l The Ghosts We Can't See-Chapter Two l

By: Divineoblivion

l Chapter Two - To the Rescue l

Harry found himself lying on the same bushes of Hydrangea he had over watered last night. It was a fairly hot day, though the cool shade of the Hydrangea leaves were refreshing him a bit. He spent the hour on his back, lying down on the cool surface of the earth thinking about the new neighbors, yet he didn't even consider looking at their house. He didn't know whether it was the hat the girl was wearing or how the women had included the word

' Muggle ' into her scolding that roused him. Either way, it piqued his curiosity and the more he thought about it, the more he wanted to know: whether they were or whether they weren't ' magical. ' He thirst for that information, yet he couldn't quench it. Harry pummeled a fist into the soil. He was fed up, he knew he couldn't get that information unless he did something about it. He sat up almost instantly, but only to that find a girl was close to him. Very close.

Harry hurdled backwards against the rough pavement of the house, howling loudly as the small lumps pricked his back. The girl was surprised as he was, she too bounced backwards, taken aback by how Harry shot up unexpectedly.

" Sorry. " She apologized, stood up, and at the same time besprinkled any dirt particles that may have sprung onto her dark, pewter ensemble. Harry couldn't help to think that there was something strangely familiar about her mellow voice.

" Right. ." He scowled, attempting to rub his back. He avoided the girl's gaze, kind of angry because she showed up unannounced. He hadn't the slightest clue who she was even, and quite frankly, he really didn't care at the moment.

" Look, I really am sorry. " She apologized once more, sounding a bit desperate this time.

" It's all-- " Harry began, growing even more vexed then he was, but stopped once he took a look at the girl. His eyes squinted a bit and his anger continued.

" Who are you? " He asked testily.

" Er. . " She began, looking quite dumbfounded. " Diana Emerson. " She said uneasily, but Harry remained dead quiet, though, he was contributing a very nasty look at her, which was quite loud. Seeing as though Harry was still silent, Diana strived to keep the silence from continuing.

" Here, let me help you up. " She said as soon as she noticed that Harry was still on the floor.

" No it's fine! " He growled, getting up on his own when Diana offered her hand. He headed for the Dursley's front door, muttering things angrily to himself.

" Please don't be mad Harry, I said I was sorry. ." Diana called after. This of course caught Harry's attention. He didn't even ask how she knew his name. He didn't need too because this answered the questions he was pondering awhile back . Since only the people in the Wizarding World new his name, everything was beginning to make sense. . He looked back at her with both brows raised. Diana looked surprised.

" You're a witch aren't you? " He inquired, and rather loudly too. Diana's eyes grew large and began looking left to right, making sure no one was around.

" Shh! Keep it down will you. " She said, portraying a worried look. " Someone might hear you. "

" So you are a witch. " He sounded astonished. " You were the one with the hat right? " Harry took a step closer towards Diana.

" You saw that? " She asked sounding embarrassed and nodded. " . .yeah that was me." She said with a sheepish grin forming at the corners of her mouth. Harry placed a hand in his pocket, fiddling with a clot of lint that seemed to have formed in his jeans.

" So . . What are you doing here? " Harry inquired.

Diana cleared her throat. " Well I saw someone in these bushes here. " She said referring to the Hydrangea bush. " So I thought I would check in out you know? "

" Right . " Harry said, both hands now in his pockets, and his anger with Diana finally drawing to an end.

" You know, you should meet my family, besides we're the ones who'll be taking you along with use to the Order. " She smiled, latching onto Harry's arm. Harry almost considered this idea for a moment, before thinking about the consequences if Harry did go and meet Diana's family.

" They're not very fond ' our lot' " He said, pointing into the window which revealed all three of the Dursley's who were currently engrossed with the television.

" I really don't think this is a good ide-- " Before Harry knew it, Diana had smuggled him completely into her house. He took a peak around, surprised that it looked exactly what Muggles would live in. His attention was soon drawn to a figure who was sitting down on a nearby couch, while reading a book entitled ' Agriculture.' The figure looked up from behind the book.

" Oh, its only you Diana. " The women said, setting the book on her lap as she clapped her hands two times. Everything in the house sparked and with a blink of an eye, the walls, the furniture, everything had morphed into something Muggles wouldn't ever possess in their house. Harry saw Diana grin out of the corner of his eye as he examined everything, very wide eyed with curiosity brimming vibrantly in his gaze.

" It's just a spell. When something or someone walks in unexpectedly, everything changes Muggle like. " Diana informed Harry. He nodded, looking at a bewitched duster which was uncluttering a portrait of an old, though quite noble looking wizard. The women on the couch gave a small cough. He turned to her, taken aback for the spell had changed her attire. No longer was she wearing a cherry colored turtleneck, but was enveloped with robes of the finest wine red. She set the book down next to her, which was no longer entitled ' Agriculture 'but instead read

' Advanced Defense Against the Dark Arts 'Harry raised a brow before the woman began to speak.

" Oh Harry, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm sure everyone has been telling you this, but you look so much like you're father. " The women smiled. Harry couldn't help but notice that this women and Diana looked a like themselves, expect for a few unintended mistakes. Diana 's face was more youthful, while the woman's was thin and angular. The women had bluish-green eyes, Diana had gray eyes, which pained Harry to recall Sirius's eyes.

" Er thanks, you knew my father? " He hesitated for a moment.

" Oh, who didn't?" She laughed silently in amusement. " He was popular for many things, one of them was being a prankster. . " She grinned. Harry squirmed uneasily, trying not to remember a certain event that occurred in a certain Pensieve.

" Um, are you two sisters? " Harry inquired.

