Disclaimer: I still don't own the characters, but I do own the plot
A/N: I'm still working on re-writing the story, so bear with me. If you have any suggestions just stick them in a review. I love reviews, people, so keep them coming!!
To Live and To Love Chapter 3
Eventually Harry fell into a troubled sleep, but his dreams were filled with visions of Sirius. Things that Harry saw in his head included the "Wanted" poster where he had first seen Sirius, the shredded curtains on the bed in Gryffindor tower, and the picture he had of the four young Mauraders, with Sirius surrounded by his friends. The most vivid scene, playing over and over in the poor boy's mind, was Sirius's fall behind the veil in the Department of Mysteries.
"No...Sirius...watch out...Bellatrix is right there...NOOOO!!"
Harry's own screams woke him up. He sat straight up, drenched in an icy sweat, and looked around. Somehow over the course of a year he had forgotten what this bedroom-away-from-home looked like. The white walls, now covered with posters from last Christmas, started coming back into familiarity. Even the solitary window felt comfortable. Wait a minute, thought Harry, why is there sunlight coming in through the window? It was last evening when I went to bed and in the mornings the sun doesn't shine in this window.
It seemed that there was sunlight drifting through the curtains, but that didn't make any sense. Harry looked at the calendar that was on the wall. The quidditch players from the Chudley Cannons (this month's feature, next month's team was still hidden) were swerving around a giant 30. JULY 30?!?! That meant that his sixteenth birthday was tomorrow. Harry couldn't believe it. His mind actually let Sirius for a moment and he was bewildered at the fact that he was about to reach a major milestone in his life. Still in awe, Harry headed downstairs to see where everyone else was, but he had a feeling that they were in the kitchen, where they always were.
Sure enough, the kitchen was bustling. Mrs. Weasley was at the stove, cooking what smelled like grilled cheese sandwiches. Fred and George Weasely were bewitching plates, silverware, and glasses to fly across the room and land on the dining room table in their proper places. Three people were already seated at the table. However, Mr. Weasely, Ron and Hermione seemed to be engrossed in their conversation. Finally Fred (or was it George?) yelled, "Oy! Harry's up, everyone! Are 'ya feeling better, mate?"
Suddenly everyone, except for the two at the table, wanted to know how he was doing. Ron and Hermione seemed to not even notice that he was there. It was all for the better, though, as he had enough greeting to do as it was. Harry felt that he must have greeted the Weasely twins at least seventeen times before it all quieted down, and had his hair ruffled by Mrs. Weasely at least twice. He sat down at the table after Mrs. Weasely and the twins got back to preparing the meal and looked around at the other people and the table. Mr. Weasely was ecstatic to see him, but "had to get back for some important business at the Ministry." Hermione got up to help Mrs. Weasely and said that she and Harry would talk later, and that left Harry and Ron.
"How are you doing, mate? Are you feeling better now? You slept for over 16 hours!" asked Ron, with that perpetual grin on his face.
"I'm OK, I guess. I do feel better now, and with my birthday being tomorrow I have something else to think about besides Sirius. How have you been doing?"
"Eh, everything has been pretty quiet around here. Dad's been working all the time, Mum's been cleaning around here all the time, and there was nothing fun to do until you showed up. But you were kind of depressed and Mum said to leave you alone until you were more rested. So I had to help clean AGAIN until 'mione showed up yesterday afternoon. She's really worried about you, you know. And to make it worse, Ginny's not even here because she is spending most of summer break at her boyfriend's. You remember her boyfriend Ernie Macmillan, don't you, mate?" he waited for Harry to nod. "Yeah, she's been there since two weeks after school got out and she won't be back for a few more weeks."
Harry's eyes widened. "Really? No, not about Ginny. Hermione was worried about me?" he asked.
"Yea, mate. She wouldn't stop asking about you when she got here. Every two seconds it was Is Harry OK? or When can I see Harry? I tell you, it was driving me absolutely BONKERS! But she'll be happy now after you guys get a chance to talk after lunch. Meanwhile, I get to clean again! I guess it's OK though, term starts in another month, and this house will finally be clean eventually."
Then Mrs. Weasely came in, flanked by Fred and George. They were all carrying trays of food. "Lunchtime!" cried Mrs. Weasely, setting down an immense platter of grilled cheese sandwiches on the table.
