Chapter 12. Who Let the Ferrets Out?
Harry's good mood hadn't diminished any when he awoke on Sunday morning. His training with Moody the previous day had gone swimmingly, as soon as Harry bested Moody at his own game. Moody had rolled with laughter and slapped Harry on the back and said, "Attaboy, Laddy!! You've got to think one step ahead of the ones you've got to beat! Ain't none of the ones you'll be fighting, who will play fair!" He finally must have been convinced now that Harry had at least some wit. They parried back and forth in short dueling bursts, all the while Moody was reciting platitudes of vigilance and work ethics such as, "Trust no one!" and "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail!" Harry found the new training pace to be exhilarating and they both lost track of the time until Lupin had stopped by around noon to find in the midst of a staring contest as Harry waited for Moody to go for his wand to signal the beginning of a duel.
It was still rather early in the morning and Harry decided to venture downstairs to forage for breakfast. He passed his mute Uncle in the living room and who was wearing a newspaper on his face as the morning news blared on the television.
Harry could hear the newscaster, "In news of the bizarre, last night the London Zoo was broken into and a recently donated colony of ferrets has now been reported missing. Authorities most likely suspect this to have been a prank…" He nearly snorted as he imagined nicking about 12 ferrets and sending them anonymously to Draco Malfoy to remind that ferret-face of his one sole moment of intellect and grace. Malfoy the Amazing Bounding Ferret…Ah, one of the finer memories I possess. I'll have to remember to make a list in my journal of 'Memories I Intend to Cherish Forever'.
He actually was snickering as he prepared a bowl of cereal as he heard Dudley begin to whine, "Mum, I don't see why I should have to go with Dad if you don't have to!"
"Aunt Marge has always been your favorite aunt and--"
"She's the only aunt I've ever had!"
"Irregardless! She has always been generous to you and you will go with your father. You need to spend some quality time with him anyway."
"Mu-um! It's a funeral for a dog!! She's mad!" Dudley began eyeing Harry who was trying to eat quickly and get out of the range of the Dudley-Tantrum, "Why doesn't he have to go, too?"
Petunia looked over at Harry and back at Dudley, "Don't be ridiculous, she is grieving, why would we want her to suffer more." She sniffed and continued on to Dudley in a lower voice as Harry pretended he didn't exist, "And you mind your father. You're getting to be young man now and you need to watch out for yourself. There are all sorts of scarlet women and tarts who might try to corrupt a sweet, innocent boy like you and lord knows what else."
Harry was extremely grateful that he had a mouthful of food that prevented him from bursting out into gales of laughter at the thought of any female wanting to do anything to do with 'sweet, innocent Duddydums'. Bleargh!!! He quickly finished his cereal and rinsed the bowl and headed out the door and back upstairs before he burst out with laughter.
After he regained his composure from laughing at Dudley's impending "Talk", he thought, 'Well, I guess that is one reason to be thankful for not having parents." He imagined Sirius trying to be serious and have a discussion on The Talk and shuddered, "And no Godfather." Then his mind wandered to the thought of Dumbledore trying to step in and chat with him, "Oh, squick! Gor Blimey!!" He then debated for the next hour the pros and cons of attempting to perform his first memory charm on himself.
Harry had arrived about two hours before he was to meet with Dumbledore. Harry had found a spell in the Auror training book to create a magical target on a wall that would rebound spells back at the castor who could then practice blocking, dodging, and countering their own curses and spells. When Dumbledore arrived a few minutes late, it was with a very cheery mood that he greeted Harry.
"Hello Harry, I see Alastor has moved you on to the Volley Wall, has he?"
"Er, no sir. I enchanted the wall. It was one of the spells in a book you lent me."
Dumbledore was still smiling and really, quite chipper. "Well, then, I daresay you will surprise him yet again when he does move you to it. He's always liked to watch a young trainee who has just learned how to maximize their spellcasting power, suffer from the blows of his own success."
He was still twinkling as he watched Harry disenchant the wall and the glowing target faded off the inside of the shed. "I have some good news for you, Harry. Well, I assume you will think it is good news."
Harry was looking eagerly at him, but still wondered just how good it would have to be to have the man this twinkly. "Yes?"
"You'll be leaving Privet Drive this Tuesday, Harry. Myself and Remus shall accompany you."
It wasn't the windfall of great news Harry had expected; he had finally been getting in the habit of training and living in oblivion at the Dursleys and was a little reluctant to want to start over with a new schedule. "How will we travel this time? Will my schedule be changing when I move to Grimmauld Place?
Dumbledore was smiling like the father of newly dropped sprog. "Mmm, yes Harry, we should be able to portkey you from your home to Hogwarts. We even went to the trouble of getting clearance for this from the Ministry, though I could have done it without their ever knowing. However, it will lead anyone trying to figure out where you are for the next month to conclude you are at the castle. From Hogwarts, we may then take my own, unauthorized portkey from my office to Order Headquarters. Both have Untraceable Enchantments enabling travel back and forth.
