It felt good to be outside. It was a warm morning with a gentle breeze. Not too many people had left the comfort of their house yet so he had the neighborhood to himself. He walked past Mrs. Figg's house. She was just letting one of her cats back in from a nights hunt. She smiled at him and called him over.
"Would you like to come in for tea Harry?
"Maybe later Mrs. Figg, I was just going for a walk." Harry replied.
He walked down to the park and sat down on a park bench over looking a reflecting pool. Leaning over his arms resting on his knees, he stared into the water.
"Something troubling you dear?" came a voice.
He looked around. There was no one near. The closest person was on the far end of the park walking there dog.
"Who said that?"
"Me dear, look down."
Harry looked back down to the water to see a figure of a young witch looking back at him.
"What in the world?"
"Well they don't call it a reflecting pool for nothing you know. I'm here to help sort out your thoughts. Kind of like a large pensive. We are a confidential service of the magical world to aid in the problems or troubles of Wizards and Witches when they are in need.
"Really" said Harry. "Wow, cool"
"How come I've never noticed this before?"
"Well you've never really came to the park to reflect before have you? You mostly come to get away from your cousin. My name is Eudora, now what can I do for you?"
Harry looked around to make sure no was there.
"Don't worry, I turn off when muggles are around dear."
Harry relaxed a little and continued.
"I'm just trying to make sense of my life. It's been a little crazy for the past 5 years and I'm trying to figure out why it's all happening to me."
"Well sometimes, things happen for a reason, sometimes it's fate, sometimes there is no reason." The young witch replied back.
"In your case, young Mister Potter, I believe it was fate. We have to learn to deal with fate on it's own turns. It can be a bad thing, or it can be a good thing depending on your outlook. If you remain determined and unwavering in your faith in yourself, life will be kind to you. If you wallow in self-pity and remorse for things you should or shouldn't have done, your life will be an onerous task."
Harry pondered these words.
"How do I know how to deal with things? I tend to leap before I look and I cause some serious danger to people around me because of it."
"You must trust and have faith in yourself Harry. But you must also heed the wisdom of other people around you who are more knowledgeable in life and experience."
"You sound like Dumbledore" Harry mumbled.
The witch cackled softly.
"Well, I'm afraid to say that Professor Dumbledore is my Uncle Harry. He must be channeling himself in me." She laughed.
Harry stiffened slightly. Was she going to report his chat with him?
"After seven years at Hogwarts under his tutelage, I sometimes just can't help myself. Don't worry; I'm not attached to his thoughts or anything. I've been trained in my field by the University of Witchcraft and Wizardry and am a certified Witch Doctor first class. I have taken a strict oath to uphold my client's secret thoughts. I give you my professional word on it."
Somehow, Harry felt she would keep her word. He wasn't too familiar with Wizarding doctors but felt that they must be similar to the muggle doctor's and their oaths of privacy and confidentiality.
"Umm, thanks for this little chat. I do feel a little better know. Do I owe you anything?" Harry asked.
"Not to worry, I'll bill your health care plan. You might not realize this, but it comes out directly from your bank account set up by your parents."
"Jeepers, there really is still a lot that I don't know about the Wizarding world isn't there? I didn't even know wizards had a health care plan." Harry laughed.
"It was nice chatting with you Harry", Eudora said. "I hope I've helped you."
"Yes, I believe you have. Thanks again Eudora."
Harry got up to leave. He felt somehow a little lighter. It was if the burden he was carrying had eased somewhat after his little chat with the reflecting pool witch.
Harry walked around for another hour. He thought about all of what Eudora had said. She had made a lot of sense he had to admit. Sometimes, he had to admit, that he acted on impulse when voices around him and inside him were urging caution. He thought of Sirius and his fate as well. He knew that there was nothing he could have done stop him from coming to rescue him at the ministry that sinister night. But he also knew that it could have been prevented had he been more questioning of the events that lead up to it. His judgment was skewed by his fear of something happening to his godfather and never stopped to think of weather he should second-guess his judgment. His connection with Voldemort should have made him question any thing that he had seen in any of his dreams, but he didn't. And Voldemort had tricked him.
When Harry finally came out of his thoughts, he looked around and found himself on the street outside Mrs. Figg's house. She was outside plucking weeds from her flowerbed.
"Oh Harry, your back. How was your walk dear?"
"Fine thanks."
"Would you like that tea now? I just had a batch of cookies come out of the oven."
