Disclamer: All characters belong to J.K Rowling! I am copying the actual text of the story in my own, I do not wish to criticize the amazing work of Ms. Rowling, but I love the idea of characters reacting to their own stories. I do not own Harry Potter in any way!
Chapter 3
Chapter One The Boy Who Lived
At the title of the chapter, Harry audibly groaned. Snape looked at him curiously. "Why would Potter show dislike at the name? He is arrogant and attention seeking." Snape was curious as to what the obvious display of displeasure the boy showed when the chapter title was read aloud might mean.
Mr. and Mrs. Dursley ... thank you very much.
"Why would anyone want to be normal?" The twins asked.
They were the last ... which made drills.
"What are-?" Before Arthur could continue Hermione stopped him and gave him a piece of parchment and a quill.
"Write any questions you have about muggles on this and I'll answer later." Hermione whispered.
He was a ... on the neighbors.
"They sound pleasant," Ron snorted.
The Dursley's had ... about the Potter's.
"What's so bad about the Potter's?" Remus said, astounded. Sirius also looked hurt by the statement and was pouting, or was pouting as much as a dog could look.
Mrs. Potter ... possible to be.
At this the Weasley's looked astounded that anyone could care as little about family as to pretend they didn't have it, but then they glanced at Percy who was sitting with the staff, and their faces turned gloomy. Remus was growling about how James was not good-for-nothing, while Snape snorted at his words, and Hermione was going on about how there was no such thing about unDursleyish, because it wasn't a word. At that Harry just laughed and said "Hermione it might not be a word, but it's still a thing. I think I might want to be unDursleyish. I don't want to be like their Dursleyish selves, because being Dursleyish means you need to be "perfectly normal"!" Harry kept a straight face while saying it, but after words he broke down in laughter. Hermione just snorted at his words, and like Ron hit him lightly on the head.
The Dursley's ... like that.
"Like what?" Luna asked with her dreamy like voice.
"Anyone with magic." Harry muttered. It wasn't that he didn't want people to know that, but he wasn't exactly fond of the idea. Fortunately nobody repeated the words back in the form of a question.
When ... boring tie for work,
"Who would pick out their most boring tie?" Again the twins interrupted, but they honestly looked confused. "Why would people want to be boring and normal?" they thought.
and Mrs. Dursley ... high chair.
"Wonderful child," Molly said sarcastically.
None of them ... left the house.
"He encouraged that behavior!" Molly almost choked on the light breakfast provided, and looked like she was debating whether or not to swallow one of the calming potions now, but decided against it because she knew she would need to later.
He got into ... reading a map.
"Would that have been you Professor Mcgonagall?" Hermione asked the question though she suspected she already knew the answer.
"I believe it was," Professor Mcgonagall's gaze darkened as she realized what day it was.
For a second, ... trick of the light.
A few of the purebloods across the hall, snorted at the thought. How dumb could the muggles be?
Mr. Dursley blinked ... People in cloaks.
"What's so odd about cloaks?" Neville asked.
"Muggles don't wear cloaks. They went out of use centuries ago." Hermione answered him. Though she herself was wondering why there would be wizards wearing cloaks in a town packed with muggles.
Mr. Dursley couldn't ... excitedly together.
A few of the adults in the room seemed to have figured out what day it was. There were very few days in the wizarding timeline, that all wizards seemed to have forgotten the Statute of Secrecy. Some like Professor Mcgonagal gasped. While others like Madame Bones, sent pitying looks at Harry.
Mr. Dursley was ... collecting for something.
"Why would people be collecting for something?" asked a few of the purebloods in the room.
"In the muggle world, if you need something that you can't get, people use different means, to get people to give them money. Therefore they collect the money that they are given." explained Hermione.
... yes, that would ... owl even at nighttime.
"How can you of never seen an owl?" asked one of the first year purebloods. A girl sitting next to her, whom Harry guessed might be her sister, shushed her and explained in a low voice that muggles don't use owls to deliver mail.
Mr. Dursley, however, ... a bit more.
"Well he sounds perfectly pleasant!" Fred joked.
"Fred you know very well that shouting at people is normal!" George said to Fred looking him straight in the eye. As soon as they both started staring at each other, they broke down and started laughing out loud.
"Now I will not have such foolish interruptions during these readings. From here on out I feel it will be better if no one says a word." Umbridge giggled slightly. "Yes, that would be best. No one will speak until we are finished."
