Chapter 2 Back to Headquarters
Harry went downstairs, only too find the three Dursley's sitting around the kitchen-table already half finished with their breakfast. He sat down himself while his aunt Petunia shifted him a grapefruit- quarter. His cousin, who once had looked like a great fat "pig", had ceased with his dieting program not too long ago. Still it did not stop the Dursley's from hoping that he, Harry Potter, would likely die by starvation. Yet Harry had, like the last time when he had received grapefruit-quarters, a small amount of food that he had received from his friends. Once he had was back at Privet Drive, Hedwig, his owl, had been busy flying letters to all of his friends, begging them for help. Everyone, the Weasleys, the Grangers, The members of the Order, Hagrid, even Dobby had sent back an enormous amount of food. Too much for him to manage. He still had a sac-full of rock-cakes, some cake and that enormous pudding Dobby sent.
"Those motorcycle- freaks" his uncle said cursing. "And the police, you know, they do nothing about it. Almost as bad as the freaks that he is. I'm telling you, next time one of those dare enter the house I'll throw him out with my bare hands."
'Why' Harry thought. 'Why do they always have too talk about me like I'm third
person singular.'
His uncle continued talking about his favourite subject, to criticize everything and everyone around. Harry sighed, finished his quarter and left the Dursleys to discuss a freak, who just left his garden to grow like a maze. He wondered when the members of the Order would fetch him up. He didn't feel like telling his uncle about it. The way the Dursleys most liked him was out of the house, or lying in a grave.
Harry went outside too get a bit of fresh air. The mist, which had lain over the street all morning had finally lifted and you could even see the warm blazing sun from above. It was cloudless, and warm winds came from the south. A perfect day to be outside. Harry stood there warming himself up before returning inside to pack his Hogwarts stuff. Not knowing he still was being watched by this mysterious figure. The figure, hidden in the shadow of the opposite house was well hidden because his clothes bore the same colour as the darkness as the shadow he stood in.
At eight pm, a large bus appeared outside and stopped by the letter box of Number Four, Private Drive. Harry sat by the door and had been waiting the whole day when it finally knocked on the door.
"Harry" said a familiar voice from outside. "Harry, open up it's me Professor Lupin."
"And me to" said another familiar female voice, recognisable as Tonks.
Harry quickly unlocked the door and let the two adults in. Professor Lupin looked like his usual self, except that he seemed very tired. Probably since it had been the full moon the previous day. Tonks on the other hand was hardly recognisable. The young woman looked more like a finical aristocrat, than her usual coloured-hairy self. "
"Hello Harry" she said smiling.
"Hi" ha answered unsure about what too say.
"Where's your trunk" Lupin asked before Harry opened his mouth too ask about what had happened.
"In my room. I'll go and get it."
"No need to do that. I'll go" Tonks said once again eager to have a closer inspection on his Firebolt.
As the woman disappeared up the stairs Harry whispered to his old DADA teacher.
"What's happened with her? She looks like one of my old teacher, at my old school."
Lupin laughed.
"She's training for a new mission for Dumbledore. We are trying to get some of Voldemort's old alliances to fight for our side. It's difficult, but we have managed more than we expected. Tonks is moving on to Dark Fairies. They are a very fussy fairy folk who fancies "finicality" over everything else."
Harry looked bewildered up the stairs were he could hear Tonks accidentally knock one Hedwigs cage to the ground. The owl, which had been sleeping ever since she had returned back, hooted angrily while Tonks tried to calm her.
"What's going on?" roared his uncle from the living room were he, and the rest of the Dursleys had been watching television with the volume on loudspeakers, hence the reason they had not heard anyone enter.
The man angrily stormed out to the hall, but when he saw Harry, Lupin and Tonks, who had managed her way to the stairs, ha abruptly turned back. Aunt Petunia looked out and screamed. His cousin Dudley hid himself under the living-room table.
"Ready to go" Lupin asked.
Harry nodded. Lupin and Tonks took his trunk to the Knight bus and paid the conductor some sickles.
(Number twelve, Grimmauld Place)
Looking inside he could see nothing. The lights were out. It was quiet. Lupin and Tonks carefully took his trunk upstairs. A small creek could be heard from one of the steps.
"Hurry up, boy" growled Alastor Moody. "Dark creatures stroll the streets, you never know what's behind you. Close the door, but be careful you don't wake up the old hag over there" he said pointing at one of the big paintings at the hallway.
Harry followed him to the kitchen were he found many of the other members of the Order. Some he knew, and some he didn't know. There were many new faces he had never seen before.
"Hello Harry" Kingsley said grinning. "Had a nice journey?"
"Not to bad" he answered.
"Hello Mr Potter, I'm Carol Jones. Nice to meet you." said a bushy dark-haired female with a face that sort of reminded him about a mole.
"I'm Donald McFair. One of the new beaters in the Irish Quidditch team." another chap said, a man around his 40's with white-blond hair and purple eyes.
"Nice to meet you" said a couple of twins. "We are Sarah and Laura Jenkins. We work as interpreters at the Minister of Magic. We know all kinds of languages from troll to elvish."
Everyone wanted to shake his hand. Everyone, except a shadowy figure by the fire.
"Excuse me Moody, but I don't think you introduced the man over there" ha said and pointed.
Moodys face darkened and he put a strong hand on Harrys shoulder. Harry could sense something was wrong, but he dared not to mention it.
"That's Draco. Draco Malfoy." Moody said in a dark voice.
"Malfoy?" he said with a voice full of surprise.
(Hogwarts)
It was much later that Cassandra woke up in what looked like the infirmary of the school. Her head ached and her cheeks were wet from all the salty tears. The nurse came over, followed by an old man with silver-white hair and half moon spectacles.
"Hello young one, who are you?" asked the old man gently.
"I'm Cassandra." she answered slightly confused "Cassandra Aurora Ridgeback. A student at Rosengard's School of Magical Illusions and Etc. I came here to warn someone called Albus."
"I'm Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," the old man said. Now tell me, what has happened. Why did old man Johnsson send you here?"
Editing notes: It surely was a while I wrote this, hence the horrible grammars and the plain structures in the story... sigh... but it sure brings back memories. Anyway, if anyone is interested to know about changes please tell me. Most won't change from the Original story, but a few things are remade here and there. For example in this chapter, when Harry says "Malfoy", the old version said he said it with disgust. It did not fit however, even though they are enemies, to have his first reaction to be disgusted, which is why now I changed that into surprise. Wouldn't you be surprised to see him there?
Another thing I might mention is that in Sweden, surnames such as Johnson, Ericson are mainly spelled with two S. This goes back long ago when your were often known as the Son or Daughter of said person. In Swedish we express this as Johns son the son of Mr John or Johns dotter the daughter of John. However, surnames ending with dotter (daughter) hardly exists any more. It is more common to find it in Iceland.