Chapter 3: Another Chapter in the life of Harry Potter
Harry's face became pale as he read the article a second and a third time to make sure it was real and not a fragment of his imagination. After the complete shock of the article set in his grasp lightened and the newspapers fell from his now sweaty hands. It was not the newspapers that hurt him most but the thought that his friends had believed it. Two friends ho had believed his tales about Voldemort when it would have been so easy to deny them. Friends who had stood by him through thick and thin gave up on him just like that. Within a snap of his fingers he had lost the only true friends that he had ever had. It also no became clear to Harry why Dumbledore had asked him to avoid crowds.
Nonetheless thought Harry, I must confront them.
With a firm resolve he set out to find Ron and Hermione in the Hogwarts express.
He found them, thankfully, in a carriage all alone. They were seated talking in hush whispers that he realized were about him.
They are talking about how I could so something that I never once even in my nightmares thought possible.
"Ron. Hermione. I think we need to talk."
"Talk Harry. There is nothing left to talk because there is nothing between us now." Hissed Ron malice evident in every syllable that he spoke.
"No." said Hermione. "Let's see what kind of a story he can cook up now."
Harry gave a huge sigh as he realized how hopeless his situation really was.
"How can you believe this? When it could so easily have been an impostor under polyjuice."
"If you had cared to read the article you would now that the while developing a magical photograph there are special charms used to know if the photograph has been mislead by magical means. In fact many scams have been caught by reporters who, after developing the pictures, unearthed the real people behind polyjuice potions."
"Well what have you got to say for your self now Potter?"
"I should not have to say anything. Do you seriously think that I would ever betray the memory of my parents who sacrificed themselves for me? After all the times I have fought him do you seriously think that I would join him."
"That's where you are wrong Harry. You barely knew your parents. Moreover no one knows for sure what happened between you and Voldemort, the five times you survived. It is incredulous that you came out unscathed so many times when older more experienced Aurors were not lucky enough to survive even one meeting with YOU-KNOW-WHO."
Suddenly Harry's grim and depressed mood changed rapidly into anger and by the time Hermione had finished he was perfectly seething and his face was redder than a tomato because of all the rage that had filled up inside of him.
How dare they think such thoughts about him who were they to judge whether he loved his parents or not.
He was on that point that his limitations were about to be broken and he had almost taken out his wand to hex his friends when he by some miracle of God gained control over himself and resorted to only verbal warfare.
"So is that what my friends think of me now. Fine. So be it." Then suddenly his mood became sullen once again as he said "Now I know what it means when people say friends melt away like snow in summer."
With that he turned around and left the carriage to find one for himself. Had he stayed even a second longer his friends would have been able to see the stream of silent tears running down his face.
At last he found an empty carriage where he could sit and ponder as to how suddenly everything had gone upside down.
Well one thing is for certain he thought trying to cheer himself up I still have the support of Dumbledore and as he has not mentioned anything I probably am not going to be expelled. I wonder who still trusts me, if any do, apart from Dumbledore.
Then suddenly something struck him and he thought bitterly to himself, Welcome to another chapter in this life of Harry potter The Boy who was Shunned.
At last as the Hogwarts express stationed at platform 9 ¾ Harry changed into his school robes.
As he walked outside he became aware of just ho many stares he was drawing to himself and now the whispering had gotten louder as if people wanted him to hear them speak ill of him so that he would show his dark side by maybe trying to hex or curse them.
As much as he was tempted to do this he held back and was saved by the Half Giant Hagrid who parted the sea of students without any difficulty. He also had a few words that Harry needed to hear more than anything else.
"No need ter worry 'bout the daily prophet. They reported lies then and they do the same thin' now. If anyone gives yer any trouble jus' you let me know." He said the last part a bit loudly so that everyone moved away from him afraid that Hagrid might think they were giving him trouble.
Most of all Harry was glad that he had Hagrid. Hagrid had been his first true friend then and he remained true now. He actually had a friend some one on whom he could count. Some who would be there for him."
As Hagrid left to take the first years to the castle Harry gave his first smile in days.
As the feast began Harry sat all alone thinking about how his year would go and looked around to take in all the familiar sights of his teachers and fondly remembered his classes.
Suddenly a chill went up his spine as he remembered something. He had quite forgotten to get the books for the new Year in all the chaos this summer. Oh boy what was he going to do? He would be in a truckload of trouble this year, of that he was sure.
To be continued …
Author's notes: - please read and don't forget to review they mean a lot to me. Thanks to all my reviews up to now and if anyone is interested in beta-ing for me let me know soon by posting on the message board. Thank you