A quick reminder! I don't own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does! duh
Harry marched down the stairs that morning, Ron's letter in hand, determined to show Uncle Vernon that he would be leaving soon. Not that that would pose a problem in Vernon or Petunia Dursley's minds. They both considered it a treat when Harry left them early in the summer.
He walked into the kitchen to find Uncle Vernon with his purple face hidden behind the morning newspaper, a plate of eggs and kippers in front of him. He grimaced as Harry sat down at the table and pulled a plate of bacon towards him. Uncle Vernon put the newspaper down, glaring again at Harry before turning to Aunt Petunia.
"Where's Dudley?" He asked.
"I told you last night, he was staying at Piers Polkiss' for the night and their going on that camping trip today with Pier's father." Aunt Petunia replied tersely.
Camping trip, right, Harry thought sarcastically to himself, still waiting for a good opening to tell Uncle Vernon about Ron's letter. He seized his chance before Uncle Vernon could return to his newspaper.
"I got a letter last night from my friend Ron Weasley." Uncle Vernon's piggy little eyes appeared over the top edge of the newspaper. "He wants to know if I can go and stay with them for the rest of the summer." Uncle Vernon's eyes contracted menacingly and Harry knew that he was putting two and two together. The last time Uncle Vernon had met the Weasleys, Mr. Weasley had blown up his fire place and George had given Dudley a magically enhanced toffee, causing his tongue to swell to the size of a small dog.
"Weasley?" He said questioningly, but Harry still detected the threatening undertone.
"Yeah." He said cautiously.
"When?" Uncle Vernon said, and Harry could hardly believe that he could possible be able to leave without a fight.
"Tomorrow at 3:00." Uncle Vernon's face tightened at this.
"And how will they be coming this time?"
"By car." Harry said quickly before his uncle could start yelling about the fireplace. "Ron said it in his letter, they're coming by car this time." He added at the still disbelieving look on his uncle's face.
"Very well." Uncle Vernon said. "So long as they know that they have to keep you for the rest of the summer, they can't bring you back before your holiday is over."
"No problem." Harry replied bitterly, getting up from the table and leaving the kitchen.
He climbed the stairs two at a time, intending to send a return letter to Ron to tell him he could go. When he reached his room there was a tawny owl on his bed, a copy of the Daily Prophet lay on his bed at its feet. Harry rummaged in his money bag and paid the owl, which took flight through his open window. He glanced at the front page reading the headline "Famed Ex-Auror, Attica Arias, Returns to Great Britain" . Harry tossed the paper on his desk while grabbing some parchment for his letter to Ron.
He quickly scribbled his note which was nothing more than
Sounds great, see you tomorrow at 3:00.
He poked Hedwig awake.
"Take this to Ron at Grimmauld Place, you can hang around there, I'll see you tomorrow." She hooted and nipped his finger affectionately before soaring out the window into the azure morning sky.
Harry was left quite alone in his bedroom. Below him he could hear Aunt Petunia shuffling around the kitchen, no doubt tucking dishes away in the dish washer, and Harry wondered how they could be so oblivious, all the Muggles for that matter. There was a war going on all around them, and none had a clue about it and he Harry, was at the very center of it. He sighed, turning to look at the Daily Prophet he had tossed unceremoniously on his desk.
Below the headline of "Famed Ex-Auror…" There was a picture of Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic, who looked as if he were giving a speech. That's different, Harry thought. Normally when the front page story was about a person they displayed a picture of that particular person, not the Minister of Magic. He frowned and began to read the article.
Yesterday in a surprise move by the Minister of Magic, Famed Ex-Auror, Attica Arias, was re-commissioned as an Auror here in Great Britain.
Arias, who retired thirteen years ago and has recently been living in the United States, returned to London yesterday on the Minister's request. Arias along with Alastor Moody, is responsible for some of the greatest Auror work ever seen by the Ministry of Magic and its numerous officials.
Arias retired after being accused of relations with Sirius Black, the madman responsible for the murder of thirteen people. She denied all accusations and resigned her position as Auror. "I would rather not be party to an institution that accuses its loyal own of such travesties." Arias resigned where she then moved to the States and has lived in quiet retirement ever since.
Arias' re-commission as an Auror wasn't the only surprise the Ministry gave the Wizarding Community yesterday. Attica Arias has also been posted as new professor at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry, which was the subject of quite a few raised eyebrows. Needless to say there will be many watching this returned Auror and new professor closely over the next few months.
Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent.
Wow, Harry thought, that was the least scathing article he had ever read by Rita Skeeter. She must be keeping her promise to Hermione, he smiled at that. He reread the article again and thought this woman, Attica Arias must be their new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor.
"accused of relations with Sirius Black…"
"Wonder what that's supposed to mean." Harry mumbled to himself.
Harry spent the rest of the day in his room, only bothering to go downstairs for food. By the time the sun had fallen, he'd managed to pack his trunk and check his room twice for overlooked school books and quills.
He fell asleep with the book, "Flying With the Cannons", open on his chest. It wasn't long before he was tossing and turning, plagued by another dream of Sirius.
He was in the stone chamber, veiled arch was in the center, Sirius was dueling with Bellatrix, they were slowly moving towards the stone dias. Harry wanted to scream, to run over and help Sirius, warn him that the arch was dangerous, that it would kill him. But Harry couldn't move, he could speak.
Sirius fell through the archway then and Harry screamed as the scene played over and over again in his mind. Sirius died again, again, again, and again. Harry screamed, his scar was fit to burst then all of a sudden he hit the floor. He lay there, next to his bed, in his room away from the arch and the veil, away from Sirius.
He tried to slow his breathing as the pain in his scar slowly subsided. That had been the worst nightmare he'd had of Sirius. He grabbed the picture off his bedside table of the original Order. Sirius stared up at him beaming, standing next Lily and James. They were together again, Sirius and James, best friends, Harry thought.
Harry put his hand on the floor to get up, as he did so his hand fell on a piece of parchment that was laying half under his bed. He picked it up, it was addressed to him, Harry vaguely recalled Hedwig having delivered four letters the previous night. He must have forgotten about this one, he had been too excited about seeing Ron and Hermione. He opened the parchment, there was a muddy paw print on it. Harry gasped, it couldn't be! It was possible, he was dead, Sirius was dead.
There was a tiny flicker of hope in Harry's chest that he hadn't felt since Sirius was alive.