To Conquer Death
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter!
Chapter 2: Birthday Surprises
The Dursleys didn't pay any attention to Harry as he sat down at the table; they were all focused on the new, larger television screen they had bought for Dudley as a reward for successfully staying on the diet for two years. When the commercials came on, he had to listen as Uncle Vernon started to complain about neighbors, mainly about Number Three's grass being to long. When the program came back on, thankfully, he stopped talking and all of them sitting at the table, with the exception of Dudley who really didn't care much for the news, turned their attention back to the television. The Dursleys seemed to pay a bit more attention than usual to the news every day since Harry returned from school. Harry suspected that they might be trying to see if there were any stories about "his lot" on the news but he couldn't be sure, the Dursleys had never exactly shown much interest in the wizarding world.
The only story that made top news was that someone stole a priceless artifact from the Roman section of a London museum. The news broadcaster didn't even say what the artifact was but gave a number to call if anyone had any information.
"Why didn't they just rob the jewelry store across the street!" Uncle Vernon stated incredulously, "Those would have been worth more than a worthless, priceless piece of junk they dug up in some dusty museum!"
After watching that story on the news, Harry spent the rest of breakfast listening to his uncle go on about good-for-nothing criminals while his aunt glanced at him as if he were the sort of person his uncle was talking about. By this time, Harry had a very strong desire to put a silencing charm on his uncle but reminded himself that he was still an underage wizard. Next year, however, he would be able to use magic. He ate much faster after that so he could get out of their presence before Dudley could start bragging about his new boxing record.
For the rest of the day Harry spent his time staring at the ceiling. When the sun actually started to set he decided he may as well try to sleep and hoped he wouldn't have any of the reoccurring dreams he usually had. Unfortunately, he found himself walking in the Death Chamber again and he was just about to run into the veil again when he heard a slam on his window.
Harry woke up with a start and looked around for the source of the noise. He didn't need to look far, however, because when he looked outside, he saw the unconscious form of the Ron's owl, Pig. Harry helped him over to Hedwig's cage and removed the parcel from his leg. He was about to open it when three more owls zoomed in; two of them were also carrying parcels. He went to the owl with the letter first, as it was unmistakably a Hogwarts owl. When it left, he turned his attention to the other two owls, one happened to be purple of all colors! He removed both of their parcels and turned his attention to the first parcel.
He opened the letter first and saw that it was from both Ron and Hermione.
Harry,
Happy Birthday Harry! Since we're both staying at you-know-where,
Dumbledore thought it would be better if we both sent you our present together.
I expect you won't be staying much longer at your relatives, maybe a week at the
most. We have so much to tell you, I can't wait to see you.
Like Hermione said, I don't reckon it'll be too much longer till you
join us. Mum's been real worried about you. Anyway, we figured
you've been out of practice, as you haven't played Quidditch in a while, so we got something to distract you while your still at the Dursleys.
There's no way they can still keep you from playing Quidditch this
year and if they do than they're just a bunch of...
(The word was crossed out there. Harry suspected Hermione did that.)
See you soon!
Ron and Hermione
Harry opened the parcel and immediately a golden snitch flew out. He watched its progress around the room and wondered whether or not he was going to play Quidditch this year. Last year, Umbridge had given him a lifelong ban for punching Malfoy. He mentally reminded himself to ask Professor McGonagall about that when he saw her again. He let the snitch zoom around the room for a few more minutes before he leapt off the bed and caught it in one swipe. At least he could still catch it!
He reached over and grabbed the next parcel and letter from the other owl.
Wotcher Harry,
I heard you wanted to follow in my footsteps and become
an Auror, a very brilliant idea I might add. I thought
this gift would come in handy. Take care of yourself and
remember CONSTANT VIGILLENCE!
Tonks
Laughing, Harry opened up the parcel and saw that it was a book entitled Auror Ambitions. He started to look through the book and saw that it had all sorts of jinxes and hexes and defense spells that Aurors needed to learn. He could tell this book would be useful for him to read.
