the fridge with the label turned incase Dudley decided to pour himself some nice clotted milk.
Aunt Petunia came down the stairs muttering threateningly with a plate of food in her hands that she dumped in the trash. She threw her angry eyes over to Harry.
"I won't be wasting anymore of our food on you if you won't eat it," she snarled. "If I find another uneaten dinner plate again, you can go off and find dinner elsewhere."
Gladly, Harry thought as he stared outside particularly at nothing and Aunt Petunia continued, "And I hope you haven't forgotten how to do the laundry because I won't do it for you." She finished coldly and Harry knew she had seen his dirty clothing littered all over his floor.
"I'm not expecting you to," Harry said shortly and after a few silent moments, Dudley's unmistakable fat feet were thundering down the stairs. He came down to the kitchen where Aunt Petunia lovingly offered him sausage. Dudley sleepily opened the refrigerator door and poured himself a glass of milk and sat down without looking at him. Harry couldn't help but snort.
"What are you laughing about?" Dudley asked thickly scratching his massive, blonde head as he set the glass on the table.
"Nothing," Harry said hiding his smirk. Dudley grabbed for the funnies in the paper, his hand still on the glass.
"Finally learned how to read, Dudders?" Harry muttered in a mock tone of interest.
"Shut up, you," Dudley grumbled, "Aren't you supposed moping in your room? We were getting used to---" But Dudley didn't finish for he had just taken a big gulp of milk and sprayed it all over the dining table. Harry backed away just in time.
"MUM! What are you doing keeping milk like this?" Dudley shouted as he wiped his mouth over and over again on his sleeve as he noticed the clumps in the milk.
"Oh, sweetums, I'll dump this old milk and I'll pour you a new glass. Alright, dear?" Aunt Petunia asked as she squeezed his thick shoulders comfortingly as she grimaced at the sight of her clean tablecloth. She had obviously forgotten Harry had used the same milk just minutes ago. Dudley grunted. Tormenting Dudley was the only pleasure Harry got all summer ever at the Dursleys, but strangely it wasn't as funny as it usually was.
For the rest of the morning, Harry kept to himself alone. Nothing much had happened (save for Aunt Petunia chasing Mrs. Figg's cat off her lawn with a broom and Dudley retelling his boxing stories outloud for the hundredth time) until the door burst open just after six and in the doorway was Uncle Vernon beaming, thick neck and all.
"Vernon, what are you doing home so late?" Aunt Petunia asked as she scurried over to him from preparing dinner.
"Petunia! You'll never believe what I got at work!" He said loudly. He shot a nasty look at Harry on the couch and whispered to Petunia. Her eyes widened.
"It was an extra bonus on my paycheck for completing that large order of drills two weeks ago!" Uncle Vernon's voice boomed throughout the house. Dudley came downstairs looking confused.
"Dudley, my boy! Have I got something for you! Something your Dad bought with his bonus!" Dudley stopped in his tracks and his face lit up. Uncle Vernon's voice was gradually getting louder.
"Dudley, you did so well last school year--"(in fact, Dudley had managed to fail some of his classes, not all, which to the Dursleys was an achievement)"--and winning the local boxing tournament, that I couldn't help myself. I'm proud of you, son!"
It all sounded like an inspirational speech echoing on speakers. Uncle Vernon looked over to Harry as if he was going to ask if he had gotten anything for him, but Dudley hadn't taken in a word. He bounced on his heels chanting, "What is it? What is it?"
"Now wait just a minute, I think you should call up some of your friends. I think they'd like to see what your ol' Dad got you, don't you think?" Uncle Vernon grinned and Dudley hurried to the telephone so he could show off whatever he had waiting for him to his gang.
Finally after half an hour, the last of Dudley's friends came and Harry was glad of it. Dudley's endless questions were almost unbearable.
Uncle Vernon had taken them outside, ignoring the fact that Harry was even with them. Dudley's friends, Piers and Malcolm, had a good bit of shoving and bumping into him hard whenever they got the chance and if the Dursleys saw this or not, they hadn't done anything to stop it.
"What's it your Dad got you, Dud?" asked Gordon.
"How much did it cost?" Piers said.
"Dunno," Dudley said stupidly, "But it's something real big I bet."
