The next day Harry woke to the savory smell of bacon, which clouded the
dream he had been having. It was about new, shiny shoes, and they had
repeatedly kicked him all over until he couldn't move any more.
He got up and stretched, feeling his back cracking into place. He turned around to see if Hermione was awake yet, but her bed was vacant, and neatly made. He dressed, the smell of breakfast growing stronger. Harry yawned, and wondered how long he had slept. He went downstairs without bothering to make his bed or pick up his night clothes.
"Good morning, Harry," Hermione greeted him, as he ambled into the kitchen, his hair more unruly than ever.
"Sleep well?" Lupin asked, brandishing a plate full of food in front of Harry.
"Yes," Harry said, taking the plate and pulling out the chair next to Hermione. "Where's Sirius?"
"He's still asleep," Lupin said brightly. "And rightly so... I don't think that man has had a proper night's sleep for a long time."
Harry saw that Hermione was studying that morning's Daily Prophet as if there would be a quiz on it later, while feeling around her plate for a piece of bacon. She didn't seem to realize that her sleeve was dipping into her eggs.
"Anything new?" Harry asked. Hermione frowned.
"Not much other than a story about the people who are going to protect you. It is a bit odd, though... well look."
Hermione slid the newspaper over to Harry. It was unusually colorful. He saw immediately why this was. The front page had only the one story, and the rest was covered with advertisements. It wouldn't have been so bad if the advertisements weren't for very expensive things, like new broomsticks imported from America, or golden cauldrons... and then Harry spotted a large ad for some beautiful shoes, the same ones Fudge had been wearing the day before.
"It might be nothing, Harry," Hermione suggested meekly. He sighed, and pushed the paper away. "Maybe Voldemort is putting money back into the economy to scare you?"
"Not likely," he said, taking a drink of milk.
"Don't worry about it," Lupin said. Harry had almost forgotten he was there. "You're safe here, and can stay as long as need be."
That day passed quickly. Harry and Hermione tried to keep themselves busy with a very very old chess set, but it was difficult to direct the pieces because they either had complaints of pain in the hips, or fell asleep and needed to be prodded awake in order to move. One of Harry's bishops refused to move at all, which proved to be a great disadvantage.
Sirius woke in the afternoon, and left with Lupin in the early evening. Lupin needed more food to last a couple weeks, and Sirius said he wanted to chat with him, so Harry and Hermione were left alone. After losing to Hermione for the fifth time (and after cursing his stubborn bishop), Harry suggested they go to the basement to see if there was anything interesting down there. Hermione shrugged, and agreed to go with him.
"I wonder if he's got any odd creatures down here?" Harry said. "Remember his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes?"
"Of course I do," Hermione replied, stepping carefully down the staircase after him. "But it's not like he'd actually keep those things in his basement. Most of those I'd keep as far away from my house as I... what's wrong?" Hermione stopped two steps above Harry. He was at the bottom, staring into the musty basement. Hermione saw what he had stopped for. It was a cage, a tall one, right in the middle of the room. It looked like something out of medieval times; thick and made of iron. It was empty, and Harry noticed it had a peculiar locking mechanism. It could be unlocked and locked from the inside if the person in the cage had small enough arms to fit through two holes in the iron.
Harry looked at the wall next to him and there was a calendar that magically projected holograms of the moon's phases in front of each day. Tonight was a full moon.
Hermione pulled Harry back up the stairs, as if they'd seen something they weren't supposed to.
"Ouch!" Harry said, stumbling up the last step and into the hall. "What? It's not like he forbade us to go down."
She didn't say anything, just shut the door and started to walk away. Harry did feel odd seeing that cage. He kept forgetting what Lupin really was.
They had seen it, though, and it was awkward when Sirius and Lupin arrived home at sundown, laughing as they entered the front door, like old friends.
"Evening!" Lupin greeted them with a smile. Harry observed the very tired and weary eyes. Sirius unloaded the paper bags and began pouring them all drinks. When he served them, Harry noticed that Lupin's was smoking a bit, while everyone else's was smoke free. It must have been the potion to help with the transformations. Harry wondered how Lupin was getting it, unless Professor Snape lived nearby.
Sirius shuffled them to bed, and they weren't nearly as tired as the night before. Harry and Hermione each took long showers, and then stretched out onto their beds with awake eyes.
"You asleep yet?" Hermione whispered.
"No," Harry answered.
"Me neither."
Harry smiled at this obvious proclamation.
"Did you... remember about Lupin?" Hermione asked.
"No."
"Me neither... I felt awful."
Harry swallowed dryly, realizing that Hermione had felt just as he did.
"I mean," she continued, "I forgot all summer and all of last year. It's not fair... he never has a chance to forget." She paused for a long time. "And that cage..."
Harry didn't say anything. The room grew slightly brighter as the moon emerged from behind a cloud. They lay in silence, alone with their own individual thoughts which were surprisingly very different.
They heard a growl and the sound of iron clanging against iron. It was very dull, but they heard it anyway, and then it was quiet again.