He at then opened the parcel from the purple owl wondering who would have a purple owl that he knew of. The answer became very clear however when he read the card.
Dear Harry,
I hope you've had a good summer so far. Our expedition to Sweden
was very exciting! We almost caught a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, but as you probably know they're really fast, so it got away. I thought you might
need to think of something other than your godfather's death, so I
got you the book I used to read after my mum died.
See you on the Hogwarts train.
Luna
Harry opened the gift and took out a bright blue book with gold lettering which was entitled They Really do Exist!: Magic Myths Proven True. This book probably explained a lot about the creatures Luna claimed to exist. He almost smiled as he pictured the look on Hermione's face when she saw the book.
He finally got to the Hogwarts letter and he opened it. All it really said was a congratulations for his O.W.L scores and to send an owl informing them as to which classes he would be taking for the year. He rummaged around his desk for a bottle of ink and a quill. When he found them he opened the bottle and started writing.
He didn't hesitate to put Transfiguration, Charms, or Defense Against the Dark Arts on the list. He already knew that he wasn't going to put down History of Magic or Divination, as the classes were completely useless in his opinion. He wanted to continue to take Care of Magical Creatures, not because of any desire to be attacked by some dangerous beast, but because Hagrid was teaching it. After he jotted down Care of Magical Creatures, his quill stayed suspended over the parchment. He knew potions was very important if he wanted to become an Auror, but he didn't want to spent another two years in a potions class if he could help it. Snape would probably just vanish more of his potions and insult him. In the end, he reluctantly wrote potions on his list and looked around for Hedwig.
She was still out hunting, however, so he put the list aside and picked up the book Luna had given him. He didn't know why he suddenly had a desire to read it. Perhaps it was because she was the only person he had even remotely discussed Sirius's death with. He wasn't sure what good the book would do him, but he opened it up anyway, perhaps out of curiosity. He flipped the book to a random page and began to read the text:
Elementals
Elementals have the power over the four elements: earth, water, air, and fire. Most witches and wizards tend to deny their existence as few have ever claimed to see one. It is debatable whether Elementals are humans or spirits, but they are born with the power they possess, it is impossible to learn it. Elementals usually wield only one element; it is possible, although rare, that they can wield more, but they have only one element they excel in.
The book continued on for some time, but Harry was already turning the page, skimming briefly at the pages. He also found information about Nargles, which actually turned out to be a twelve-legged creature that lived in mistletoe and attacked any young couple that might have the idea to kiss under it. Who wrote this book!? Just as he closed it, he heard a flutter of wings and saw that Hedwig returned with a frog in her beak.
"Feel like taking a trip to Hogwarts?" he asked.
She hooted once in response, which he took to mean yes, and sealed the letter and attached it to her leg. Harry watched her until she disappeared from view and decided he should probably at least try to get some sleep. He took all of his presents and put them in the loose floorboard under his bed, just in case his aunt were to walk in. He was just about to go back to sleep when his scar made his head explode in pain.
He heard laughter. It rang in his ears like a bell and refused to go away. Someone was very happy, even happier than they had been when the Death Eaters escaped from Azkaban last year. The person, Voldemort, continued to laugh ecstatically until Harry found himself being shaken roughly back to consciousness. The laughter suddenly stopped and Harry then realized he had been the one laughing. He wondered what had happened when he looked up and saw his aunt and uncle staring down at him as if he were insane.
"What the devil did you mean by that, boy!" Uncle Vernon bellowed.
"It wasn't me," Harry said distantly, rubbing his burning scar. He was more disturbed by the fact that Voldemort was happier than he ever had been since coming back.
"What do you mean it wasn't you!" said his uncle incredulously, "let me guess, it was one of those dementoids that did it."
Harry shot a glare at his uncle before saying, "It was Voldemort."
