"Warm Night at Hogwarts"
Chapter 6
"Little Surprises"
Summary: Harry is surprised by certain events. What will he do about them?
Little Surprises
Ron and Harry were awoken by a flash. Harry reached up and rubbed his eyes. When he opened them, he was looking up at the surprised faces of Neville and Dean. "Excellent" Colin exclaimed while taking another picture. Seamus had a tiny smirk on his face. Harry stared up at his classmates in horror. He didn't know if he could talk. He didn't know if he wanted to talk. He didn't think he could trust his own voice. He closed his eyes and wished them all away.
Harry felt a stiff kick in the back as Ron kicked him in his sleep. He awoke with a start. There was no one staring down at them except an awaiting Hedwig. She had a letter attached to her leg. Harry leaned forward and untied the letter. It looked like it had come from a far distance away. It was addressed to: The two lovers in H. Potter's bed. He didn't know if he should open it up now, or wait for Ron to wake up. The thought never occurred to him of the addressing on the letter. He never found it odd that the person who wrote the letter knew of his relationship with Ron.
"Morning Love" Ron said in a gravely voice.
"Morning Ron." Harry replied. He quickly shoved the letter under his arse and sat on it. He didn't want to get Ron all worked up this early in the morning over something to silly about a letter. He reached over and gave his lover a chaste kiss. He started to get up and out of bed and he kicked the box that had been left there previously untouched. He reached down and picked it up. It was heavy to the touch. He began to unwrap it. Inside the wrapping was a box, but on top of the box was a note.
"Dearest Harry,
I was going through my things and I know it's risky sending this to you, but I thought you should have it. It is rightfully yours.
Your Godfather,
Sirius Black."
Harry ran his hand over the note again before setting it down. He lifted the top of the box slowly not wanting to peer inside. Once he did, a silent tear fell from his cheek. He was looking at a black leather bound book that had the words "Family Album" emblazed in gold on the front cover. He carefully pulled the book out of the carrying carton and held it carefully in his hands. He opened the cover and felt the weight of it between his fingers. He was looking at a picture of a young Sirius and a young James, both donned in their Gryffindor school robes. They were both waving at the camera, smiling with sheer joy. He turned the page and saw a young Lily. Harry wiped another tear from his cheek. He kept turning page after page, looking at the life of his young mother and father. In a way he felt that he was watching them grow up in front of his own eyes. The last page held a picture of Harry himself in Ron's arms. Ron was holding him. It was then that he realized that this picture was taken last night. They were both asleep and he realized how beautiful Ron looked when he slept. He ran his fingers over that picture and then picked up the note again. He reread it and placed it in the box. He set the photo album on the bed and sat in front of it. He flipped the pages to his favorite photo. The one of Lily and James hugging by the lake. He saw the beauty of his parent's relationship in that photo. He was so engrossed in it that he didn't even feel Ron wake up and move across the bed to him.
"Whatcha lookin' at mate?" Ron asked with sleepiness in his voice.
"Remember that box I got yesterday? Well, I opened it this morning and this was inside of it."
"Wicked Harry, do you know who it's from?"
"Yeah, that's the oddest part. It's from Sirius."
"Sirius Black? Your Godfather? But he's..."
"Dead. I know Ron. At least, we all thought he was dead." Harry said with confusion.
Ron saw the energy pass through Harry's eyes and he knew that they should tred this area with caution. Harry had just gotten past the fact that Sirius wasn't going to be around anymore. And now this. What kind of sick person would play a trick like this? Only one name came to Ron's mind. Draco Malfoy.
Draco was sitting in one of the chairs at the table, drinking out of one of the goblets. When he finished the strange tasting drink he almost flipped out when he saw the pitcher rise up and fill his glass on its own. "It's like magic." He had still not figured out how to get out of this room. Or even after that, he didn't know where he'd go once he did get out of this room. Was there even anything else after that door? He didn't know. He wasn't sure if he wanted to know. He continued to sit and think. There had to be a way out. There just had to be.
Harry still sat in front of the picture of his mum and dad. He couldn't take his eyes away from it. He almost didn't want to, but he knew that he needed to at some point in time. He did have classes today and he couldn't very well take the photo album to his lessons. The thought crossed his mind to skip his lessons, but he couldn't do that either. He needed to leave the book behind and go on with his day. He finally tore his eyes away from the album and got dressed. He headed down to the Great Hall for breakfast. He found that Ron had saved him a seat. He made his way down the long Gryffindor table. He was trying to avoid the looks from all of the first years making oogle eyes at him. He quickened his step and plopped down in the spot that his boyfriend had saved. "Morning Lo... Mate." Harry corrected himself quickly.
Ron turned a violent shade of red in his embarrassment. "Morning Harry." He replied. It was time for the post to arrive. Harry saw Hedwig fly in with the rest of the brown owls carrying letters and boxes for various students. The writing on the envelope the Hedwig dropped was familiar. It was from Professor Dumbledore. He immediately opened it up.
"Harry,
Please see me in my office immediately after breakfast. You are excused from all of your lessons today. See you soon.