"Dolores, surely you can not expect us to be silent while we read these books?" Professor Mcgonagal scoffed. "We will be reading very interesting information." Her voice seemed to break halfway through the sentence. "This is a school full of teenagers. They will not be able to help but react as to what happens. As I assure you, us as adults will likely want to say something on the occasional moment. Let us be reasonable and disregard your new rule for not talking about what we have learned."
Mcgonagal looked expectantly at Umbridge. It seemed she was waiting to hear an agreement with this statement. It also seemed that Umbridge would be backing down quite soon.
"Very well Minerva. But I assure you that I do not find it respectful that you won't uphold the rules I set in place."
"I do not believe that will be a problem." Mcgonagal's gaze turned cold, and she stared directly at Umbridge.
He was in ... the road
"He's getting up for a walk!" Harry exclaimed incredulously. "The world has ended!"
to buy ... the bakery.
"Ah, much better. Don't worry everyone the world is not ending."
Snape and Umbridge scoffed at his words, but the people sitting at his table, and a few others across the hall giggled.
He'd forgotten all about ... son, Harry"
The Great Hall was silent for a moment. Most of the hall had now realized what day it was and were sending pitying looks at Harry. He in turn glared back at all of them, not wanting them to pity him, They had, of course, not been pitying him lately. Most of the students in the school thought he was out of his mind.
Mr. Dursley stopped ... an unusual name.
"How is Potter a common name?" Malfoy scoffed. "There is only one Potter family."
"In the muggle world names like Potter could be considered quite common." Hermione said exasperated. She was starting to see that she would end up being the interpreter for most muggle things, because most other muggle borns weren't willing to say anything.
He was sure ... Harvey. Or Harold.
"He didn't even know your name!" Mrs. Weasley cried out. "How can you not know your nephews own name?"
"Come to think of it," Harry paused thinking for a moment. "I'm not quite sure if he does know my name."
Silence stretched across the Great Hall again at his words. How can someone not know Harry Potter's name. Let alone someone who lived in your own house.
There was no ... like that…
"Like what!" Almost everyone else in the hall shouted. Harry was surprised to see that Snape yelled as well. The only people to stay silent were Umbridge, and some of the Slytherins.
but all the same, ... "Sorry," he grunted,
"He knows that word?" Harry said, seeming utterly bewildered.
"You should not be disrespecting your elders, especially not ones who took you in." Umbridge's sweet voice rang across the hall. Some of the teachers were glaring at her. Harry thought it might be because of the way she seemed to elongate the word you, so that it seemed it was paining her to say it.
as the ... almost fell.
"I wonder if that would be Mundungus?" Flitwick asked. It seemed to prove to the few who thought it might be him, that it wasn't. While he didn't doubt that it could be possible, Harry didn't really think you would describe Flitwick as old.
It was a few ... and walked off.
For the few in the hall that weren't quite so intelligent as to figure out what day it was, this told them all they needed to know. To Harry it looked like Remus's eyes were filling with tears. We looked down to where Sirius had placed his head on Harry's lap, and saw that there were tears in the dog's eyes too.
"While I understand that everyone is thinking about the date, my question is how anyone could hug him across the middle?" Harry was trying to break the tension, but in reality he really wanted to know how anyone could manage this feat.
A few people smiled, but Umbridge completely ignored the rest of the hall and continued reading.
Mr. Dursley stood ... approve of imagination.
"How can you not approve of imagination?" The twins asked in a scandalized tone.
As he pulled ... normal cat behavior?
"Don't shoo her!" The twins seemed to be affronted. It wasn't just that they knew that it was a bad idea, they generally had a liking for their Head of House. And so on a second thought they added, "And no it's not normal cat behavior, but it definitely is normal Mcgonagall behavior.
Professor Mcgonagall had to hide her smile behind her hands. She had known many trouble makers in her time at Hogwarts. Especially because she was the Head of House for Gryffindor. But the Weasley twins had always added a sense of fun to their misbehavior, and they had a line they didn't cross.
Mr. Dursley wondered. ... new word ("Won't!").
"Well that's a word I didn't want my children to learn until they at least knew what they were saying!" Mrs, Weasley reclaimed indignantly.
Mr. Dursley tried ... allowed himself a grin.
"I'm starting to think that the newscaster might know more than he lets on," Tonks grinned. She had a feeling she knew who the newscaster was tonight.
"Most mysterious. ... "Well, Ted," said the weatherman,
"It is!" Tonks shouted out.
The students all looked at her like she was crazy, and Moody had to suppress a sigh.
