Chapter 5 – Discovery and remembrance

Disclaimer: I don't own it, neither do you, its all just JKR…

Previously…

As he devoured yet another mound of thickly buttered toast, he began to study his surroundings. He had a feeling he would remember this house very well.

As he chewed, his mind drifted back to the only memories he had of his parents. He chuckled softly, mirthlessly to himself. The only memories he had were flashes of green light and the voice of his dying mother. Possibly not the ones Professor Trelawney was thinking about when she gushed about "childhood memories" and their "effect on the motion of the fragile student psyche". Whatever that was supposed to mean. With a grin through the toast wedged firmly in his mouth, Harry decided that perhaps they were after all. Professor Trelawney seemed to have a decidedly unhealthy obsession with death, particularly his. She positively revelled in his impending demise, and the more painful and ridiculous it was, the more excited she became. Suddenly, a dull thud came from the ceiling above, followed by what sounded suspiciously like a curse from…

"RONALD!" came the piercing shriek, echoing through the house. " I will not have you using such foul language in this house. I can tell you this, young man; Charlie would have never used that kind of language, nor would Bill. I will not have you going down the same route as Fred and George…."

Harry could picture Mrs Weasley clearly in his mind; arms folded and legs akimbo, her temper as fiercely blazing as her shock of red hair. She was a force to be reckoned with, and it was no surprise that even Bill and Charlie, the eldest members of the family, were terrified of her fury! He wondered where Ron and Hermione had disappeared off to. 'Probably trying to get rid of me as soon as possible', he thought, with a sudden savage burst of fury. 'After all, that's what they've been doing all summer'. With a sigh of reluctant acceptance, he decided that he might as well get used to it.

Absentmindedly reaching out a hand for the next piece of toast, Harry was surprised to find that there was nothing left but a small pile of crumbs and a small puddle of butter on the once-heaving plate. "Impressive", he thought as he levered himself up from the stout wooden chair, feeling distinctly full. "I haven't eat that much all summer. Not surprising, really. What with the continuation of Dudley's diet combined with the reluctance of the Dursleys to give him anything more than a lettuce leaf, food hadn't really been in plentiful supply.

Now the dull ache of hunger in his stomach had been dissipated, Harry's attention fixed back onto his surroundings. The table he had been sitting at was fairly long and was made of a dark, stout wood. Dotted along the surface at random intervals were evidence of a long and well-loved use – the odd circular stain where someone had left a steaming mug too long, a splash mark of a hot stew, scratches from over eager diners. As Harry trailed his hands along the surface, he found that it was not as smooth as he had first thought. In fact, it was criss-crossed by ridges and valleys, lumps and bumps, all memories of a lifetime of use. Out of his imagination, he could suddenly picture the same faces that had waved out at him from the Mirror of Erised. People sitting around the table, debating, chatting, fighting, eating and living. And now it was all gone. Harry pulled out a chair at the other end of the table with a low rumble across the newly-polished tiles, and sank into it, staring down the long length of table to the open door. At the corner of the table, among the scratches, were engraved two, bold letters. S. B.

First his parents had died, and now the closest thing he had to a parent. His fingers traced the letters engraved in the table. Sirius Black.

As Harry began to sink back into the depressed musings that had characterised his long and lonely summer, he was brought back to the present by a shuffle of feet and a light tap on the door. He looked up quickly. Standing framed in the doorway, against the bright sunshine, was the person he least wanted to see.

Ok, I know that was a PATHETICALLY long gap, but I meant to post this ages ago and then forgot about it! Please accept my humble apologies : )

Let me know what you think,

x eyes of sky x