LINER NOTES
Hey y'all! Yes, I'm finally back, and yes, I kinda switched genres for awhile. I apologise to all my readers for my long absence (high school . . . ugh). I wanted to experiment with several new things, so here's the first chapter in my first Harry Potter story, which also happens to be my first chapter story and the first story I chose to self-beta (a lot of my favorite authors do it, so I said "what the heck? Let's see if I can do it too"). Let me know, please, if my Harry is a bit OOC. I don't think so, but he may be. Oh yes, and the phone conversation between Remus and Harry is based on many, many, many conversations between my best friend and myself back before she learned it's OK to not apologise for existing : ) The first 4 chapters will be plot-laying for the entire story, so stick with me, please! I promise it will get more interesting once I introduce all the characters I'm sticking in here.
A/U WARNING: This features a slightly different ending to Order of the Phoenix, although it won't show up until next chapter. Sirius is still dead (presumably; I haven't quite decided if he'll show back up to gum up the works), but instead of just saying "keep in touch" Remus makes an offer to Harry so he can get away from the Dursleys. It's not a massive change, and I'll show the full flashback in chapter 2, but you should be aware now.
DISCLAIMER: I'm wearing a bathrobe older than I am. It's comfortable, yes, but if I owned Harry Potter I'd be able to afford a NEW comfortable bathrobe and hair extensions, don't you think?
ARCHIVING: I'm going to be eternally optimistic and say that maybe somebody out there might want this. If you decide you do, please note that it's going to be pretty long and I'd ask you to post it all (maybe 20 chapters or so? It's going to span more than two years in Harry-world, and I'm laying actual plot before the kissing bits), so if you decide you want it, please make sure you're willing to post it all.
RATING: PG, eventual PG-13 and possibly R (depends on where I decide to go with this) for an eventual slash relationship (Remus and "?", but "?" is not Harry – I won't tell who it is!), potential mild language, and of course abuse of the Dursleys, I love that stuff ; )
I don't think I need anything else – except that this fic is dedicated to Eleonora1 and ImmortalFlick, and that the title is a nod to my best friend's favorite author. I'll stick you in here somewhere if you can tell me what Victor Hugo work was originally supposed to be called "What There is in a Bottle of Ink." Enjoy!
"BOY!"
Harry Potter sighed and pushed unruly black hair out of his eyes before getting up off his bed. Vernon Dursley in a bad mood wasn't something to deal with if it could be avoided, and so Harry went out into the hall and down the stairs of number four, Privet Drive with as much false eager-to-please attitude as he could. "Yes, Uncle Vernon?"
Uncle Vernon lowered his voice to a venomous hiss. "How many times must I tell you, boy? I do not want you giving out our telephone number! Especially to – to – people – like – like you!" He shoved the telephone receiver into Harry's chest.
"You have fifteen minutes, and not a moment more, do you understand me, boy?" Harry nodded before tentatively placing the receiver to his ear. "Hello?"
"Harry! I'm sorry, I didn't know calling would get you in trouble, I didn't mean to –" Harry rolled his eyes at the warm and welcome but extremely panicked voice on the other end of the telephone. "Remus, I only have fifteen minutes. Do you think maybe you could either speed up the apology or get it over with, please? Why are you calling?"
Remus blushed, although Harry, of course, couldn't see it. "Sorry. Anyway, Harry, I talked to Dumbledore last week, and Harry – Harry, I got the papers –"
Harry Potter was not known for shrieking wildly into the telephone in euphoria and disbelief, so when he did, the Dursleys all jumped in unison (the lights downstairs all shook a little, as did Dudley's floor) and Remus gasped in shock. "Harry? Harry, are you all righ–"
"Am I all right! Remus, are you joking? You actually got it?"
"Do you suppose your relatives would be terribly upset if I picked you up next week?"
"Upset? They'd be thrilled."
"Count on me on Saturday then – oh, that's only two days . . ."
"I'll be ready tomorrow if you want me to be."
Remus laughed. "Hardly. I still have things to pick up and a refrigerator to clean out – and Dumbledore'd pull out right now if he saw the state the living room's in – there's socks all over the place. I was trying to match them all up, but I couldn't find all the mates and so now the sofa looks like a clotheshorse. You don't even want to begin thinking about the dishes I've got – I haven't been home much except to eat, so that's all got to be done – no, Monday would be even better if you thought you could stay until then."
"BOY!"
Harry groaned. "I've got to go, Remus – the Inquisition's after me," he added wryly.
"I'll see you Monday, then, Harry. Try to behave yourself. Or . . . at least . . . don't get caught when you don't behave, or I'd have to punish you first off as soon as you got here and I wouldn't appreciate that."
"BOY!"
"Right. 'Bye, Remus."
"Goodbye, Harry. I'll see you on Monday." In a small flat in London, Remus Lupin grinned as though he'd just lost fifteen years off his age. It would be so good to have someone around again to laugh with.
"You're going where?"
"To London, Uncle Vernon. I'm living with a member of the Order, Remus Lupin – he's one of Sirius' friends . . ." Harry broke off. He really didn't want to think about that right now.
"And how are you getting to London, boy?"
"Err . . . " Harry hadn't thought about that. "Well . . . Remus is picking me up, but I don't know . . . actually . . . "
"If he blows up the fireplace, boy, you won't be going anywhere, do you understand me?" "Yes, Uncle Vernon." But inwardly Harry cheered – he was leaving Privet Drive for good this time.