"It's my dad!" Tonks said. "He works at a muggle news station!"
This explained it to most of the students but some shifted their cushions slightly away from Harry's table.
"I don't know about ... didn't have a sister.
"How can you pretend to not have a sister!" Most of the students with siblings shouted.
"And there is nothing wrong with Lily!" Shouted the adults who had met her before her
untimely death.
"No," she said sharply... her crowd."
"Her crowd?" Questioned Malfoy with his usual sneer and drawling voice. "What does he mean, her crowd?"
The students had all started their own mutterings. Remus turned to Harry and asked, "What does he mean?" While Sirius pawed his lap.
"Anyone with magic," Harry muttered. He was starting to thoroughly dislike these books. He knew in the end it would be proven that Voldemort was alive, but now he realized they might talk about his home life. He had never shared anywhere near the full extent of his life at home with Ron and Hermione. He definitely didn't want it shared with the entire school.
Remus stared at him shocked. He knew Lily had mentioned once or twice that her sister hated magic, but he didn't think they would go as far as to not say wizards or witches. And if they pretended Petunia didn't have a sister, how would they treat Harry?
Mrs. Dursley sipped ... if you ask me."
"Harry's a nice name!" Ginny yelled. Then she realized she had said it allowed and blushed a deep red, but not before noticing, that Harry's face was even redder than hers.
"Oh, yes," ... couldn't affect them...
"And like everything else he thinks, it's not quite right," Harry sighed. He looked up to find Remus and Sirius staring at him. He knew with their canine hearing they would hear anything he said. But what was unnerving was that Dumbledoor was looking at him too. Dumbledoor hadn't looked at Harry in months, and it was slightly upsetting that the only reason he was looking at him, was because they were invading his privacy.
How very wrong he was.
"See." Was all Harry said when Remus and Sirius continued to look at him questioningly.
Mr. Dursley might ... cat moved at all.
"Why on Earth would you sit on a brick wall all day?" Asked the Fred.
"I don't think we can sit still for more than an hour!" Finished George.
Mcgonagall chuckled, but was looking down at the small table with calming draughts. She knew she couldn't use them yet. Potter got into too much trouble when he was in school. But she knew Professor Snape would be making more and more as the books went on. She was nervous as to how Potter would react when he found out exactly how the night had gone down.
A man appeared ... at least twice.
Harry looked at Dumbledore nervously. He had looked away. "Sir, why were you on Privet Drive?" He knew Dumbledore probably had something to do with how he got to Privet Drive, but this was odd. He wouldn't expect Dumbledore to actually be there.
"You-you'll find out in a moment." Dumbledore had not looked away from his hands.
This man's name ... was unwelcome.
"Oh, I knew very much so." Said Dumbledore with a small chuckle. "But I didn't rightfully care, at the moment." He broke off, whispering the few words under his breath.
It seemed only Remus and Sirius had heard him, as they both looked as if nothing in the world would be okay. Or Sirius looked like this as much as a dog could be. Harry was trying to calm Sirius by placing his hand on his back. Stroking the dog's matted fur, was still very odd to Harry. As much as he loved Sirius he didn't exactly know what to think about petting his godfather. But Harry needed to calm Sirius down. He didn't want Sirius to give himself away before he could be proven innocent.
He was busy ... the Put-Outer,
"Alas, it seems these books do not know the name of that handy little tool. It indeed could be described as a, how did they put it, a Put-Outer, but its name would be a deluminator."
until the only lights ... down on the pavement.
"Awesome!" George shouted. "Fred we need to come up with something like that!"
"I will put the order in dear brother! And we shall find a way!" Said Fred in what he seemed to think was a pompous tone.
Dumbledore slipped the ... looked distinctly ruffled.
"Er, Professor?" The Weasley twins were looking at each other. An expression between what would be mock and real horror was etched upon their faces. "I don't think we've ever seen you ruffled.." George started.
"Yeah…. And we've done a lot of stuff to make you upset." Fred finished.
"I suppose, I've had a lot of pranksters in my house. This on the other hand was something much more upsetting than a few pranks." Professor Mcgonagall looked as if she was going to throw fire with her gaze. But then it softened slightly, as she saw the looks on the two Weasley's faces. She knew she was being unfair, but she wasn't ruffled by a prank very often. And this was not a night she wished to relive. And as she thought this, her eyes flicked over to Harry. I believe Dumbledore when he said Potter had seen He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named come back to life. But Potter has had more than a few dangerous adventures. And almost all of which she now remembered. Ended with him facing He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. How will he relive all of it. And then live through the coming war before it happens?