Vernon Dursley continued to rant, but Harry really wasn't paying any more attention to what he was saying; he was trying to think of what he should do next. He wasn't about to sit down and have a conversation with the Dursleys about this. He thought about writing to Dumbledore, but he would probably consider it old news. He wished he still had Sirius to talk to; he would have been able to help him. Harry got off the floor and made his way to the door only to find a cloaked figure blocking his exit. He froze; Dumbledore said that as long as he was in his relatives care, Voldemort couldn't harm him. Did that include Death Eaters as well? Harry was just about to make a dive for his wand but stopped when the figure spoke.
"Harry, are you okay? I heard screaming so I hurried inside to see what the trouble was."
Harry was sure he knew that voice from somewhere, but he wasn't sure where. He did, however, recognize the face when the figure removed her hood. It was Emmeline Vance, a member of the Order of the Phoenix. So he was right after all; Dumbledore was still having him watched.
"Professor Dumbledore is still having me watched then?" Harry said, voicing his thought aloud.
"Of course he is!" she stated, "I'm surprised you even have to ask. You-Know-Who is not very happy his plans were ruined a few months ago and you escaped him again!"
"That's funny," Harry said distractedly, "Voldemort seemed very happy to me."
"What are you talking about?" she said while looking at him suspiciously with a small trace of fear in her eyes.
"I can sort of read Voldemort's mood," he said, while ignoring her strange look, "he seemed very happy about something. Do you know what's going on?"
"I don't know...Death Eaters have been active lately...I've got to report this to Dumbledore. Goodbye, Harry!"
"Wait!" he shouted after her, but it wasn't any good. She vanished quickly out the door before he could follow her
A soft, popping noise soon followed as she disapparated from the hall, leaving Harry to his thoughts, and his aunt and uncle sputtering indignantly. She hadn't answered his question, not really well anyways. What did she mean Death Eaters were active lately? He really wasn't all that surprised that they were now that Voldemort's return was out in public, but the way she said it made it seem that the Death Eater's had a new plan to carry out.
"Boy, how many times do I have to tell you, I will not allow those freaks in my house!"
"I can't stop them from coming here!" Harry shouted, "If you have a problem with it I'm sure you can talk to Moody, the one with the eye!"
The effect those words had on his uncle was priceless. He had turned three shades redder and his eyes began to dart around the room as if there might be more wizards hidden in the dark.
"Tell those freaks you're just fine and not to send anyone else here!" Uncle Vernon said in what he obviously thought was a commanding tone.
With that, his aunt and uncle gave him one final glare and then left the room, leaving Harry with his thoughts. Something was going on Harry could tell, but he didn't know what. Voldemort was happy, very happy, and that was definitely something to worry about. Maybe Death Eaters broke out of Azkaban, that's what happened last year after all. This time seemed different though.
Harry shook himself out of his thoughts angrily. He hated not knowing what was going on. Dumbledore said at the end of the school year that it had been a mistake not to tell him about the prophecy sooner, so why was he doing the same thing again this summer! Voldemort had made a point of trying to kill him time and time again; wasn't it a good idea to tell him about Voldemort's plans? After all, if they had told him Voldemort's plans last year, he never would have gone to the Department of Mysteries and Sirius wouldn't have...fallen through the veil.
Harry crawled back in to bed and rested his back against the headboard, determined not to fall asleep. This wasn't the first time he had done it; after waking up several times a week over the summer, this practice had become routine.
As he continued to stare up at the ceiling he did vaguely wonder if Emmeline Vance had contacted Dumbledore yet. Maybe, the members of the Order were fighting even now, trying to stop Voldemort from carrying out his plans. Though, if Voldemort was happy his plan may have been carried out already. Harry tried to push all thoughts from his head, not in an effort to practice Occlumency, but to stop himself from worrying. There wasn't anything he could do right now so there was no point in getting himself worked up. Even as he told himself that, a small part of him couldn't help wondering why Voldemort was so happy. That was the last sensible thought he had before he started to drift back off to sleep.
A/N: Well chapter two is up! It may take a bit longer to write chapter three but I'll try my best; I like writing this story but I have a lot of mid-terms coming up. I will definitely post chapter three before Thanksgiving! Please read and review!
