Chapter One- Rescue from Privet Drive
Harry Potter was sitting on the couch in the living room of Number 4, Privet Drive, feeling little pricklings on the back of his neck every now and then. The irritated frown already present on Harry's face deepened. He turned around abruptly.
"Haven't you two had enough of staring at the back of my neck!" he shouted, completely irked. His aunt and uncle just glared back at him.
"I mean, I know how fascinating it is to watch my hair grow, but really, the news is much more interesting!" he said sarcastically. Uncle Vernon's already red face deepened in anger.
"That is exactly the point! What would a fifteen-year-old boy want to watch the news for? And your… kind… would not be on our news!" he finished in an anxious, half-whisper. His beady little eyes darted to the window, where you could see neighbors outside watering their pristine green lawns or showing off a new car. When Uncle Vernon saw that no one was there, he continued.
"Just exactly what are you looking for, huh, boy? Tell me the truth or you can leave now!" Uncle Vernon snarled at the messy haired teenager.
"I told you!" Harry snapped at his Uncle. "Voldemort, the most evil dark wizard in a century, came back a year ago. Before, though, no one knew, and he kept quiet. But now everyone knows he is back and there are going to be a lot of deaths. Even muggle ones!" Harry finished quickly as Vernon opened his mouth to protest that deaths in the "freak" world would not be reported in the "normal" news. Harry had already read of the death of a wizarding family and two witches in the Daily Prophet.
As Harry glanced at his Aunt, he saw her shaking a bit, and a glint of fear passed across her eyes. At least someone knew a bit of the horror he was feeling at the thought of Voldemort on the loose.
"Shut up boy! Shut up! Do you want to be heard?" Uncle Vernon quickly strode towards the windows and hastily pulled it shut and the flowered curtains closed.
"Whatever!" Harry muttered as he turned back to the television, trying to ignore the pricks on his neck.
"This just in. Breaking news today in Kent, where the body of 32-year-old Jon Parkton has been found. Jon went missing on Tuesday of last week, and today authorities discovered his body. It mysteriously appeared back in his home, right under the noses of the police, as at least one officer at a time has been at Jon's house since he disappeared" reported the newsman.
"To add to the mystery of Jon's disappearance and murder, there had been an autopsy preformed on the body, and there is nothing wrong with him. He was not choked, stabbed, poisoned. He did not have a heart attack or anything of the like. In fact, Jon's wife tells us that he was a very healthy person. He ran at least a mile a day and more on weekends. Police will have a tough time sorting out this one, huh Joe? In other news…"
"Strange, that there were no markings or anything to suggest murder…" Petunia said to her husband.
"Yeah, but it will all come together in the end", he told her in a gruff voice. He was more interested in hearing the stocks.
"No, it won't be sorted out", Harry said softly, for he alone realized what the news report had really meant.
"What did you say?" Aunt Petunia barked sharply at him.
"It won't be sorted out, at least, not by muggles".
"And how would you know this?" Uncle Vernon snarled.
"Because. The body had no signs of the man being killed, except that he is not breathing. That is the mark, or non-mark, of the killing curse!" Harry yelled in exasperation.
"Shut up! I will not have you scaring my family with your hocus pocus, mumbo-jumbo nonsense!" So Harry did shut up for once, because he wanted to think, and that was hard to do with a huge man with a purple face screaming at you. It got especially distracting when he started pulling out his mustache.
So it had begun. The killings of muggles had started, and would not end until he, Harry, defeated Voldemort. The burden of the wizarding world was on his shoulders. Neither can live while the other survives. The words echoed in Harry's mind. And what if he didn't defeat Voldemort? What if Harry made another blunder like he had at the end of the last school year?
Don't think about that, Harry. You did not kill him. It was Bellatrix. She killed Sirius. Bellatrix. Her name made Harry's blood boil. He would get his revenge on her. She would get her just desserts. He would kill her. But what if he didn't?
What if Voldemort instead killed him? Then there would be no chance for anyone. Neither wizard nor muggle could stand a chance against Voldemort, or Bellatrix and any other of her death eater comrades. Unless you were pure-blooded and evil, Harry thought.
He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of someone knocking on the door. Actually, it was more like they were trying to break down the door.
"What the hell!!!" Uncle Vernon yelled as he leapt up from his leather armchair. "If this has anything to do with you, boy!" he bellowed threateningly as he stomped towards the door. Just as he put his hand on the door knob, the door flung itself open and, to Aunt Petunia's horror, in walked Mad-eye Moody, magical eye completely revealed, Remus Lupin, looking shabbier, paler, and thinner than ever, Fred and George Weasley with their identical heads of flaming red hair, and lastly, Tonks, with robin's egg blue, short spiked hair.
"What… what…" Vernon stammered. Aunt Petunia was too shocked and horrified for words. She sank to the floor in a faint. Uncle Vernon was so mad that he didn't even notice his wife slumped on the floor.