"How did you ... day," said Professor McGonagall.
"Why would anyone ever sit on a brick wall all day?" Ron muttered under his breath. Harry and Hermione heard him however and were getting strange looks as they both burst out laughing.
"All day? ... she said impatiently.
"Not everyone was celebrating you know." Remus cast a look down at his feet. He was desperately trying to hold the tears back in now. Sirius was whimpering slightly, and Harry moved over closer to Remus taking Sirius with him.
"You'd think they'd ... for eleven years."
"The first war lasted for eleven years?" Asked a first year Hufflepuff, not really expecting an answer back.
"I know that," ... a lemon drop?"
"You just switched the subject. I know you knew more about what happened. It certainly seems so is your code for, I know and I won't tell you." Harry said bitterly. Sirius still in his dog form, and in a state of misery, quickly snapped his shaggy head back towards Harry. He had never heard Harry speak ill of the Headmaster before.
"A what?" ... for lemon drops.
"It was most certainly not the time for lemon drops, Albus!" Mcgonagall announced.
"As I say, ... proper name: V-
But Umbridge had broken off staring at the book. People were turning to look up at her curiously. Harry sighed and decided he was feeling brave today.
"I say his name and I'm not afraid to say it. If you want to give accurate information while reading these wonderful books. Then I'm afraid anyone who wants to read will have to learn how to say Voldemorts name."
There was a collective flinch at the name. Even Ron and Hermione flinched, but it was definitely less notable than everyone else's in the room.
Harry sighed. "You all better get used to hearing it. I've met with Voldemort and I will say the name. And I can't change what I say in the past."
"You lie boy." Umbridge sneered. "You have never met with He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. He is not back. You are not allowed to say the name again."
Harry rebounded quickly from this accusation, as he was prepared for it. "Yes well even if you don't think I've seen him again, I saw him as a baby and he killed my parents. I feel that it would be wrong of you to deny me the right to say the name of my parents murderer?"
Umbridge had nothing to say to this. She merely decided to snarl at the boy. He had a point. She also couldn't deny that he hadn't met with him as a baby, but he couldn't remember that she was sure of it. "Fine, I'll say it."
"V-V-Voldemort." ... I will never have."
"Just because you don't use the power that You-Know-Who uses, doesn't mean you don't have it. The power that he uses against you is Dark Magic, and I would be surprised if you use it frequently." Hermione said to the hall.
"Only because ... new earmuffs."
"Too much information!" Cried the twins.
Professor McGonagall shot ... flying around.
"So much for hoping the rumors don't start until I get to Hogwarts," Sighed Harry.
You know ... they're - dead. "
Sirius let out a howl that sounded as if he had been wounded greatly. Remus was crying into his hands. Harry was just sitting there in a type of shock. He had always heard it as, the night your parents died, or, your parents were murdered, or something along those lines. Never had he heard it so bluntly, and not directed at him. It wasn't as if Harry didn't know that his parents were dead. He just didn't talk about it that much. The adults in the room that knew Lily or James were either wiping tears from their eyes or looking incredibly solemn. Even a majority of the students looked like they were about to burst into tears. Ron and Hermione who were sitting on either side of him, both grasped his hands. Umbridge on the other hand didn't seem to realize that the people in the Great Hall were having a moment of grieving and carried on.
Dumbledore bowed his ... did Harry survive?"
"If I ever find out Professor you will likely be the fifth to know." Said Harry. He was trying to be optimistic but it was proving rather difficult and he sounded quite glum.
"Fifth?" Mcgonagall questioned, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes." Said Harry. "You will most likely be fifth. You will not be the first to know."
All of a sudden Mcgonagall burst out laughing. It sounded like a half sob, but a laugh none the less. Students and teachers around her looked at her amazed. They had never known the severely strict woman to laugh out loud in public. It also happened to be that she was laughing after reading about a traumatizing conversation in her life. Umbridge decided that Mcgonagall had finally cracked too.
"We can only ... never know."
"Will you ever tell?" Harry asked.
"I'm afraid you will not know until the time is right. But the information might come sooner if it is in these books.
Professor McGonagall pulled ... he has left now."
"You mean to say the reason I'm at my aunt and uncle's house is because you wanted me to be with family?" Harry asked scathingly. "That there was no one left on my parents will, to take care of me?" He felt anger bubbling up inside him. He hated being left at the Dursleys; they were awful to him. And he understood how it was to be stuck inside the house like Sirius, because he was stuck at Privet Drive for the majority of his life so far.
