Return Of The Elemental
Chapter 3 – The-Boy-Who-Died
It was a clear night in Surrey on the evening of Harry's departure. All the stars were shining brightly, once and a while giving each other a secret wink. The moon was sparkling like a pearl in deep black sea. The tree leaves were twitching in the slight breeze that was currently blowing across Privet Drive. But for an odd reason the breeze was not reaching Number 4 of Privet Drive, there was complete nothingness on this certain night.
Maybe it had something to do with the twenty masked figures dressed in robes of the darkest black standing not 15metres away from the front door of Number 4. You could see nothing of these people except for their eyes and a strange symbol that covered their right chest, the symbol looked like a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth. All eyes showed no expression whatsoever. The group stood like this for another few minutes until a sudden whisper went through the ranks and all the robed figures eyes lit up a crazy hunger. They all then drew what looked to be thin little bits of wood out of their robes and pointed them at the house of Number 4.
Then it happened, twenty rays of light shot simultaneously out of the sticks that all the dark robed people were holding. The light of the rays lit up the street of Privet Drive, but that was nothing compared to the blast that occurred moments later when all rays hit the house of Number 4.
The house of Number 4 was surrounded with an eerie glow of red light as the rays of light hit, seconds later a blast of the red light flew upwards half a kilometre in the air. The light illuminated the night sky for miles, the stars were no longer visible due to the light. It was a few minutes till the light diminished, and when it did there was no more sign of Number 4 Privet Drive. All that was left was a huge crater in the ground. Nothing of the house survived the blast. A roar of laughter went through the crowd of people. A man with a silver hand sent the emblem on their chest into the sky where Number 4 should have stood, then raised his stick again and vanished into thin air, the other robed figures soon followed. Their mission was complete. Number 4 and all its inhabitants were destroyed...
Albus Dumbledore was currently writing a letter to the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge. But this was no ordinary letter, this was a Howler, a Howler was a magnified telegram so to speak. Even though it was well over midnight the headmaster had been furious with the Minister of Magic for not believing himself and Harry Potter that Lord Voldemort had returned on the night of the Third task in the Triwizard tournament. He was hoping that the letter would arrive while the Minister was sleeping. He was starting to use some very special words when the head of Arabella Figg popped into his fireplace.
She wore a very sad face, her eyes were all red and puffy and tears were sliding down and hanging on the tip of her nose, as if never wanting to let go. Professor Dumbledore quickly moved down on the hearth.
"Arabella my dear, what is wrong." Mrs Figg raised her tearstained face and spoke in a very sad but serious voice.
"You better come to Privet Drive Albus" and with her head disappeared from the fire.
Albus didn't need telling twice he grabbed a pinch of Floo Powder, dropped the powder it into the fire and shouted "Arabella Figg" he then strode into the fire and was gone in the blink of an eye.
When Albus arrived he saw Mrs Figg huddled up with a cat on her lounge. He strode over and sat down next to the clearly distressed woman.
"Arabella, what seems to be the problem?" he asked very quietly hoping not to distress his friend any further. She slowly raised her head and only spoke one word through her sobs, "Harry" after saying that she then broke down in a new fit of sobs.
Albus's heart stopped. What did she mean, all he heard her say was Harry. He then moved as swift as a snidget out of Mrs Figg front door and ran to Number 4 of Privet Drive. As he quickly climbed the hill to the Dursleys house he was greeted with a horrible sight, a sight that would haunt his dreams for the rest of his life. There were all types of muggles, policeman were questioning neighbours, fireman were hosing down a crater, and ambulance workers trying to calm down people that looked as though they were suffering from a bad case of shock. Albus then turned his attention to the houses of Privet Drive, he could see Number 3 and Number 5, but where Number 4 should have stood there was only a deep crater.
He then felt a strong hand on his shoulder, he turned to look up at Kingsley Shacklebolt, Head Auror in the Magical Law Enforcement Office at the Ministry of Magic.
"What happened here Kingsley" asked the shocked Headmaster.
"It looks like it was Death Eaters sir, witnesses say they saw about twenty people wearing dark robes approach the house, and they then said that they used sticks to fire rays of light at the house. The next thing they know the house was blown up by a massive red light. No one survived sir. We have a team of Obliviators standing by to modify everybody's memory. Is there anything I can get you sir?"
Professor Dumbledore was barely listening to the tall man standing before him, all he heard was Death Eaters and no survivors.
