The Power of Cheese
Harry couldn't believe his eyes. He was walking through the Dursley house to gain perspective. Perspective of what he had never cared to look at during all the years he had been stuck there. The tour was somewhat refreshing, seeing as he no longer was there because people told him to. On his own terms, this house was, at the least, paranoid and plain.
In the late afternoon, the doorbell rang. Uncle Vernon was angry about leaving his very comfortable chair. Two sisters stood outside, a girl about Harry's own age but a slightly shorter and a five year old child holding a box of what looked to him like chocolates.
"I'm selling chocolate bars." said the younger sister happily.
"It's for a fund raiser for her school." The older one added.
Mr. Dursley looked around suspiciously and then invited them into the living room.
"I can't say I've seen anyone else selling these." He said eyeing the brand boxes.
The young one giggled, "This is new and I think I'm the only one in my class here."
"My name is Jennifer and this is Renee. I apologize for late introductions but my sister needs better people skills."
Still looking at the chocolate Vernon gave a irritated nod and thus asked how much it was and bought some.
Harry looked at the two. He had never seen them in this neighborhood before and he was sure no one had moved. So this curiousness to how they came to be here was overwhelming. After the exchange of goods, Harry went over to the siblings.
"Who did you say you were again?" He asked.
"I'm Jennifer and this is my little sister, Renee. Who are you?" Jennifer asked looking at him skeptically.
"I'm James." He said, not willing to give his own name so he went with his father's.
"You could have fooled me." She remarked. "I wou—"
"James? Silly, silly." Renee giggled, shook her head, and spoke in song. "You're Harry Potter. The Chosen One! The Chosen One!"
Jennifer sighed, she really felt bad for him. Her sister is crazy about Harry and she could spot him a mile away. "Renee, count the chocolate bars you have left, I have to talk to . . . James."
"Harry, Harry Potter." Her sister sang until Jennifer simply decided it was best to silence her in a more convenient manner.
Jennifer looked at Harry warily. "Sorry to rain on your parade. But I have a message for you anyway so . . . is there someplace not muggle infested that we could talk."
Harry spotted her wand in one of her baggy coat pockets and agreed; as they got into his room Jennifer let her hair down from the bun it was formerly in.
"We'll leave my sister downstairs for security reasons, until we're done." She said calmly and he answered her with a nod."Okay then, I should probably tell you up front that this has to do with the Order and I didn't get the news of recent events until three days after it happened. I am Jennifer Anomy and my membership began only a few months before Dumbledore–" she stopped abruptly, but he didn't need her to finish the sentence. He knew what she was about to say.
"Well anyway, umm . . . I am living down the street with a friend's distant relative so don't feel inclined to shut yourself up here and the Order of the Phoenix is very worried about you. Please, don't hide from us. We help."
Harry sighed and looked out his window. He remembered everything that happened so vividly, it was hard to look her in the eyes.
"First of all, I'm not hiding." He wanted to make that clear. "And second of all, sending owls are getting tough now with them being infiltrated. Hedwig doesn't need that right now. For now, I am just going to stay here and–"
"I'm didn't mean I wanted you to leave." She said, desperate to get her point across. "I just don't want you to turn out like my cousin Frey and fight your battles only to return to a cave in the middle of nowhere to live out the rest of you life as a lonely monk."
To that he just stared. A monk in a cave? He was just a wizard who had a lot on his mind! "All I'm doing now is staying alive and sorting things out. A lot of things have happened and I'm not going to get out of here without some sort of idea of what's been going on."
Jennifer took a deep breath and nodded. "Alright then, I shall leave you with a trinket that you will find useful." Through the mirrored image on his window, he saw her reach into her black trench coat and pull out a compact mirror; much like the one Aunt Petunia had, and reach out to give it to him. "Tell her 'Hello' for me, will you?"
He turned to her quizzically. "Tell who, what?"
"You'll see" She said smiling. "And she loves famous people, muggles and wizards alike so don't worry, you won't be the first person she talks that much to."
Still lost in translation, he looked at mirror skeptically and took it. It was solid black with tiny silver engraved words in it. Okay, this is definitely not muggle manufactured, he thought.
Ecce Potestas Casei – Behold the Power of Cheese
Cheese? What did cheese have to do with anything? Harry was struck dumb.
"Tut tut, it looks like rain." I sang happily. It's a quote from Winnie the Pooh so I got a few "you're crazy" looks from my neighbors, who just stepped outside to get a whiff of the morning fresh air, but, then, that's almost a routine by now. I was sitting outside in front of my house waiting for my owl to deliver the paper to me because I was bored and Rion was sleeping on my couch, so he's no fun. Why are my neighbors so uptight? I know life is hard and things are probably only going to get worse but come on! That gives all the more reason to take life with both hands and shape it into what you want.
And if people think you're a deranged freak in the process, so be it. With a sigh, I continued to sit there. My vengeful thoughts, on how my neighbor's houses would look if they were all a different color of the rainbow and how they would react to the sight, were at full speed.
"Desiree, what are you doing out there by yourself?" It was Rion; I swear sometimes I think he just pretends my friend so it's easier to ruin my life.
"I am waiting for the wonderful message of your departure, but I guess I spoke to soon." I said nonchalantly.
"What?" He said with a look of pure bewilderment. I figure, he's not quite awake yet.
"Nothing, I just really wish you'd let me wait for the holy Prophet in peace." I said determined to get him to just go away and get some breakfast.
"I'm not letting you sit here alone. Des, it's really dangerous." Rion yawned with concern . . . if that's even possible.
"Oh, please! Do you honestly believe that Death Eaters will just come up the front of my house and curse me?" I questioned.
"No, it's just that I worry about you, Des. You're always doing crazy things like this and why other people don't stop you is beyond me, that's for sure. I just wonder sometimes, that if I'm not there to stop you, who will?"
I gave this a minute or two of thought and then answered, "A not good person- Oh, okay. I get it. I guess you're my worrier in disguise, then."
He nodded and sat down beside me with a thud. Even sitting down, I still literally looked up to him. "Why am I so short!" I complained.
"Because you make up the difference with panache; now be quite and wait for your bloody owl." He said with a smile.
"Panache?"
"It means spirit, Des." He said apathetically.