Hermione sniffed, and Harry realized she was crying. He lifted an arm, and hesitantly placed it on her shoulder. To his great surprise, she sat up and pulled him up with her, and embraced him tightly.
"It's not fair," she whispered. "I don't want you to die!"
Harry's eyes widened, realizing she was extremely stressed. It was worse than end of year exams third year.
"I'm sorry," she said, pushing away, and then wiping her tears from her cheeks. "I don't know why I started thinking about the Visit all of a sudden... I'm just so sad about Lupin, and what if someone followed us?"
Harry tried to make a connection to those two different thoughts, but it didn't happen. She must have noticed his odd expression.
"I don't know, I'm so confused!" Hermione lay back down and sniffed. "Just promise me you'll be safe!"
"Of course," Harry said. "I don't want to die either." He lay down also, this time a little closer to Hermione's bed so she might feel better.
"I'm sorry," she repeated.
"It's okay," he assured her, reaching over to her bed and taking her hand in his. He stayed that way until sleep had taken them both.
Little did they know, a scuffle had started just outside the house. The night was cool for summer, and the full moon illuminated the woods surrounding Lupin's home. It also shone on the two tall figures, who met between the two tallest trees in the yard and argued before pulling out wands. Purple and orange lights began shooting through the night air, and it wasn't until one of them collided with the window above Harry's head did he wake.
"What's that?" Hermione said, frightened.
Harry didn't say anything, just jumped out of bed, and sprinted to the stairs. He met Sirius at the base of them.
"Come on," Sirius said, and opened the front door.
"No! Harry don't go out!" Hermione fretted from the top of the staircase.
"It's okay, He'll be with me." Sirius beckoned to Harry to follow him, so he did.
They ran out, and turned the corner to the side yard. Two wizards were on the ground, attempting to force a wand out of the other's hand. They were rolling over each other, and yelling loud enough for any muggle neighbor to hear.
Sirius and Harry blasted them apart and each snatched a wand. Harry's eyebrows rose, and looked down at the wand he had just obtained.
It was so familiar, but it couldn't be...
"Harry!" One of the figures stood up, and Harry could see by the light of the moon, it was Ron.
"What's this?" Sirius said, and headed over to the other wizard.
"Don't touch me!"
Harry couldn't believe his eyes; it was Draco Malfoy.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked him in an accusatory voice. Malfoy raised his hands up, and Harry realized it was because he was brandishing his wand at him.
"Ask him," Malfoy drawled, looking at Ron.
"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked.
Malfoy looked at Harry with an odd expression that Harry realized must have been the way he looked when he talked to everyone else but him.
With no sarcasm in his voice, he said slowly, "Why do you think he would be sneaking around if he wasn't here to kill you?"
He got up and stretched, feeling his back cracking into place. He turned around to see if Hermione was awake yet, but her bed was vacant, and neatly made. He dressed, the smell of breakfast growing stronger. Harry yawned, and wondered how long he had slept. He went downstairs without bothering to make his bed or pick up his night clothes.
"Good morning, Harry," Hermione greeted him, as he ambled into the kitchen, his hair more unruly than ever.
"Sleep well?" Lupin asked, brandishing a plate full of food in front of Harry.
"Yes," Harry said, taking the plate and pulling out the chair next to Hermione. "Where's Sirius?"
"He's still asleep," Lupin said brightly. "And rightly so... I don't think that man has had a proper night's sleep for a long time."
Harry saw that Hermione was studying that morning's Daily Prophet as if there would be a quiz on it later, while feeling around her plate for a piece of bacon. She didn't seem to realize that her sleeve was dipping into her eggs.
"Anything new?" Harry asked. Hermione frowned.
"Not much other than a story about the people who are going to protect you. It is a bit odd, though... well look."
Hermione slid the newspaper over to Harry. It was unusually colorful. He saw immediately why this was. The front page had only the one story, and the rest was covered with advertisements. It wouldn't have been so bad if the advertisements weren't for very expensive things, like new broomsticks imported from America, or golden cauldrons... and then Harry spotted a large ad for some beautiful shoes, the same ones Fudge had been wearing the day before.
"It might be nothing, Harry," Hermione suggested meekly. He sighed, and pushed the paper away. "Maybe Voldemort is putting money back into the economy to scare you?"
"Not likely," he said, taking a drink of milk.
"Don't worry about it," Lupin said. Harry had almost forgotten he was there. "You're safe here, and can stay as long as need be."
That day passed quickly. Harry and Hermione tried to keep themselves busy with a very very old chess set, but it was difficult to direct the pieces because they either had complaints of pain in the hips, or fell asleep and needed to be prodded awake in order to move. One of Harry's bishops refused to move at all, which proved to be a great disadvantage.
Sirius woke in the afternoon, and left with Lupin in the early evening. Lupin needed more food to last a couple weeks, and Sirius said he wanted to chat with him, so Harry and Hermione were left alone. After losing to Hermione for the fifth time (and after cursing his stubborn bishop), Harry suggested they go to the basement to see if there was anything interesting down there. Hermione shrugged, and agreed to go with him.
"I wonder if he's got any odd creatures down here?" Harry said. "Remember his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes?"