"Th-Thank you Kingsley, excuse me I have to be somewhere." He then took one last look at the chaos that had happened. He then turned his attention to the night sky, the stars were no longer sparkling but just looked dull and sad. "Harry," the old man then broke down, all his life he had watched Harry Potter the son of his friends Lily and James, escape every danger he came across, but now he was dead, the boy that he had grown to love as a Grandson was dead. He then thought of Harry's friends, his Godfather he quickly decided that he should be the one to tell them and not from some other source like the Daily Prophet. He wiped away the tears that had found a way of escaping out of his eyes, and then stood up and walked back to Mrs Figg's house to use her fireplace to get back to his office.
Once back in his office he wrote a letter to Harry's Godfather Sirius.
Dear Sirius, please meet me outside Hermione Granger's house as soon as you receive this letter.
Albus
He then called for his pet phoenix Fawkes. As he was tying the letter on he spoke to his phoenix. "Find Sirius as quickly as you can Fawkes then come with him to Hermione house." The phoenix nodded its head in understanding and was gone in a ball of fire.
It was 5o'clock in the morning and the pink glow of the sun could be seen over the mountains that surrounded Hogwarts. He walked over to his fireplace and once again grabbed another pinch of Floo Powder and said "The Burrow".
Mr and Mrs Weasley were the only occupants who were awake at the Burrow when the Headmaster of Hogwarts arrived in their kitchen through their fireplace. Mrs Weasley was first to react.
"Oh Albus what a pleasant supr-" but stopped talking when she saw the look on his face. "Albus, what's wrong." The headmaster just sighed
"All will be explained shortly Molly, but first I need to go and get Hermione and Sirius, could you please wake all you children and bring them back down here." And with that he apparated to Hermione's house.
15minutes later the entire Weasley clan were sitting around there kitchen table.
"What's going on" said Fred Weasley.
"Yeah, why are we up so earlyyyyy" yawned his twin George.
"Where hear because Professor Dumbledore wants to talk to us all, he has just gone to get Hermione and Sirius" said a frantic Mrs Weasley.
"Why is Hermione coming" yelled the youngest boy Ron starting to flush in the face.
"Probably wants to talk to us all at the same time" said Mr Weasley.
"Do you know if Professor is going to get Harry as well" inquired Bill the eldest of the Weasley children.
"No, Harry will not be here" said the sad voice of Professor Dumbledore from behind the Weasley family. All the Weasley's looked round to see Albus Dumbledore with Hermione and Sirius.
"What do you mean Professor? I'm assuming this has something to do with You-Know-Who", asked Hermione, "surely if anyone should be here it should be Harry." Professor Dumbledore looked down at Hermione with tears forming in his eyes.
"Please Miss Granger, take a seat and I will explain everything." He then drew up two chairs one for Hermione and the other for Sirius.
Professor Dumbledore then looked down at all of Harry's family and friends, he then took a deep breath and told them why Harry would not be coming.
"Sometime during the night twenty Death Eaters attacked the Dursleys house." A collective gasp went through the group, Mrs Weasley clutched her chest.
"What happened Albus," she asked, is Harry alright?" Professor Dumbledore started to cry, he didn't care who was watching all he knew is that tears wanted to be released. After a few minutes he took another deep breath and looked up to see everyone watching him with tears in their eyes as well.
"All the Death Eaters sent a very powerful curse at the house together, all that was left was a crater in the ground. No one survived…. Harry has died."
"NOOOOOOOO" screamed Hermione, she started to cry along with Ginny and Mrs Weasley. The rest of the Weasley's and Sirius all had disbelieving expressions on their faces
"I'm afraid it's true Hermione, no one could have survived the blast caused by so many curses." This just made Hermione cry harder.
Just then an owl carrying the Daily Prophet flew in through the Weasley's open window. No one bothered to pay the owl. Hermione opened up the paper, but when she saw the front page she ran out the Weasley's back door screaming Harry's name. Mrs Weasley was holding her only daughter who was crying on her shoulder. All the rest of the group looked at the Daily Prophet.
Harry Potter. Dead!
The boy we all know as the Boy-Who-Lived has died overnight at his muggle relatives house in Surrey. Muggle witnesses who were questioned this morning by Ministry officials disguised as Policeman told them that a strange bunch of people wearing black robes approached Harry's relatives house and sent curses at the house till a red glow covered the house, they then said there was a tremendous blast that lit up the sky, and when the light diminished all that was left of Number 4 Privet Drive was a deep crater in the ground. Harry and his relatives who were asleep at the time died instantly. Witnesses then say they saw a man who appeared to be the Death Eaters leader, raise his wand and shoot the Dark Mark above the crater. The only description that could be found of the Death Eaters was that of the supposed leader, witnesses say he had a hand made of SILVER.
The whole Magical community is mourning the loss of the boy that defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named at just the age of one. If what Albus Dumbledore is saying about You-Know-Who's return is true, then who now will stop all evil rising in the world. We at the Daily Prophet send out our condolences to those that were close with Harry Potter. In the bottom left hand corner of the page was a picture of Harry taken at the start of the Triwizard Tournament.