"I had many reasons to place you in the possession of your aunt and uncle. I am sure you will find out at one point or another, but for now trust I knew what I was doing." Dumbledore said quite calmly.
Umbridge scoffed. She knew that if there was one person in this room that knew what they were doing, it most definitely was not Dumbledore.
"You don't mean - ... come and live here!"
"Well at least you tried," Harry sighed.
"It's the best ... them a letter."
"A LETTER!" Mrs. Wealey shrieked. "You don't explain to someone why they have to take a child in through a letter! Let alone tell them that their sister or sister-in-law died! How could you explain that it is a letter!"
Dumbledore stayed silent. This is what Mcgonagall tried to tell him, and Harry was always far skinnier than during the middle of the year at Hogwarts.
"A letter." repeated ... day in the future
"Please tell me it's not!" Harry shouted.
"Well they tried. Then I told them they shouldn't celebrate a day where two people were murdered and a child was orphaned." Remus said under his breath to Harry.
"Thank you," Harry whispered back.
Snape was now utterly bewildered. Potter is arrogant, just like his father. He thinks he can get away with everything. So why is he putting on a show for everyone to think he's not?
- there will be ... ready to take it?"
"If only I couldn't remember it," Harry muttered under his breath.
Remus looked at him in shock. He knew that Harry didn't want to be heard, but being right next to him and a werewolf he heard him quite clearly. Can he remember that night? Remus thought. Sirius was looking at Harry too. Sirius whimpered and sat his head back down on Harry's lap.
Professor McGonagall opened ... Harry underneath it.
"Nope. Nope. Nope. Do not tell us that little baby Harry was brought in your cloak!" yelled Fred and George.
"Hagrid's bringing ... important as this?" (sorry couldn't fix the formatting here)
"I would trust Hagrid with my life," said Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They looked at each other and smiled.
"I would trust ... pretend he's not careless.
"Oh, I'm sorry Hagrid. I was really upset that day!" Mcgonagall gushed.
"Don't worry Minerva. I know I can be a bit clumsy here and there," Hagrid replied smiling.
That big buffoon is always clumsy. He can't do anything. I can't believe people trust him at all. As soon as possible I'm sacking him. But first I'll have to sack that fraud of a Divination teacher. Maybe I'll do that after Christmas?
He does tend to ... in front of them.
Sirius barked as he recognized the description of his bike.
If the motorcycle ... flyin' over Bristol."
Some of the girls cooed. Harry could feel his face turning a deep red. He looked over to find Ron, Hermione, and Remus stifling their laughter.
Dumbledore and Professor ... bolt of lightning.
Harry shook his head as Hermione and Ginny joined in with the rest of the girls cooing.
"Is that ... McGonagall.
"Yes," said ... come in handy.
"It has yet to help me in any situation. It has literally just been a pain in my forehead!"
I have one ... like a wounded dog.
Sirius looked away at that. He took offense in that description.
"Shhh!" hissed ... live with Muggles -"
"Yes, yes! Listen to Hagrid and Mcgonagall. Don't send me off to live with the muggles!" Harry exclaimed sarcastically.
What? Have the muggles not worshipped Potter enough for his liking? Snape thought sneering at Harry.
"Well," said ... Sirius his bike back.
At this Sirius seemed to bark indignantly. Harry guessed he never did get his bike.
Dumbledore turned ... he was gone.
"You left a baby on a doorstep at the end of October!" Screamed Mrs. Weasley. "With Death Eaters still roaming around!"
Remus quickly placed his hands over his ears.
"I assure you, I placed multiple protection and warming spells on him." Dumbledore said calmly.
Mrs. Weasley humphed and turned away.
"Are you going to be screaming a lot?" Questioned Remus, to Mrs Weasley, (who seemed to realize her screaming was hurting the poor guy's ears), tentatively taking his hands off his ears.
Filthy half-breed! Thought Umbridge.
A breeze ruffled ... milk bottles,
Snape flinched. He knew how shrill Petunia could be.
nor that ... his cousin Dudley...
"What does that mean Harry?" Asked Remus, his gaze searching.
Harry just shrugged. He wasn't that keen on sharing his experiences with the Dursleys.
He couldn't know ... the boy who lived!".
"That is the end of the first chapter." Umbridge's sickly sweet voice lit through the hall again. "I do believe that our headmaster is the most senior teacher here." She handed the first book over to Dumbledore.