"Your training schedules will remain the same. If anything, you may find other members of the Order stopping by Headquarters to offer you help. It seems, between Nymphadora and Alastor, they have started a bit of a rivalry between themselves. I believe it all started when Alastor made the mistake of mentioning to Nymphadora and Remus what he wanted you to learn next and she then decided to help you to learn it before you meet with him again. So Alastor then took to teaching you what Nymphadora had wanted to work on you with. Ah, so anyways, I think some others who were not able to volunteer to help you regularly are feeling a bit left out.
"As for where you will be able to work, Ms. Granger and Remus have been putting the finishing touches on a training area. I think it will work splendidly." Dumbledore has an outright grin on his face and damned if his blue eyes weren't twinkling like a sequined showgirl in Vegas.
Dumbledore remained twinkling for the remainder of the afternoon and only Legilimenced for happier emotions such as joy, pride, triumph and victory. He rotated through these different quests, as Harry would try to identify the quest emotion and then try to repel the probe. Harry was managing to stall the probing when he would focus in on thoughts and memories that included him and his wand. Harry would key on the wand in his mind and he would know there was something about it and that there was something he was supposed to do but he was having trouble turning the probe back or regaining control of his own thoughts.
They ended their training after Harry had focused in on his wand in what had begun as a memory of winning the Quidditch Cup in his third year and then casting a Patronus at Malfoy and his side-thugs. Harry had gone from the memory of pulling his wand to cast that charm to his memory of casting a Shield charm against Moody the previous day. The probing ended then and Dumbledore was standing in front of him with his wand out and grinning like a fool. Harry thought he looked quite mad.
"Do you know what you just did Harry?"
Harry was wondering if someone had been handing out Cheering Charms and perhaps Dumbledore had gotten hit twice so he just shook his head.
"I didn't stop the spell, Harry. You repelled me with your mind. We'll end on that one for today."
Harry was baffled and thought they ought to try it again before he forgot how to do whatever it was he had done. But Dumbledore pressed on and prepared to leave.
"Now, Harry, I will be seeing you in two days time, around ten o'clock in the morning. Remus will confirm this with you when you see him tomorrow."
"Sir, is anyone else staying at Headquarters? Besides Lupin and Hermione, I mean?"
"No one else is there fulltime. Many come and go throughout the day. Perhaps you are wondering about the Weasleys?"
It wasn't why he had asked but now that it was brought up, yes, he was wondering now, so Harry nodded.
"Well, Molly and Arthur have only Ronald and Virginia to look after and with William being home, they felt they had more than enough fully trained adults in the home to remain there safely. It may also be, I might imagine, that Molly wants to be available for any other of her children who may want to stop at home."
"Percy." Harry surmised.
"Yes. But that's just a guess." Dumbledore was only slightly less twinkly at this.
"Oh, yes, and Harry?" Harry looked back at him, "Order meetings are held weekly now on every Friday night."
The last day and half at Privet Drive flew by as Harry was very much looking forward to being able to attend Order meetings and hear all the news of everything about Voldemort. As it was, Harry had been getting his news from Lupin when he visited. Not there was much news.
There had been no valid sightings or rumblings of Voldemort, any of his remaining Death Eaters, the Dementors, or any of their whereabouts. They knew his main priority was to locate and regain the nearly dozen supporters that had been captured at the Ministry. Fudge and the current Ministry was scrambling to stay afloat in a sea of poor press and a deluge of letters-to-the-editor that expressed outrage and declining support for the Ministry in general. Fudge's latest ploy was to placate the people by contracting with the independent group, the Dark Force Defense League. The DFDL was going to host regular workshops for the general public in wizarding communities to help them gain confidence and give everyone a feeling of 'doing something'. Harry recalled that Gilderoy Lockhart had been an honorary member of this group and severely hoped he was no indicator of the competency of the other members in the league.
Harry was packed and going over his room and making sure he had not forgotten anything when he heard the doorbell ring downstairs followed by the sound of Dumbledore's voice, "Hello, Petunia. We are here for Harry."
Harry quickly grabbed Hedwig's cage and then realized he had forgotten to look up a shrinking charm for his trunk. Errgh! Maybe..if I don't need to speak incantations out loud, then maybe I don't need to know them?
Harry pointed his wand at the trunk and tried, "Shrink!" Nothing happened.
Harry made something up wildly, "Shrinkus trunko!" Nothing.
He then heard the sound of his aunt's voice being raised downstairs but couldn't make out what was being said and then realized that perhaps his aunt, Dumbledore and Lupin, were not the kind of group that should be let to wait around and chat up. He sighed and wished that his trunk wasn't so damn heavy and awkward as he reached down to pick it up with his wand still in his hand.