"Of course I do," Hermione replied, stepping carefully down the staircase after him. "But it's not like he'd actually keep those things in his basement. Most of those I'd keep as far away from my house as I... what's wrong?" Hermione stopped two steps above Harry. He was at the bottom, staring into the musty basement. Hermione saw what he had stopped for. It was a cage, a tall one, right in the middle of the room. It looked like something out of medieval times; thick and made of iron. It was empty, and Harry noticed it had a peculiar locking mechanism. It could be unlocked and locked from the inside if the person in the cage had small enough arms to fit through two holes in the iron.
Harry looked at the wall next to him and there was a calendar that magically projected holograms of the moon's phases in front of each day. Tonight was a full moon.
Hermione pulled Harry back up the stairs, as if they'd seen something they weren't supposed to.
"Ouch!" Harry said, stumbling up the last step and into the hall. "What? It's not like he forbade us to go down."
She didn't say anything, just shut the door and started to walk away. Harry did feel odd seeing that cage. He kept forgetting what Lupin really was.
They had seen it, though, and it was awkward when Sirius and Lupin arrived home at sundown, laughing as they entered the front door, like old friends.
"Evening!" Lupin greeted them with a smile. Harry observed the very tired and weary eyes. Sirius unloaded the paper bags and began pouring them all drinks. When he served them, Harry noticed that Lupin's was smoking a bit, while everyone else's was smoke free. It must have been the potion to help with the transformations. Harry wondered how Lupin was getting it, unless Professor Snape lived nearby.
Sirius shuffled them to bed, and they weren't nearly as tired as the night before. Harry and Hermione each took long showers, and then stretched out onto their beds with awake eyes.
"You asleep yet?" Hermione whispered.
"No," Harry answered.
"Me neither."
Harry smiled at this obvious proclamation.
"Did you... remember about Lupin?" Hermione asked.
"No."
"Me neither... I felt awful."
Harry swallowed dryly, realizing that Hermione had felt just as he did.
"I mean," she continued, "I forgot all summer and all of last year. It's not fair... he never has a chance to forget." She paused for a long time. "And that cage..."
Harry didn't say anything. The room grew slightly brighter as the moon emerged from behind a cloud. They lay in silence, alone with their own individual thoughts which were surprisingly very different.
They heard a growl and the sound of iron clanging against iron. It was very dull, but they heard it anyway, and then it was quiet again.
Hermione sniffed, and Harry realized she was crying. He lifted an arm, and hesitantly placed it on her shoulder. To his great surprise, she sat up and pulled him up with her, and embraced him tightly.
"It's not fair," she whispered. "I don't want you to die!"
Harry's eyes widened, realizing she was extremely stressed. It was worse than end of year exams third year.
"I'm sorry," she said, pushing away, and then wiping her tears from her cheeks. "I don't know why I started thinking about the Visit all of a sudden... I'm just so sad about Lupin, and what if someone followed us?"
Harry tried to make a connection to those two different thoughts, but it didn't happen. She must have noticed his odd expression.
"I don't know, I'm so confused!" Hermione lay back down and sniffed. "Just promise me you'll be safe!"
"Of course," Harry said. "I don't want to die either." He lay down also, this time a little closer to Hermione's bed so she might feel better.
"I'm sorry," she repeated.
"It's okay," he assured her, reaching over to her bed and taking her hand in his. He stayed that way until sleep had taken them both.
Little did they know, a scuffle had started just outside the house. The night was cool for summer, and the full moon illuminated the woods surrounding Lupin's home. It also shone on the two tall figures, who met between the two tallest trees in the yard and argued before pulling out wands. Purple and orange lights began shooting through the night air, and it wasn't until one of them collided with the window above Harry's head did he wake.
"What's that?" Hermione said, frightened.
Harry didn't say anything, just jumped out of bed, and sprinted to the stairs. He met Sirius at the base of them.
"Come on," Sirius said, and opened the front door.
"No! Harry don't go out!" Hermione fretted from the top of the staircase.
"It's okay, He'll be with me." Sirius beckoned to Harry to follow him, so he did.
They ran out, and turned the corner to the side yard. Two wizards were on the ground, attempting to force a wand out of the other's hand. They were rolling over each other, and yelling loud enough for any muggle neighbor to hear.
Sirius and Harry blasted them apart and each snatched a wand. Harry's eyebrows rose, and looked down at the wand he had just obtained.
It was so familiar, but it couldn't be...
"Harry!" One of the figures stood up, and Harry could see by the light of the moon, it was Ron.
"What's this?" Sirius said, and headed over to the other wizard.
"Don't touch me!"
Harry couldn't believe his eyes; it was Draco Malfoy.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked him in an accusatory voice. Malfoy raised his hands up, and Harry realized it was because he was brandishing his wand at him.
"Ask him," Malfoy drawled, looking at Ron.
"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked.
Malfoy looked at Harry with an odd expression that Harry realized must have been the way he looked when he talked to everyone else but him.
With no sarcasm in his voice, he said slowly, "Why do you think he would be sneaking around if he wasn't here to kill you?"