Professor Dumbledore"
Harry looked up at the head table and noticed that Dumbledore wasn't there. Something serious must be pressing him if he was not to come to breakfast. He looked over at Ron and was mesmerized at the rate that he was shoveling the food into his mouth. He began to wonder if it was the fact that he got the present from Sirius. He also wondered if he should take the photo album for Dumbledore to see it. But he decided against it almost as soon as the thought came to his mind. He would want to check it for other spells and curses. Even though the truth came out about Sirius quite some time ago, he always felt that Dumbledore tried to keep him away from Harry. He didn't know if it was because the rumors were still going around, or if it was because of something more serious. But it didn't matter now, Sirius was dead and nothing was bringing him back.
The Great Hall was starting to become barren as the morning lessons were starting to begin. The students were immersed in their own conversations. There was no specific decoration in the Great Hall this morning, even the ceiling was visible. Harry inclined his head towards Ron and gave him a sorry look. "Dumbledore needs to see me. I'll see you in the Common Room later tonight."
The look on Ron's face was starting to become more regular now. He silently gave Harry and "I love you" look with his eyes and began to shovel eggs and bacon into his mouth. He watched Harry stand and make his way to the doors. Neither Ron nor Harry noticed that Draco Malfoy had not been to breakfast that morning.
Draco was really starting to become uneasy when a plate of food appeared before him in the early morning hours. He wasn't sure if he wanted to eat it or not. The thought came to him that he might never want to leave this room. It was almost too much to believe for himself, and he was the one living through it. He knew that if he ever got out, no one would ever believe what he had witnessed here. He decided that it was worth a shot to try the food. It was the best decision he had ever made in his life. The food was absolutely delicious. The bacon and eggs disappeared quite quickly. But he was not as startled this time when his plate refilled himself. And the drink that he had been drinking all night. It was amazing. It tasted oddly like pumpkin pie, but then, he didn't remember what pumpkin pie tasted like. He found the taste quite delectable. After he had finished eating, he had wished for something to read to occupy his time, when all of the sudden a series of bookshelves appeared on the left wall. This was amazing.
The hallways were empty as Harry made his way to Dumbledore's office. He stood before the gargoyle and realized that he didn't know Dumbledore's new password. "Raspberry Tart Jam" a voice said behind him. The gargoyle leapt aside and the stairs starting turning upward. Dumbledore stepped onto the stairs and turned and looked at Harry waiting for him to join him. Harry stepped onto the stairs and quietly rode them upwards. Once inside Dumbledore's inner office, Harry was told to take a seat.
"Harry, my boy. I have some news that I need to share with you. I'm not quite sure how you will take this as your emotions have been changing ever so much these past couple of days. But I have been to the Ministry of Magic and just found this out and once I tell you, I'm sure you will see why I can not have kept this a secret from you."
The paintings on the wall all looked to Harry for a response. He sat up in his chair and tried his best for the news that he had been waiting for. They had found Sirius' body and he was indeed dead. "I'm ready professor." Harry said with unease.
"First of all, I am quite pressed to tell you that as the Order has been going through the ministry quite feverishly to find all of the damage that had been done during the recent battle there. Unfortunately we came across the body of your Godfather."
Before Dumbledore could continue, Harry burst into tears. He began sobbing uncontrollably. His worst fear had come true. He had no family at all that he could go and stay with over the summer. He had to go back to the Dursley's.
"Harry, please let me finish. Although I have given you the bad news first, there is some good news that I wish you share with you. You see Harry, in looking for your Godfather, we have also located one of Lily's parents. You have a grandmother who is still alive Harry. Although, she is a..."
The excitement in the room could not be matched by even the best quidditch game in history. Harry burst out of his chair with such force that Dumbledore almost fell out of his chair. "I have a grandmother? You mean, she's alive? Voldemort didn't kill her?"
"Harry, please calm down. No, Voldemort did not kill your grandparents. Well, he did not kill Lily's parents. He could not find them before he killed your parents. But you must know Harry that she is a muggle."
"I don't care if she's a muggle," He was ecstatic to find out that he didn't have to return to the Dursley's that summer. "I have a family that understands."
"Yes, she does understand about the wizarding world Harry, but she is quite unstable at this point. She has come to learn of her daughters death and the real reasons behind it. This is why I was not at breakfast this morning. I was visiting her. She was quite happy to see me, but she is still quite distraught. She wishes that you remain here over the summer, instead of going to Surrey with the Dursley's. Which I'm sure they will be quite happy to receive my owl tomorrow stating that will not be returning there for the summer."
"I'm staying here for the summer?" Harry asked not believing what he had just heard.
"Yes Harry, you are staying here for the summer. Of course, if that's ok with you." Dumbledore said with a smile playing on his lips.
"Yes, that's ok. I'd like nothing more than to stay here for the summer."
"It's set then. I will be going to the Dursley's in the future days after my owl has returned to retrieve some more of your things. I will be the only staff member here over the summer. No classes or any of the like. You can go back to your common room now Harry. I think you have some celebrating to do. I have excused Ronald Weasley from his classes today also."
The portraits on the walls were all beaming with happiness and pride when Harry stood and walked to the office door. "Thank you Professor. Thank you so much." Harry ran down the stairs and reached his Common Room in record time. He walked through the Fat Lady's portrait with one thought on his mind, "I have a family."