8. Home
Mr and Mrs Dursley, of number four, Privet Drive, had gone out early for shopping in London and left their son Dudley and nephew Harry behind. Dudley was to play baby sitter for Harry, making sure that the latter did no harm to their home. Dudley wasn't happy with this appointment as it meant that he could not enjoy his favourite hobby: roaming the park with his urchins and bullying smaller children. Harry, on the other hand, couldn't have cared less.
His aunt and uncle had been telling the neighbours for years that he attended a school for incurable criminal boys. He'd been treated as a mentally ill and his recent behaviour had only increased this public opinion: he could be seen, all day long, sitting on the garden bench or in the park, holding the shattered pieces of what seemed to have been a mirror. Sometimes he was murmuring under his breath. Parents seeing him like this often prompted their children to cross the street and resume on the other pavement, undoubtedly assuming that he used the jagged glass pieces as a means of butchering passers-by.
In fact, this thought somehow cheered Harry up. Harry James Potter, the weirdo. Well, at least they left him alone in his grief. He was unable to forget the expression of utter disbelief on Sirius' face when he fell backwards through the fluttering veil. He tried to picture another Sirius, the handsome young man smiling and laughing at his parents' wedding but was unable to.
Half the summer holidays had passed already without any news out of the ordinary. He had received several owls from Ron, Hermione and Hagrid. He wrote to Lupin or Moody every other day to tell them he was still alive but the lines he wrote were limited to "I'm fine. Harry." He didn't answer Hermione's letters, which he found utterly depressing. Ron had invited Harry over to the Burrow a week ago. Harry had written a very brief, very direct refusal and hadn't received an owl from Ron since. Harry rightly suspected that Ron might feel offended.
o
No sooner had the front door banged shut behind his parents than Dudley came strolling into Harry's chamber and threw himself onto the only chair. Harry was cowering on his favourite spot on the floor.
"How's life, Harry?" inquired Dudley smugly, knowing well how life was for Harry. Harry kept staring into space. Dudley was about to tease him some more when they both were startled by a loud, repetitive cracking noise downstairs. The noise of people apparating. At once Harry was alert, leaping to his feet and drawing his wand in one fluid movement: the DA had been training even for him. But then he considered; the protection charm made it unable for foes to intrude. Whoever had apparated must be a friend. Or at least thinks so, thought Harry bitterly.
"Whoever you are – you're not welcome!" he shouted down the stairs. "Hit the road!"
"Harry? Is that you?" Arthur Weasley's voice.
"I ruddy well think so," that sounded like Mad-Eye Moody.
"Cheerful as always these days." Lupin sounded slightly amused. Inappropriately so, according to Harry. How could anybody sound cheerful?
"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks was now standing in front of him, smiling brightly. At her side appeared the faces of Mr Weasley, Moody and Lupin, all rather good-humoured. However, a first look at Harry made their faces fall. Lupin was the first to recover.
"Er, Harry. Hello."
"'Lo," grunted Harry. Then he turned and made to slump back into his room. "Go away."
Dudley had crept forward and regarded the scene in awe. He was utterly ignored by the others. Now Arthur Weasley spoke, sounding embarrassed.
"Well, Harry … we realise you might not enjoy company just yet but unfortunately there's business to attend to. The minister wants to see you tomorrow so we thought it best to bring you to …" his voice trailed off as Harry slammed the door shut.
Now it was Lupin's turn to try, and after him Tonks spend some time arguing with a silent door. Finally she looked at the others in puzzlement, shrugged and turned expectantly to Moody. Obviously, he had not come for idle chatting. The door swung open with a flick of his wand. Without paying attention to a squeaking Dudley he stepped into the room, summoned Harry's broom with a lazy gesture and pushed it towards him.
"We. Are. Leaving. Now!" he bellowed. Then he extracted a letter from one of his extensive pockets, pushed it into Dudley's lap and turned to leave. As though mesmerised, Harry followed. When they crossed the hall Harry saw that the others had also brought their brooms and had left them downstairs. Moody stopped shortly to cast a dissendium charm on Harry. Without a further word they left through the back door, mounted their brooms and soared off towards Grimmauld Place.
o
It was happening slowly and at first nobody seemed to pay attention. The Daily Prophet was not writing about it, and why should it? But those few who paid attention to the Muggles' news eventually began to notice. Nothing to cause the casual reader to think twice; no big headlines, only a few small commentaries on the last page: children's pets, cats and dogs, were disappearing all over the country …