" Oh no! I'm far too ol- young." She corrected herself, Diana rolled her eyes amusingly and shook her head. " Er, I'm just her Aunt. Sophia Reynolds, please, make yourself at home. " She smiled, and shook Harry's hand, who he popped out politely, before returning to her book.

" She's quite the bookworm. " Diana said softly, making sure her Aunt didn't here.

" Always was, always will be. " Sophia said, still intent with the book, while Diana rolled her eyes again.

She was looking straight at him again, this time, neither jumped back in surprise.

" Well, since my parents aren't here.. " Diana began. " Hey Soph, where is my mum and dad? " It took awhile before Sophia answered.

" Oh.. um. Grimauld Place. Molly Weasley's probably just informing them with a few things that they need to know with the Order and a couple of more tasks.. They won't be back till tomorrow, but mind you, when they do arrive, you two better be ready. . " She said darkly from behind the book.

" I better go. " Harry said quickly, heading for the door. A rush of anger began to fill his lungs once again. He didn't need or want to be reminded that the Order was still using Sirius's house, especially when he was dead. ' Why are they still using his house!' He thought to himself, Sophia was now looking at Harry as if she had just cast an unforgivable curse on him.

" Oh dear. . " Sophia said, setting down her book. " Harry I'm sorry. " She said softly. " I didn't mean too. . "

Diana gave her Aunt a rather confused look, before running after Harry.

" I'm sorry if whatever my Aunt said offended you, but Harry! Hey Harry! " She called out from the door, but Harry had already ran inside Number 4 Privet Drive. He closed the door behind him, his heart was beating fast, yet in a rhythmic manner. He was now on the verge of tears, he didn't want to cry, he refused too, but all these emotions were running inside him all at once. He felt like he was going to burst, explode. .

" And where have you been.. " The familiar, poisonous voice of his Uncle's rang in his ear. Out of everything in the world, he just didn't want to hear his Uncle's voice at the moment. The Uncle he hated .. the Uncle who returned that hatred was standing next to his terrible wife and with his son, who was even worse then both of them put together. They were all looking at him with bitter and obvious looks of confusion.

" Outside. " Harry said. Quickly lowering his head so that the Dursley's wouldn't catch any sign of tears.

" Don't you dare lie to me! " He roared.

" I'm not lying! I was outside! " Harry yelled back and was now looking at all three of the Dursleys.

" I know you were gallivanting with that neighbor girl! " Uncle Dursley hissed.

" IF YOU KNEW WHERE I WAS, THEN WHY BOTHER ASKING! " Harry bellowed and stalked angrily upstairs.

" DON'T YOU TAKE THAT TONE WITH ME! COME BACK HERE BOY! "

Harry stopped in his tracks, hands shaking while he gripped onto the railings. Aunt Petunia grasped Dudley's shoulder, who happened to be smirking at Harry.

" You're damn lucky we--" Uncle Vernon began, shakily, but the chime of their doorbell had stopped him. Aunt Petunia headed for the door first, opening it slowly, and what seemed to be an enormous effort, she attempted to smile, though it was quite crooked at the side, startling the one at the door. It was Sophia.

Uncle Vernon gave Harry a threatening glance before taking a look at the visitor.

" Um. . " Sophia began nervously, her teal eyes fixated on Uncle Vernon's puce façade in horror. " Hello there Sir, I'm Sophia Capiello from down the street. " She said, quickly pointing at the house in front. " I, my sister and her husband had been sent to fetch Harry over there. "

Uncle Vernon gave a small snarl, turning to Harry and back to Sophia, looking disgustedly at her robes.

" You one of them? " Uncle Vernon growled.

" I beg your pardon? " Sophia asked sounding very offended.

" You know, one of his lot! " He barked, Aunt Petunia placing a hand on his shoulder and whispered, " Hush Vernon! "

" Well. . yes, yes I am! " Sophia said proudly.

" Then get out! " Roared Uncle Vernon, attempting to shut the door, but Sophia managed to thrust her foot in front of the door before it closed completely.

"Now wait just a minute. " She said, trying to stay calm. " I came here to get Harry and that's what I shall be doing! "

" No! I forbid him to go this year! So that no more of your lot come and bother us! " Uncle Vernon yelled, attempting to close the door again,. Aunt Petunia had crawled into a corner with Dudley. Sophia whipped out a burgundy wand from within her robes and was now pointing the tip at Uncle Vernon.

" Confundus! " She shrieked as a blue wisp of light shot out and hit Uncle Vernon directly between the eyes. Aunt Petunia and Dudley both gave pathetic cries as Uncle Vernon backed away, very wobbly and looking utterly confused.

Sophia hopped inside and closed the door behind her.

" Harry, fetch your things. You're leaving. " She directed, Harry nodded and did what he was told.

" He'll be okay in a couple of hours. It was only a spell to confuse him, no worries, he's not hurt. " She smiled reassuringly to Aunt Petunia, Dudley, and Uncle Vernon, who bumped hard into a wall and fell back with a loud thud.

" Never mind.. "

Harry packed his things hastily, snagged Hedwig's cage, which was now occupied by both Hedwig and Pigwidgeon and hurried towards the door, only to find Sophia.

" Ready? " She inquired. Harry nodded as Sophia shot out her wand again.

" Alright then. Here this might help. Locomotor Trunks! " She yelled out as the trunk followed both Harry and Sophia downstairs. " Toodles! " She waved good bye to the Dursley's and ran quickly out the door.

" Thanks.. " Harry muttered softly as he followed Sophia across the street.

" Not a problem. " She said, opening the door to the house as Harry, his belongings, and herself paced inside.