"PETTIGREW shouted Sirius, I KILL THAT LITTLE BASTARD, IN THE NAME OF LILY, JAMES AND HARRY, I SWEAR I'L KILL HIM." Sirius than ran out the door and was gone with a POP. Nobody got up to stop him for they were all in shock, Harry was gone, the same shy boy that they all grew to love had died at the hand of Voldemorts followers.
Professor Dumbledore stood up and addressed the Weasley family.
"I'm sorry everyone I must go, I have to set up the service for Harry. Arthur and Molly would it be alright if I brought Hermione's belongings to the Burrow, I feel she will need her friends a lot right now."
"Of course Albus" said a very solemn Arthur Weasley.
"Harry was the most courageous boy I ever knew….. We will fight for him and all others that have suffered at the hands of Voldemort." All Weasley's shuddered but not at the sound of Voldemorts name, but at the tone of the old man's voice, it was a hatred so fierce that it made them all cower in fear. "I will send Fawkes with Hermione's possessions" and with that he walked back over to the fire place and flooed back to his office, leaving a very sad Weasley family behind.
Many kilometres away in old broken down castle Lord Voldemort was calling his servants. With a swish of cloaks there stood over a hundred Death Eaters before there master.
"Come forward Wormtail", spat Lord Voldemort in an icy voice. A short man with a silver hand walked towards his master, he then dropped down on his knees and started to kiss the hem of his master's robes. "Stand Wormtail. Tell me, have you and your section succeeded in killing Harry Potter and his muggle relatives."
"Y-Yes master, the boy and his house has been destroyed. There is nothing left of him or his mudblood family."
"You have served your master well Wormtail, you shall be rewarded of course" said Voldemort. Voldemort then flicked his wand and conjured a golden ring and sent it at Wormtail. "This my faithful Death Eater is a ring of strength, when you put this on you will have the strength of twenty men."
"Th-Thank you master, you are too good to your servants" sputtered a crying Wormtail. Voldemort than shouted to his congregation,
"Now that Potter has joined his good for nothing parents we will plan the destruction of the Wizarding world", cheers went throughout the Death Eaters accompanied by a few well directed crucio curses. They all believed what everybody else believed, that Harry Potter was dead.
It had been two days since Dumbledore had held the meeting of Harry's death at the Burrow. In this time Hermione had kept to herself, passing the time by sitting under a willow tree in the Weasley's backyard crying her eyes out over Harry. Fawkes brought her things a few hours after she had first arrived at the Burrow. The first thing that Hermione did was collect her photo album and go out and look at it under the willow. That is were she was again today when she heard a rustling of wings above her.
She looked up to see a snowy white owl perched upon a hanging branch.
"HEDWIG" she screamed, the owl rustled her wings at the sudden break in silence but quickly regained her composure, she then flew down and sat on Hermione's shoulder. "What are you doing here girl?" exclaimed an ecstatic Hermione. The owl looked her sadly. Hermione came to the conclusion that Hedwig must have been out hunting when the Death Eaters attacked Harry and his relatives. "I'm sorry Hedwig….. Harry's gone." The owl nodded in understanding.
I know Hermione, he left with a stupid old man who thought it was funny to make a lot of loud noises . Hermione took the owls nod as though it already knew.
"Well, said a gloomy Hermione, since Harry's gone your going to need looking after aren't you? Would you mind if I took care of you Hedwig?" asked Hermione. The owl just nodded again.
That is what Harry wished for so that it what shall happen till his return .
If only Hermione could talk to animals she would have learnt that her best friend wasn't dead. But unknown to her is that this certain skill would catch up with her later…..
Ron had been trying to talk with Hermione about Harry since her arrival, but she had been avoiding everyone, all she did was sit in the shade of a willow all day long, the only time she was near anyone was at meal times where the whole Weasley family would just eat in silence. Everyone was hit really hard by Harry's death. Fred and George were trying half heartedly to bring laughter into the Burrow, but with no success. Bill and Charlie the two oldest of the Weasley's were trying to comfort their younger siblings. Mrs Weasley tried to act normally only to have sudden break downs and start crying, Mr Weasley would then try and comfort his wife. Percy was never home that much due to a promotion at work. Ginny, who had a crush on Harry since her first meeting, was always seen curled up on a chair in the living room. But it was easy to say that Ron and Hermione were feeling Harry's loss the most.
Ron, who had been sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands, looked up when he heard the back door open. He saw his secret crush Hermione standing in the door way talking to what looked to be Harry's owl Hedwig. He voiced his question.
