In the Hands of Time
Chapter 1
Harry woke up in a pool of cold sweat and was clutching his scar. He had had another vision about Voldemort and was now trying to recall his dream. Voldemort had been happy, he had been torturing a muggle family before finally killing them. The pain from his scar was leaving now but just a few seconds ago it had been burning white-hot. He checked the small, blue, circular alarm clock that he had fixed after Dudley was done with it since he threw it down the stairs because he said it wouldn't let him sleep. It read 2:37 A.M. Harry sighed and went to find some parchment. There was no point in trying to go back to sleep now, no, he would instead finish writing his letter to Ron. This was something that he did most nights now anyway. Ever since Sirius died Harry barely slept. He was always either haunted by visions of Voldemort or by the memories of the night Sirius died. When he finished his letter to Ron he took it to Hedwig and tied it to her leg. She gave a small hoot in comfort. She flew into the night and Harry stood in the middle of his tiny room. His school trunk lay open and within its contents was Harry's top of the line Firebolt, his father's invisibility cloak, the marauder's map, the knife Sirius gave him, and his school books. Harry looked back to the clock. It would be morning soon. Harry let out a deep long frustrated sigh, as he knew that Aunt Petunia would be calling him downstairs soon. He got dressed and went downstairs without bothering to try to flatten his hair, as it would do no good. To his surprise, he heard yelling when he got downstairs.
"MOVE, MUGGLE, OR I'LL BLAST THE DOOR DOWN!" he heard the voice of Madeye Moody
Harry came running down the stairs to find Uncle Vernon trying to barricade the doors but Moody had had enough. The door flew off its hinges with a loud bang. Moody came wobbling in, his mad eye swirling all over the place. Behind him also came Professor Lupin, Tonks, and Mr. Weasley. "Harry!" Tonks came bounding towards him, knocking multiple things on the way.
"How are you doing, Harry?" Lupin gave him a kind smile.
"I'm ok" he lied "what are you guys doing here?"
"Don't tell us you forgot your own Birthday!" said Mr. Weasley kindly.
The realization hit Harry. It had been his Birthday without him even noticing.
"We brought you a few things" stated moody, letting himself into the parlor room.
Harry blushed "Y-You didn't need to"
"Well, of course, we did!" said Tonks as she, too, tumbled into the parlor.
They sat around the parlor as Remus was about to give him his first present.
"No! Stop right there! I will not have you spoiling that, that, that FREAK in my home!" Vernon interrupted before Harry could open his gift, startling him as he had forgotten that the Dursleys were still there. Harry stared at his feet, thinking that he knew it was too good to be true.
At this Moody, Lupin and Tonks lost their temper.
"YOU, YOU FOUL LOATHSOME IDIOT MUGGLE!" boomed Moody.
"HOW DARE YOU! FIRST YOU ABUSE AND STARVE THE POOR BOY AND YOU'RE LUCKY I DON'T FINISH YOU RIGHT HERE AND NOW!" flared Tonks.
And finally, there was Lupin who said in a deadly quiet voice "Do you have any idea on what he's been through?"
All the while Harry kept his head down, staring at his shoes. Moody lost it as he cursed the Dursleys with a silencing spell and locked them in the kitchen. The others' angry expressions softened and turned to Harry. None of them knew what to say. They knew that the Dursleys were not keen on Harry but they had no idea that they were this bad.
"It's ok, Harry, don't pay them any mind." Tonks tried to comfort him.
"They're just a bunch of gits, 'Arry, don't you forget that. Don't you forget that. Don't let them put you down.
Harry stared at the floor. The others looked at each other in worry. Then He realized that they were looking at him and put his head up and pretended to smile lightly and to be "ok", whatever that means.
"I'm fine, really." smiled Harry. The others clearly didn't believe this but did not press with the subject. Tonks, growing impatient, gave Harry his gift.
"C'mon already! Open it!" Tonks whined.
Harry tugged the end of the ribbon on the first box. He tossed away the wrapping paper and inside lay a small necklace with what seemed to be a mini clock on it. Harry looked up.
"Sirius wanted you to have it" Lupin said.
Harry was speechless. He immediately put the necklace on, but as soon as he did the whole room seemed to swirl around him, and his torso was pulled away and his last look at the scene before he vanished. He saw a desperate Lupin try to pull him back but eventually failed. Tonks stood there in shock while Moody's glass eye was going nuts. Then everything went black.