"We have come for Harry, Dursley" Mad-eye Moody growled in his low voice. "He had better not be locked up in that cupboard with no food again, or there will be hell to pay!"
Harry laughed silently to himself as he watched his uncle's facial expressions. They went from shocked, angered, wide-eyed and red, to outraged and purple, to squished up and green as he nervously eyed Moody's hand in his coat, obviously clutching his wand.
"You… I… Harry…" Vernon sputtered.
"It's okay, Mad-eye. I'm right here," Harry said, fighting hard to keep his laughter concealed. His Aunt stirred on the floor, her eyes flickering open as she tried to lift herself up.
"Good to see you Harry", Remus said kindly as he moved towards Harry and pulled him into a fatherly hug. Aunt Petunia shook her head and commenced to yell.
"Out! Out! Out!" she screeched, more like a terrified Madame Promfrey than the threatening character she was hoping to appear as. Mad-eye just laughed at her attempts to dispel the intruders from her home, and Fred and George grinned at Harry.
"All right, there?" they called out in unison over Aunt Petunia's screams.
"Since you guys came I've been great, but I'll be even better if you get me out of here!" he replied, snickering.
"Will do," said Fred.
"That's what we're here for!" said George.
"This is a fine china cabinet you've got here! I like the craftsmanship. Very sturdy," Tonks commented in the dinning room. Then she hit the china cabinet, as if to check how sturdy it really was, and it came crashing down with a thud and the sound of many china dishes breaking.
"What have you done? Get away! Get away!" Aunt Petunia yelled in frustration at Tonks.
"Oh, terribly sorry, I am!" Tonks said. "I didn't mean to! But that's me for ya'. I'll help you clean up!"
"No. NO! Stop! Harry get up to your room, get your stuff, and get these wackos out of my house!" Petunia screeched. Harry took the stairs two at a time. He quickly threw all his school supplies haphazardly into his trunk. Then he grabbed Hedwig's cage and carried it downstairs with him while he dragged his trunk.
"Ready to go Harry?" Remus asked.
"I've been ready since I got back" Harry said truthfully. Remus smiled at him as Fred and George took his trunk.
"Get out! GET OUT!" Uncle Vernon bellowed at everyone assembled in the doorway.
"Reparo!" Remus shouted in the dining room, and the sounds of china repairing itself came through the doorway.
"Let's be off!" he said stealing a glance at Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia. "Quickly!" They all walked out of the house and began walking down the street. Aunt Petunia was staring at them all with a look of complete shock on her face. Most of the neighbors were outside, and they had seen the strange group of people leave Number 4. They watched the group walk away curiously, and when they rounded the corner, the looked back to the house, where Uncle Vernon had joined Aunt Petunia in staring out the door with a shocked look on his face.
"Charity for disfigured people looking for donations!" he called out to the neighborhood. "Won't take no for an answer!" He then quickly pulled Petunia back inside and shut the door forcefully.
Meanwhile, Harry was having a lovely time imagining the state his relatives must be in.
"So, where was that big oaf?" Fred asked.
"Vandalizing some park with his gang, I suppose" Harry told them. "Or as he likes to call it 'having tea'". Fred and George frowned.
"Too bad. We had a new sweet for him to try out for us. Would you care to try it, Harry?" they asked him. Harry scrutinized the twins before saying:
"It won't kill me, will it?" Fred and George shook their heads. "I suppose I will then!" He took the hard blue candy from George's outstretched hand.
"Mmmmm. Blue-Raspberry!" Harry said. Then all of a sudden, it felt like there were two weights on the side of his head, which drooped a few inches.
"What the heck!" Everyone else was now laughing hysterically at him. "What?" he asked. Remus conjured a mirror and gave it to Harry. When he looked in it, even he had to laugh. His ears had grown to a gigantic size. Like the size of baby elephant ears!
"Jumbo Dumbo candy" Fred told him.
They all continued walking, with someone every once in a while making some witty comment on Harry's new ears (Tonks had cast a glamour on Harry's ears to they would look normal to muggles).
"You'll be able to hear things five miles away with those, Harry!" said Fred, who kept the most comments running.
"Anyways…" Harry stressed the word, looking at the twins. "Are we walking all the way to Grimmuald Place?" he asked Remus.
"No. As a matter of fact, here is our stop". They had arrived at an alley littered with trash.
"Oh" Harry said, now understanding how they were arriving at Grimmuald Place. Moody looked around and spotted an empty soup can.
"Here we go," he growled at everyone. They all stepped into the shadows and touched the can.
"5… 4… 3… 2… 1…" Moody counted down. And then Harry felt the familiar tugging at his stomach, and he was whisked away to Grimmuald Place.
Harry landed with a thud on the sidewalk. He stood up and looked around.
"All right. Now everyone, concentrate" Tonks said cheerfully. They all thought about 12 Grimmuald Place. And then with a 'pop' it appeared. Everyone walked up the steps and through the door. Everyone except Harry. Remus turned around and saw Harry staring at the house with a strange expression on his face.