"Hermione, is that…Hedwig?"
"Yes it is" said Hermione without looking away from the owl.
"I thought that it would have died in the attack, just like……" he trailed off not wanting to upset Hermione again.
"No, she must have been out hunting when….. she to trailed off, not wanting to finish her sentence, but I'm going to look after her now, even though Harry is gone, Hermione was trying hard to fight back tears, he wouldn't want Hedwig wasting away would he?"
"No I suppose your right" said a slightly stupid Ron.
"Of course I'm right, when am I ever wrong" said a smiling Hermione.
Hmm, thought Ron, maybe Hedwig is giving her the comfort she needs, I mean she is smiling again, and what a wonderful smile it was, he couldn't help it when a smile found its way onto his own face. He was snapped out of his day dreaming when Hermione was calling out his name.
"Ron, Ron you stupid git, what are you smiling at me for?" Ron couldn't help but blush,
"Umm, nothing Hermione, umm do you want to play a game of wizards chess?"
"Yeah why not, I don't see what the point in me trying is though, you always beat me." Ron just laughed at Hermione's last comment while he ran up to his room to collect his chess set.
Ron and Hermione played a couple of games of chess, Ron won every game. While playing they started to draw an audience. Everyone in the Weasley family was joining Hermione trying to beat there cocky brother. Everyone was having the most fun they had had in days that they didn't even notice their Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore appear out of thin air, only to give himself away when he said to Hermione.
"Do you think that was such a wise move Hermione", everybody in the living room jumped a foot in the air, Dumbledore continued, "I mean all Ron would have to do next is take your bishop and he would have you in check mate" he finished with a small smile.
Mrs Weasley who heard Albus's from the kitchen came rushing in the living room.
"Albus, what a pleasant surprise, your just time for dinner, would you care to join us?"
"Ah, I was hoping you would ask me that Molly, said Dumbledore. I have something I must tell you all anyway", his face then wore an expression of more pain.
"Oh well, dinner is ready now, come on everyone" said Mrs Weasley.
When all the Weasley's, Hermione and Dumbledore were sitting down at the dinner table.
"Where is dad, mum?" asked Bill.
"He's working late tonight Bill, something about doing some business for professor Dumbledore" Mrs Weasley said nodding to the Headmaster.
"That is why I am here tonight Bill, spoke Dumbledore, you see I have some more bad news for you all….. Sirius has been killed by Voldemort."
"Oh no" sobbed Hermione whilst lunging herself at Ron. Ron seemed quite taken aback by Hermione's sudden movements but gently rubbed her back and gave her comforting words.
"How do you know Albus" said Mrs Weasley.
"I wont go into full details now Molly. After I told you all about Harry and what happened, Sirius tried to find the Death Eaters responsible for the attack. Well it seems as though he found some or in other words they found him, they then took him to Voldemort where he was tortured and then murdered." Dumbledore waited a few minutes for the information to sink in. "The other reason I have come tonight is to inform you that Harry's funeral will be held tomorrow at 12o'clock at Hogwarts. Remus Lupin would also like to have a ceremony for Sirius tomorrow as well." Everybody nodded there agreement to the old professors proposal.
After dinner was finished Dumbledore stood up.
"Please feel free to use the floo network to my office tomorrow, I will be waiting for you and then will escort you down to the Quidditch pitch."
"Why are we going to the quidditch pitch" asked Fred.
"That is where the service is being held Fred, good bye everybody, thank you for the delicious meal Molly."
"Anytime Albus, goodnight." And with a POP he was gone.
"Ah you're already here" said the solemn voice of Albus Dumbledore. The Weasley's plus Hermione had just flooed to his office.
"Yes, sorry if were disturbing you Albus, said Mr Weasley, "but the kids didn't want to wait around any longer."
"No it's quite alright Arthur, I was just thinking……" Everyone stared at the old Headmaster. "Well, shall we go down to the quidditch pitch?" asked professor Dumbledore. Everyone nodded so they made there way down to the field.
Harry and Sirius's funeral had been a very sad occasion. It had also been one of the biggest funerals in magical history. There was Ministry representatives from all magical countries, Harry's school friends, reporters from different magazines and newspapers from all over the world, and the rest were just people wanting to pay there final respects to the Boy-Who-Lived who saved them from Voldemort so many years ago.
It was 12:00pm by the time the Weasley's and Hermione arrived back at the Burrow. Everyone was so exhausted that all just went to sleep, or in the case of Hermione and Ginny, cry themselves to sleep.
Thousands of kilometres away on the other side of the world, a boy who was believed dead by everyone was waking up to a beautiful sunrise, anticipating what the day had in store for him.
Flyin Eagle