To his surprise, his trunk was as light as a feather. He barely had time to register shock at this when he heard Lupin's voice from downstairs now, "Harry? Do you need any help?" and made his way out the door and down the stairs.
Harry saw Lupin waiting at the bottom of the stairs. "Where's Professor--" he looked around and found the living room empty, "and Aunt Petunia? Where are they?" This couldn't be good.
Lupin flicked his eyes towards the kitchen door and said, "I think Albus is having a chat with her."
Harry wasn't sure what made him do it, but he set down the cage and his trunk, pocketed his wand and walked to the kitchen door.
Lupin had barely got out, "Harry, wait-" when Harry had pushed open the door and strode in to see his aunt across the room, facing out the window.
He looked about the room and skewered Dumbledore on a piercing look of his own as he spoke, "I'll be leaving now, Aunt Petunia."
Dumbledore gave him a small smile and went past him and said, "I'll get the portkey ready, Harry." as he went out the door.
Harry could have swore he heard his aunt sniff then but figured he must have been wrong since she usually held her head up high when she sniffed and now her chin must have been nearly on her chest. "I'll, er, be seeing you, then." He rushed on, "Take care and all and thanks for the clothes." He was feeling increasingly uncomfortable standing there as if his aunt would actually want to say goodbye, so Harry spun around to leave.
He only just heard her as she said, "Go on, now." in a low, hoarse voice.
Dumbledore and Lupin were standing in the middle of the living room and waiting patiently. Dumbledore was holding a woolen sock and Lupin had Hedwig's cage. Dumbledore looked up as Harry walked in, "All set? The portkey will activate when the three of us all touch it."
Lupin reached down to grab Harry's trunk and groaned and said, "Yeesh, Harry! How much stuff did you manage to fit in here?"
Harry reached to take it from him, expecting it to be as light as before and said with a grin, "You've just got to know how to pack." He wasn't the least bit surprise this time when it felt weightless and figured it all had to do with being confident.
"Ready?" said Harry as he and Lupin reached to touch the sock.
He then felt the customary jerk in his navel and the whooshing of traveling. They then landed with a, "Thwump!" in Dumbledore's office in Hogwarts.
Harry blinked and looked around. The office was as it had always been. Fawkes was on his perch, preening himself and gave a soft trill of welcome. The whirring silver contraptions were all around the room and Harry noticed, with a slight rush of guilt, that even the table and silver things he had flung about the room at the end of last term were now repaired and back in their usual places.
Harry snuck a glance at Dumbledore, who gave him a wry smile before he looked down and shuffled through some rolls on his desk and said with some amusement, "You're welcome to come by any time, Harry, and blow off some steam. I can repair just about anything."
Harry felt himself grow hot and blush with embarrassment with the memory of what he had done. Lupin just gave him a questioning look with one eyebrow quirked upwards, to which Harry just looked away and mumbled an unintelligible, "Sorry."
Just then, there was the sound of the stone staircase moving to carry someone up to the office and seconds later the door whipped open and in stalked Severus Snape, "Ah--Albus! Excellent, I--" he stopped as he spotted Harry and Lupin standing off to the side and his eyes narrowed and his hooked nose wrinkled in loathing.
"Severus! Everything running smoothly?" Dumbledore had paused and was looking at the Potions Master over his half-moon glasses.
Snape turned back towards Dumbledore and went on, "Yes, sir, everything is complete. I was just about to leave you a note. I am preparing to leave at once." Snape strode forward and positioned himself with his back towards Harry and Lupin, determined to make sure they knew they were being ignored.
Dumbledore nodded once and gave Snape a very small smile and said, "Very well, Severus. If you have everything you may need, then, I wish you good luck."
Snape looked a little uncomfortable and said, "I, am not sure when I may return…" Harry and Lupin both watched this vague discussion with curious interest.
"I understand, Severus. You know how you may contact me if you need anything. I suspect, if I have to worry about you, then I will know."
Snape shifted even more, clearly uncomfortable, "Yes. I'm off then. Good day."
Dumbledore sighed as he called out to the retreating Snape, "Good day and take care."
Lupin couldn't help himself as he also called out, "Nice talking to you Severus!" Harry gave at short laugh at the usually mild-mannered and soft-spoken Lupin's sarcasm.
Dumbledore had the sock out again and was walking around his desk as he pulled out his wand and touched it to the sock and said, "Portus. Well then, if we are ready, we may proceed on to Headquarters."