Uncle Vernon rubbed his hands excitedly and announced as loudly as he could so the neighbors could hear. "Here it is, Dudley! Just a little something I thought you're ready for!"
He walked over across the parking space, lifted the garage door and Dudley and Petunia gasped as Dudley's friends gawked. The "little something" turned out to be a brand new car. Harry couldn't believe Uncle Vernon would spend his paycheck on a car for Dudley when they had been discussing a nice vacation just last month. Dudley's mouth just kept opening and closing.
"But it's not even your birthday," Harry stated and the gang glared at him.
"Shut up," Dudley muttered.
"You can't even drive yet!" Harry realized out loud and Piers gave him a hard punch on the arm.
Dudley stroked the leather interior and hopped in. It looked out of proportion with Dudley's large self in a tiny sports car. "Can I take it for a ride, Dad?" He asked, his eyes shining.
"Well, Dud---" Aunt Petunia began cautiously.
"Dad!" Dudley persisted. Harry knew he wouldn't dare throw a fit in front of his gang.
"Er… what the hell, right?" Uncle Vernon said and he got into the passenger side. Petunia tried to intercept but Uncle Vernon said, "Don't fret, Petunia. I'll be instructing him the whole time. Climb in, boys!"
Piers, Malcolm, and Gordon excitedly got in the back as Dudley was handed the keys, roaring the engine a few times. "Bet you wish you had one of these, eh?" Gordon had sneered haughtily at Harry.
"Not really," Harry said casually, "I have other ways of getting around."
The Dursleys went red. Harry knew their minds had flashed to his broomstick and the fireplace, and maybe even the Weasley's flying Ford Anglia.
"Let's get going," Uncle Vernon grumbled, "And keep that stereo down until we get out of the neighborhood." He said, turning down Dudley's vulgar music.
Finally after five minutes, Uncle Vernon directed him out of the garage after Dudley forgot to put it in reverse and they backed out onto the street. Aunt Petunia watched them leave anxiously and Harry went back in the house. The neighbors had indeed started to come out and see what was peeling down the road.
Dinner was set on the table and Harry helped himself. He was nearly finished when she came back inside. She glared at him as if he should wait for them to get back, but that could take hours. She served herself quickly anyway and ate just as fast so she wouldn't have to bear the long silence with Harry at the table. After an hour, they still hadn't returned and Aunt Petunia fussed silently by the window.
The streetlamps flickered on as night came and Harry went up to his room. Hedwig was gone and he sat on the bed with nothing to do. A cold draft came through his window and made him shiver oddly. Harry whipped around looking outside, almost expecting to see a dementor.
Stop being stupid, Harry thought. For all he knew, wizards from the Order were probably stationed outside right this instant patrolling number four as if he was a reckless little boy who went looking for trouble. With that thought, he let his mind wander off aimlessly to last summer when something clicked.
He hurried downstairs to ask her before Dudley and Uncle Vernon came back. Aunt Petunia had moved to the couch with a good view of the window outside and gave Harry a dirty look as she stood in front of her.
"Yes?" Aunt Petunia said finally.
"Last year," Harry started slowly, "You never explained to me about the Howler."
Aunt Petunia snorted, "I don't need to explain any---"
"My headmaster told me of a pact you sealed with him. About this house and why I come back. But there's more to it, isn't there?" Harry continued as Aunt Petunia went pale.
"So he tells you everything, does he?" She hissed.
Harry would have taken this threateningly if Harry didn't notice a flicker of sadness and shock in her eyes. She continued sharply, but her voice trembled, "Well… if you must know, the Howler-thingy was referring to the letter he sent me… when you were dropped off on our door. That letter reminded me of a time when it had been agreed before, incase I was to refuse or send you off someplace elsewhere," She said slowly as if she was struggling with every word, but didn't raiser her voice above a whisper. Harry opened his mouth to interrupt but she continued stiffly.
"The matter of it all came up before you were… born, and let's say I wasn't too keen at first on the matter of taking you if anything was to happen to Lily. Now look what happened to h--- why am I explaining this to you? Why do you want to know?" She snapped loudly as if she just realized she was talking to him.