A/N: I'm still working on re-writing the story, so bear with me. If you have any suggestions just stick them in a review. I love reviews, people, so keep them coming!!
To Live and To Love Chapter 3
Eventually Harry fell into a troubled sleep, but his dreams were filled with visions of Sirius. Things that Harry saw in his head included the "Wanted" poster where he had first seen Sirius, the shredded curtains on the bed in Gryffindor tower, and the picture he had of the four young Mauraders, with Sirius surrounded by his friends. The most vivid scene, playing over and over in the poor boy's mind, was Sirius's fall behind the veil in the Department of Mysteries.
"No...Sirius...watch out...Bellatrix is right there...NOOOO!!"
Harry's own screams woke him up. He sat straight up, drenched in an icy sweat, and looked around. Somehow over the course of a year he had forgotten what this bedroom-away-from-home looked like. The white walls, now covered with posters from last Christmas, started coming back into familiarity. Even the solitary window felt comfortable. Wait a minute, thought Harry, why is there sunlight coming in through the window? It was last evening when I went to bed and in the mornings the sun doesn't shine in this window.
It seemed that there was sunlight drifting through the curtains, but that didn't make any sense. Harry looked at the calendar that was on the wall. The quidditch players from the Chudley Cannons (this month's feature, next month's team was still hidden) were swerving around a giant 30. JULY 30?!?! That meant that his sixteenth birthday was tomorrow. Harry couldn't believe it. His mind actually let Sirius for a moment and he was bewildered at the fact that he was about to reach a major milestone in his life. Still in awe, Harry headed downstairs to see where everyone else was, but he had a feeling that they were in the kitchen, where they always were.
Sure enough, the kitchen was bustling. Mrs. Weasley was at the stove, cooking what smelled like grilled cheese sandwiches. Fred and George Weasely were bewitching plates, silverware, and glasses to fly across the room and land on the dining room table in their proper places. Three people were already seated at the table. However, Mr. Weasely, Ron and Hermione seemed to be engrossed in their conversation. Finally Fred (or was it George?) yelled, "Oy! Harry's up, everyone! Are 'ya feeling better, mate?"
Suddenly everyone, except for the two at the table, wanted to know how he was doing. Ron and Hermione seemed to not even notice that he was there. It was all for the better, though, as he had enough greeting to do as it was. Harry felt that he must have greeted the Weasely twins at least seventeen times before it all quieted down, and had his hair ruffled by Mrs. Weasely at least twice. He sat down at the table after Mrs. Weasely and the twins got back to preparing the meal and looked around at the other people and the table. Mr. Weasely was ecstatic to see him, but "had to get back for some important business at the Ministry." Hermione got up to help Mrs. Weasely and said that she and Harry would talk later, and that left Harry and Ron.
"How are you doing, mate? Are you feeling better now? You slept for over 16 hours!" asked Ron, with that perpetual grin on his face.
"I'm OK, I guess. I do feel better now, and with my birthday being tomorrow I have something else to think about besides Sirius. How have you been doing?"
"Eh, everything has been pretty quiet around here. Dad's been working all the time, Mum's been cleaning around here all the time, and there was nothing fun to do until you showed up. But you were kind of depressed and Mum said to leave you alone until you were more rested. So I had to help clean AGAIN until 'mione showed up yesterday afternoon. She's really worried about you, you know. And to make it worse, Ginny's not even here because she is spending most of summer break at her boyfriend's. You remember her boyfriend Ernie Macmillan, don't you, mate?" he waited for Harry to nod. "Yeah, she's been there since two weeks after school got out and she won't be back for a few more weeks."
Harry's eyes widened. "Really? No, not about Ginny. Hermione was worried about me?" he asked.
"Yea, mate. She wouldn't stop asking about you when she got here. Every two seconds it was Is Harry OK? or When can I see Harry? I tell you, it was driving me absolutely BONKERS! But she'll be happy now after you guys get a chance to talk after lunch. Meanwhile, I get to clean again! I guess it's OK though, term starts in another month, and this house will finally be clean eventually."
Then Mrs. Weasely came in, flanked by Fred and George. They were all carrying trays of food. "Lunchtime!" cried Mrs. Weasely, setting down an immense platter of grilled cheese sandwiches on the table.