Just as Uncle Vernon was administering the blow to Harry's head, a
loud CRACK sounded. Harry knew that it was the sound of someone apparating
but he didn't see who it was because he felt a sudden pain on the side of
his head, and blacked out.
When he woke up, a pair of eyes on a slightly haggard face was looking at him. Harry tried to back away, thinking that it was Uncle Vernon trying to see if he was dead or not, but he suddenly recognized the kindly face. It was Remus Lupin, he saw as the face backed away and asked him if he was all right.
"I think so. The side of my head kind of hurts, but I think I'll be all right in a few minutes." Harry said, feeling the large lump on the side of his head. "How long did I black out for?"
"About ten minutes. I was starting to get a little afraid," replied Lupin. "We'll talk when we get to Grimmauld Place. Let's go before the hex I put on your uncle wears off. Where is your trunk?"
Harry shook his head, as if trying to shake off dizziness. "It's locked up downstairs, in the cupboard under the stairs. If you have your wand, the Alohomora charm should work to unlock the door." Lupin disappeared out the bedroom door, leaving Harry with an unconscious Uncle Vernon. Harry noticed that the hex on Uncle Vernon was the Blindus Orbis hex, which caused the affected person's eyes to be practically glued shut until the hex wore off.
"I'll have to remember that one," thought Harry, "It might come in handy against Malfoy or one of his goons back at Hogwarts."
Lupin finally returned with Harry's trunk levitating along behind him. As they started to collect up Harry's things and put them in his trunk, Harry had a sudden thought.
"Professor Lupin..."
Lupin gave him a reprimanding look. "Harry, I am no longer a professor at Hogwarts. You are practically family to me, so you may call me Remus, or better yet, Moony, as your father did."
"All right... Moony, why are you here? How did you know what was going on?"
"Moody sent an owl to you a few nights ago that had a letter saying that if you didn't reply back, he would send someone to get you from here. And besides, those letters you have been sending seemed awfully fake. Your Uncle was watching over your shoulder, wasn't he?" Harry nodded.
"We really should get going to headquarters. You remember how to use a portkey, don't you Harry?" Lupin asked, and waited for Harry to nod again. "All right, this will take us to Grimmauld Place. Ready, set, go!"
They grabbed the old shoe that Lupin had set on the bed, which had been turned into a portkey (the shoe, not the bed), and Harry felt the 'hook behind the navel' feeling. He stumbled, and when he regained his balance, he noticed that they were in the entrance hall of Sirius's old home, Grimmauld Place.
Everything looked as he had remembered, except that everything was finally clean. The curtains that covered the old portrait of Mrs. Black were fluttering slightly and a soft snoring was coming from within. A chandelier glittered above him, reflecting light into all corners of the room.
"Shhh, be quiet so you don't wake her," whispered Lupin, looking pointedly towards the curtain that covered the portrait of Mrs. Black. Harry nodded. "I have to go back to the Ministry, we're sorting out the events from Sirius's...umm I mean from this summer. You should head up to your room, yes, the one you had last summer, and take a rest. I think Hermione's here, but I'm not sure. Even if she is, your health is more important and you need to sleep and have some recovery time before you have fun and talk to your friends." Remus was babbling, and it was getting worse as he could see what Harry was thinking, about being in Sirius's hose and all. "Yes, so, I'll see you later. Alastor Moody is here, but he's just stalking around the house looking for 'evil forces. Mrs. Weasely is in the kitchen if you need her, I'll make sure that she knows you're here before I leave. I do hope you're all right, Harry" Lupin patted Harry on the shoulder and then turned towards the door and left.
Harry left Lupin, who swiftly apparated, went up the stairs, and collapsed into his bed, crying softly. Everything in the Black house reminded him of his dear godfather Sirius. Harry could feel the emotions building up inside him, and he decided that he HAD to do something about them. He would start by sleeping.
When he woke up, a pair of eyes on a slightly haggard face was looking at him. Harry tried to back away, thinking that it was Uncle Vernon trying to see if he was dead or not, but he suddenly recognized the kindly face. It was Remus Lupin, he saw as the face backed away and asked him if he was all right.
"I think so. The side of my head kind of hurts, but I think I'll be all right in a few minutes." Harry said, feeling the large lump on the side of his head. "How long did I black out for?"
"About ten minutes. I was starting to get a little afraid," replied Lupin. "We'll talk when we get to Grimmauld Place. Let's go before the hex I put on your uncle wears off. Where is your trunk?"
Harry shook his head, as if trying to shake off dizziness. "It's locked up downstairs, in the cupboard under the stairs. If you have your wand, the Alohomora charm should work to unlock the door." Lupin disappeared out the bedroom door, leaving Harry with an unconscious Uncle Vernon. Harry noticed that the hex on Uncle Vernon was the Blindus Orbis hex, which caused the affected person's eyes to be practically glued shut until the hex wore off.
"I'll have to remember that one," thought Harry, "It might come in handy against Malfoy or one of his goons back at Hogwarts."
Lupin finally returned with Harry's trunk levitating along behind him. As they started to collect up Harry's things and put them in his trunk, Harry had a sudden thought.
"Professor Lupin..."
Lupin gave him a reprimanding look. "Harry, I am no longer a professor at Hogwarts. You are practically family to me, so you may call me Remus, or better yet, Moony, as your father did."
"All right... Moony, why are you here? How did you know what was going on?"
"Moody sent an owl to you a few nights ago that had a letter saying that if you didn't reply back, he would send someone to get you from here. And besides, those letters you have been sending seemed awfully fake. Your Uncle was watching over your shoulder, wasn't he?" Harry nodded.
"We really should get going to headquarters. You remember how to use a portkey, don't you Harry?" Lupin asked, and waited for Harry to nod again. "All right, this will take us to Grimmauld Place. Ready, set, go!"
They grabbed the old shoe that Lupin had set on the bed, which had been turned into a portkey (the shoe, not the bed), and Harry felt the 'hook behind the navel' feeling. He stumbled, and when he regained his balance, he noticed that they were in the entrance hall of Sirius's old home, Grimmauld Place.
Everything looked as he had remembered, except that everything was finally clean. The curtains that covered the old portrait of Mrs. Black were fluttering slightly and a soft snoring was coming from within. A chandelier glittered above him, reflecting light into all corners of the room.
"Shhh, be quiet so you don't wake her," whispered Lupin, looking pointedly towards the curtain that covered the portrait of Mrs. Black. Harry nodded. "I have to go back to the Ministry, we're sorting out the events from Sirius's...umm I mean from this summer. You should head up to your room, yes, the one you had last summer, and take a rest. I think Hermione's here, but I'm not sure. Even if she is, your health is more important and you need to sleep and have some recovery time before you have fun and talk to your friends." Remus was babbling, and it was getting worse as he could see what Harry was thinking, about being in Sirius's hose and all. "Yes, so, I'll see you later. Alastor Moody is here, but he's just stalking around the house looking for 'evil forces. Mrs. Weasely is in the kitchen if you need her, I'll make sure that she knows you're here before I leave. I do hope you're all right, Harry" Lupin patted Harry on the shoulder and then turned towards the door and left.
Harry left Lupin, who swiftly apparated, went up the stairs, and collapsed into his bed, crying softly. Everything in the Black house reminded him of his dear godfather Sirius. Harry could feel the emotions building up inside him, and he decided that he HAD to do something about them. He would start by sleeping.