"Come on Harry. It is okay", Remus said soothingly.
"I… I killed him" Harry choked, straining to hold back tears.
"No you didn't Harry"
"I as good as did!" Harry shouted.
"No. Bellatrix killed him. You did nothing except try to save someone you love. No one blames you for that, certainly". Harry exhaled deeply.
"All right. Let's go". Harry and Remus walked in the front door and shut it quietly, so they would not disturb Mrs. Black's portrait. As they walked into the living room, Harry was nearly knocked over by two blurs that raced at him.
"Harry! Oh, I'm so glad you're here!" Hermione said happily while smirking at him.
"Thank goodness you are okay!" Ginny said, trying to conceal her giggles.
"What would've happened to me? Ol' Voldy's not going to get me with big bad Dudley around!" he joked. Ginny just hugged him tighter.
"Um, Gin, you can let go now". Ginny pulled back.
"Oh, sorry!" she said blushingly as she stepped back. As Harry got a good look at her, he realized how pretty she was. What? He thought to himself. This is Ginny! Your best friends little sister! But a very beautiful best friends sister. Her auburn hair shone in the light, and her blue eyes sparkled.
"How's it going, Harry?" someone called out to him. Harry shook himself out of his stupor and looked around. He jumped.
"Whoa, what are you all doing here?" he shouted, surprised. Around the room were various Hogwart's students.
"Our parents or guardians joined the Order, and so now we stay here sometimes when they have to do work or something" Susan Bones told him. She was smirking at him too.
"Okay, why is everyone trying not to smile?" Then they all gave up and burst out laughing.
"Can you hear us okay, Harry?" asked Seamus, who had called out to him the first time.
" Yeah, I can hear you just-" Harry stopped abruptly as he lifted his hand to scratch his head. But he couldn't scratch his head, as it was blocked by huge ears!!! He had forgotten all about them.
"Fred! George!" he shouted.
"Coming!" They ran into the room. "Reducio" they said, and Harry's ears shrank back to normal size. "We were wondering how long it would take you to remember!"
"I see you have been eating some of Fred and Georges's Jumbo Dumbo candy!" said Ron.
"Could you really tell?!" Harry asked mock-anxiously, trying to cover up his embarrassment at being seen like that by everyone, and especially being seen like that by Ginny. Everyone was still laughing at him.
"Sirius would have liked to see that" Harry said suddenly. This quieted everyone immediately. Everyone sat in silence, but luckily Molly saved them.
"Come on everyone! Dinner is ready!" she called out to them as she swept past the doorway. Hermione, Ron, and Ginny gave Harry anxious looks as they walked with him to dinner, but Harry just ignored them.
Dinner cheered Harry up. It was nice to be there with his friends from school. He decided it would be best for him not to brood about Sirius. That would make everyone else feel sad, too, and Harry was sure that was not how Sirius would want him to feel. So he would block the memories out of his mind as much as possible. And besides, maybe Sirius wasn't dead! After all, for all Harry knew about that veil and archway, Sirius could come walking through the door at any minute.
After dinner Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Seamus, and Susan trooped back to the living room, where Ron and Seamus played wizard's chess, Susan and Hermione talked about the scores they thought they had received on their O.W.L.s, and Ginny and Harry just sat.
"So, how come everyone is here right now?" Harry asked. "What is the Order doing?"
"Oh, they are at a big meeting with the Ministry right now" Hermione informed him.
"Yeah, and as usual, they won't tell us a thing!" Ron said exasperatedly.
"Well, it is for our own safety!" Susan said indignantly.
"Bugger safety" Ron muttered as he turned back to his game.
"Is anyone else coming?" Harry asked.
"No one we know" Ginny answered him. "But the Order has been recruiting witches and wizards internationally since the end of the school year. There is a family coming from America tomorrow. They are related to the Delacours, who have also been recruited. Fleur and her family are also arriving from France tomorrow".
Ron muttered something that sounded strangely like 'more Veelas!' Harry smiled to himself, remembering Ron's embarrassing moments with Fleur in the fourth year.
"Let's listen to the radio" Seamus said. Ginny got up and turned on the wizard's radio in the corner of the room.
"That was 'Enchantress' by the Weird Sisters; the number one song on today's charts!"
"Aw dam it! I love that song!" Ginny whined.
"And I'm Selena Warbeck, and this is the Bewitching Hour! In news today, the Ministry has not yet been able to capture the death eaters who murdered Jon Parkton. Parkton was renowned for his generous donations to both wizarding and muggle charities, and he will be missed by many. Now, here is the latest song from the Frog Princes".
"Hey! He was on the muggle news, too!" Harry said.
"Yeah. The muggles have been noticing strange things all summer so far", Hermione informed him.
"Yeah…" Harry said vaguely. He wondered how he could ever manage to destroy the most evil dark wizard in a century. But for now, Harry was just going to worry about how badly Ron was going to beat him at wizard's chess, as Seamus had just lost the game.
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