Lupin and Harry stepped forward to grab on to the wool sock when Lupin stopped and turned to Harry, "I forgot to remind you the first time, pay attention to the feeling of traveling through time and space; it feels the same for apparition, only--"
"-- without the jerk behind the navel." Harry and Lupin chorused the last words together. When Lupin and Tonks had described apparition to Harry as being just like a portkey, Harry had felt his stomach drop at the thought of having to feel that sickening pull every time he would apparate. However, they quickly corrected this notion and assured him there was no jerk to pull him along, as he would be using his own power to begin traveling.
They landed with another, "Thwump!" in the basement kitchen of Grimmauld Place.
"Crash!!"
Harry whipped his head towards the sound of plates and silverware clattering to the ground.
There stood Dobby the house-elf looking woefully down at the mess by his feet. A smile broke out on Harry's face. "Dobby! When did you get here?"
Dobby looked up at Harry with watery eyes and then looked down as he said, "Dobby has come to serve Harry Potter, sir. I is an elf of the Order of the Phoenix now."
Harry cocked his head to the side and asked, "You left Hogwarts?"
Dobby shook his head, "No, Harry Potter, sir. No, I was …and Winky was…" he was rocking back and forth now and obviously was conflicted with the answer to this questions.
Professor Dumbledore, however, stepped in and explained to Harry, "It seems, that when Headmistress Umbridge found there was an elf earning wages, she was not very happy and she saw fit to dismiss him. She also happened upon another elf you know, Winky. " Harry turned and saw for the first time, Winky the house elf standing on a stool by the stove and stirring a pot, looking the best she had since she had been given clothes from Barty Crouch Sr. "Who was, shall we say," Dumbledore's voice dropped to a whisper, "in an unfit state and was also dismissed. So, they left the school and Dobby managed to find me and he and Winky joined me when I was, mmm, shall we say, away? They were a great help to me. Winky, it seems, was took especially well to the change from working in a large kitchen such as Hogwarts, to working for just me. However, after my return to duties as Headmaster, I was no longer in need of help, but the Order, was."
Dobby was looking at Harry with adoration and said, "Dobby is not wanting to leave Hogwarts where he sees and helps Harry Potter. But Professor Dumbledore is telling Dobby, that Harry Potter is to be living here. So, I is working for Harry Potter, now." He was grinning as only as house elf could as he told this to Harry.
Harry just shook his head and sighed as he smiled and said, "Well Dobby, I am glad you are here and Winky, too. I hope you like it here."
Dobby beamed.
The door to the kitchen then opened and Hermione stopped as she spotted the new arrivals, "Oh! You're here already! Harry, how are you?" She was smiling as she came to give Harry a hug. She pulled back and looked at Dobby and Winky, "Isn't it wonderful? Winky is doing so well here! I think she is really starting to enjoy her freedom!"
Harry knew better than to argue with Hermione about house elves so he just nodded.
"Well, Harry, are you ready for the grand tour?" Lupin had a twinkle in his eye as he spoke. Harry looked around at Hermione and Professor Dumbledore and they each had the same glint in their eyes.
"Tour? Has it changed so much I won't be able to find me way about?"
Each of them broke into a smile at this and they each seemed about to comment when the door opened again, "Hermione, don't forget the—"
It was Tonks; she was leaning through the doorway and had stopped as she spotted the group. "Well what are you all waiting for? Come on!!" Tonks beckoned them upstairs, "Wait!! The blindfold!! Who's got one?"
Harry was quite bewildered but soon realized as Hermione turned towards him with a sash of fabric in her hand that he was to be the one to get blindfolded. He took a step back and held up his hands, "Now hold on!! Who says there needs to be a blindfold? And why me?"
He was sputtering as Hermione continued to advance on him wearing an evil grin, "C'mon Harry, don't you trust us?"
Lupin laughed and Tonks was giggling by the door.
Harry wasn't happy with the seeming lack of support. "Don't make he hex you." he warned as he pulled his wand and pointed it at Hermione, who only smiled more as he took another step back and hit the wall.
They were a good distance away from the others now and Hermione stopped and looked down at the sash in her hand and back up at Harry with a look of pure innocence and sweetness, "Please? Harry, it's a surprise. I promise you'll like it."
Harry looked skeptical and wasn't buying this a bit. Then again, the way Hermione was batting her eyes at him and acting all sweet was making him feel he might want to do whatever she wanted. "You, er, promise I will like it?"
She nodded eagerly.
He looked over to see Professor Dumbledore and Lupin trying not to watch but clearly amused at the exchange. "And the rest of you are all in on this?"
Lupin looked up, "You'll like it." He made a cross over his heart as he added solemnly, "Marauder's Honor."
Harry knew he was beat and sighed as Hermione quickly fixed the sash over his glasses to completely obscure his sight. She then led Harry out the door and up the stairs by his arm as he mumbled under his breath, "'Marauder's honor'… with a motto like 'I solemnly swear I'm up to no good.' he expects me to trust that?"