Harry's mind was racing as she said this, searching for something to say or answer to. The matter of his housing was brought up before his parents died? But why---then his thoughts stopped and he stared at Petunia. She had said his mother's name for the first time in a long while. He wanted to ask why more, but before anything else a car horn blared in the silence and Aunt Petunia jumped up and ran outside in an instant. Harry stood planted on the spot for a minute before returning upstairs and falling on his bed thinking over what she had told him many times.
My parents must of known that Voldemort was after them before I was born, or at least were ready for it. Dumbledore told them before… about Voldemort…the prophecy… Harry concluded sleepily and before he could pull his covers up, he fell asleep. But it became another night of uneasy sleep, only to be awoken every few hours to dreams of Sirius's falling and his mother screaming.
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Dudley's joyride with the gang earned him a nice dent in the fender of the car. Uncle Vernon assured Aunt Petunia that it was just a "first time scratch" and that everyone hits a mailbox on their first ride. She, on the other hand, hadn't looked or spoke to Harry since yesterday.
Harry sat on his bed lazily, trying to read up on all the fire plants there were in Herbologic History for homework when Hedwig flew in. She came back with nothing but a few dead crickets in her mouth. No letter, nothing. Harry thought this strange for a moment. He had been sending messages to the Order so they knew he was doing fine for his part, but for about a week they hadn't sent anything back like they had been doing.
The television downstairs blared commercials when the doorbell rang. The jumbled conversation he heard coming from below stopped and the television was turned down. Harry listened subconsciously as he flipped through his book.
Uncle Vernon's voice echoed bluntly, "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in buying anything you want to sell."
"Oh no, I'm not selling anything," a woman's voice responded and Harry got up to look outside his door. The woman was short with long, curly red hair and almost looked like she could be a long lost sister of the Weasleys until Harry looked a bit closer. Tonks? He asked himself but stayed still just in case he was desperately imagining it.
"What do you want?" Uncle Vernon asked rudely. Aunt Petunia and Dudley were watching close behind.
"I'm looking for Harry Potter. I have orders to take him away," she said frankly as she smiled.
"I don't think we kn--- who are you exactly?" Uncle Vernon asked sharply and she cocked an eyebrow.
"I believe we met just a few months ago at the station… Oh wait!" she said suddenly, screwed up her face, and where her red hair was, there was suddenly spiky, pink hair. It was definitely Tonks. "That's better, isn't it? I think this was the color… no?" Tonks asked as she saw the look of utter shock on Dudley's face. Tonks then again changed her hair to a shade of purple and right before Uncle Vernon was about to slam the door in her face, Harry stepped down the stairs.
"Harry!" She squealed and she walked in past Uncle Vernon. He looked as if he was going to shout but his eyes laid on the wand sticking out of her pocket and shut his mouth. Tonks grabbed Harry in a rib-cracking hug that could have given Hagrid a run for his money.
"How have you been, Harry? Sorry this is a bit late notice, but we suspect our last owl was intercepted and we've found the post dodgy now. Well, come on! Get your trunk and whatnot!" She gave Uncle Vernon a toothy grin before heading up after Harry. "We'll be just a minute."
Tonks entered his room and laughed loudly, "Looks as if you haven't cleaned it since last time I've seen it. No matter," she said and flicked her wand, which immediately packed his belongings. Harry gathered Hedwig in her cage as Tonks sat on his bed.
"Doing good?" Tonks asked and Harry gave her a blank look. Oh yeah, just splendid, Harry thought.
"Sure," Harry mumbled and Tonks sighed.
"Yes, well, living with these Muggles can't be too great, can it?" Tonks shrugged. Harry crouched down beside his bed awkwardly and Tonks came down as well.
"Looking for something?" She asked. Harry reached under and wrenched the floorboard up for his O.W.L. scores and letters. A horrible smell of decay filled the air and they both backed out with their hands to their noses.
"What are you keeping under there?" Tonks gasped and Harry shook his head annoyed. "I'm not keeping anything!" He shot. Tonks bent back down under the bed.
"I'll take a look… ah ha!" Tonks said with her nose plugged, "Not to worry. Just bundimun."
"Bundi-what?" Harry asked and he crouched down to see. Inside the floor where his letters and O.W.L scores were was what looked a greenish mold growing on the side.