"Yes I believe I would, thanks."
They walked into her house shooing the cats away from the door. There was a faint odor of cats, which was inevitable in Mrs. Figg's because she had so many of them. They went into the kitchen. She grabbed the teapot out of the cupboard and tea out of the canister. She filled up the kettle with water and sat it on the stove to heat.
"Lets go out on the patio while it heats up shall we?"
They headed out the patio doors to the cozy little area she had seat up for eating. The umbrella was extended to cover the area and provide a nice shady place. The mid day sun had made it a bit warm now and Harry appreciated the coolness the umbrella provided.
"So I presume you would like some answers from me Harry? I left you in such a hurry last summer at your aunt's doorstep and I knew you had plenty of questions you wanted answered."
Harry looked at her. Yes, he did have a million questions to ask her. The way she dropped him and Dudley off with no real explanation…
"Now that you mention it, there were one or two dozen questions I had wanted to ask." He looked sheepishly at her.
She chuckled.
"Fire away Harry, I'll try to answer all I can."
"How long have you know Professor Dumbledore?"
"Why couldn't you have told me that you were a squib when you were babysitting me? I mean, I'd been at Hogwarts for 4 years; I could have handled knowing at that point. Do you have any family left in the Wizarding community? Do you have any children? Are they wizards?" Harry paused to take a breath
Mrs. Figg's jumped in before he could start again.
"I have know Albus for 50 years. We have been friends ever since my children attended Hogwarts. Yes, my children. They have since passed on. Or rather killed by Voldemort. They worked at the Ministry of Magic and were killed before you were born. I had twin sons, Robert and Nicolas. My husband passed away about 16 years ago. I have no other living relatives."
"Have you always lived in Little Whinging?
"No, I moved here about 15 years ago when you were about 1 year old. Albus asked me to move here to keep an eye out for you."
"Why the cat-lady act? You've carried it to an extreme haven't you?
"Why, I don't you what you mean Harry." Mrs. Figg's eyes were twinkling.
"Actually, they were Albus's idea. He felt it a perfect cover for the unsuspecting and an equally nosey neighborhood such as this. I guess I just took it a little far."
Harry had exhausted his questions for the time being. Now it was Mrs. Figg's turn.
"Harry, if you don't mind me asking, are you feeling ok? You look far too thin. Has Petunia been feeding you? Your clothes, or more exactly, Dudley's clothes, are hanging on you a little more than usual. And I don't like the look of you. You're too pale."
"I haven't felt like eating much lately. Aunt Petunia asks me down to meals but all I take is a sandwich and a glass of milk. That is until last night."
Harry went on to explain all about Dobby and what he had done for him since last night.
Mrs. Figg gave a pleased hrmmph.
"Well it's about bloody time someone is looking after you giving you extra special care. You've had about enough to be getting on with, without the tragedies of the last two years to deal with."
"Tell me Harry, have you mourned yet?"
Author's Notes – You will see a progressively improved writing style throughout my fic. I have been sitting on this fic for a while and while my original intention was to go back and rewrite my earlier chapters, I found it difficult to do. At some point in the future, I may do so, but until then, please bear with me.
Although my story follows the Order of the Phoenix and I try to stick as close to canon as possible, my mind occasionally wanders to other ideas so keep that in mind.
Coke Freak, dark-wicked-witch and nandhp – Thanks for your reviews. It props up my confidence to see people enjoying my work.
FuNnY cIdE - According to CoS, " house elves have got powerful magic of their own, but they can't usually use it without their master's permission." Dobby has no master. He is an employee of Hogwarts who is on leave. So I believe he has the freedom to use his powerful magic as he wishes at this time.
FuNnY cIdE - Stress is a powerful thing in ones life. It can do strange things to a body and mind. Some people gain weight, some people lose weight. This weight gain/loss can be spread out over a long length of time, or it can be over a short period of time.
Aliedcam – The Dursley's are the Dursley's. I believe that there may have been a howler sent by Dumbledore to make a stronger point for the Dursely's to reinforce the warning they received at the train station. There will be more of them acting like Dursley's in the future though.
Sass – Thank you for your critique of my grammer. I shall endevour to pay closer attention to it in the future. At the present time, I do not have a beta. So far, I have no grand illusions of becoming a writer. This is, at the current time, an enjoyable hobby. I don't plan on giving up my day job (lol).
Thanks to ALL my reviewers so far and all the viewers who have added me to their favourite authors or stories list