"Bundimun," Tonks repeated, "They eat through the floors. Glad we found it while it's still small. My mum had an encounter with this stuff… nasty little things. You call tell bundimun apart from regular mold I suppose, by the eyes obviously and," Tonks pointed her wand at the green fungi and it scuttled suddenly, "when they feel threatened with a wand, they usually move like that. You need to clean more than once every few years, Harry," Tonks laughed and said, "'Scorify!' Ah, well, there you go, Harry. A quick household cleaning lesson."
Harry grabbed his letters and scores and before long, they were downstairs with his belongings. The Dursleys had stayed in the same place speechless and Tonks ushered Harry out the door.
"Nice seeing you again!" Tonks smiled briskly, "Oh, and by the way, I couldn't help notice your car. Marvelous set of wheels you've got there!" Uncle Vernon looked furious as if he couldn't believe a person of magic was discussing his car, but Tonks had already shut the door before he could say anything.
It was an exceptionally sunny and Harry shielded his eyes. He thought it was about time for someone to come and take him away, but the awkward thing as much as he missed Ron and Hermione, he didn't want to see anybody just yet. Of course he wanted to get to Hogwarts more than anything, but he didn't want to bear the time in between. He knew how people would try to sympathize with him and tell him it wasn't his fault, but he didn't want to hear it now or ever. Tonks checked the streets for any Muggles before lifting her wand. Just as she did, the triple-decker Knight Bus came screeching around the corner and in front of number four.
Harry was surprised he had managed to get on the Knight Bus for a third time when really he wished he would never ride it again. Tonks muttered her destination in front to Ernie the driver and Harry moved up to the third level so he wouldn't have to run into Stan Shunpike. He didn't want to explain anything to anybody about Voldemort.
"So," Harry said awkwardly as Tonks sat across him, "Why didn't anybody get me earlier. It's been over a month."
"I was wondering when you were going to ask something!" Tonks said, scrunching up her face to make her hair red and curly again, "Yes, we know, Harry, and we're really sorry about it, too. The Order's in a real jam trying to sort out a complication that arose, but now I think we've got it under control--- almost," Tonks explained as the bus jumped.
"What kind of complication?" Harry asked. His mind immediately jumped to Voldemort.
"Well, difficulty with the headquarters of the Order," Tonks said slowly as Harry remembered how Ron had said the Order of the Phoenix was staying at the Burrow, "It, well, we can't use it, actually, at the moment."
"Why not?" Harry said. Tonks looked around as if looking for what to say when her face fell.
"Harry," Tonks said softly, "I can't lie to you… we figured out long ago what the answer to our problem was, dealing with the headquarters I mean. That's not what kept us from getting you. You cannot get angry with us, but we figured you needed time to heal after Sirius's death before we took you and threw anything else your way." Tonks explained and Harry bit his lip hard.
"What do you mean? I don't need anymore 'time to heal', and if I did, does the Order think Privet Drive was the best choice?" Harry asked angrily.
"Yes, in fact. Dumbledore figured you needed time away from the wizarding world…"
"Well, tell Dumbledore it's been hell being alone, thanks---"
"Harry, listen. You'll find out what we mean soon, but we thought that you'd rather want to deal with Sirius's death alone for a time," Tonks said. Harry didn't look at her. He hated how she said his name. He hated how right she was.
His O.W.L. scores and letters were still clutched in his tight fist and Tonks noticed them. "O.W.L. scores, eh? How'd you do?" She asked trying to lighten the conversation.
"Good, I guess," He said and Tonks took his scores. He didn't object, everyone would probably know them sooner or later.
"Ah! 'Outstanding' on Defense Against the Dark Arts! I'm not surprised," Tonks winked, "Wow, 'E's' on Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration! I've got to say, I had a talent with Potions, except for knocking over my cauldrons…"
"Well, I don't. It's probably a mistake. I'm not even sure how I got that… and it's not like it matters. Snape doesn't accept anyone under an O." Harry said as he stuffed his scores in his trunk.
"Well, you never know," Tonks grinned and before Harry could say anything, she jumped up as the bus stopped abruptly and said, "The Burrow! This is our stop! Grab your owl, I'll take your trunk and broom, now go!"
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Chapter Three: Black House Bequeathed
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