Thank you, all of you who have read the story so far and to each once of you who have taken the time to post a review. Thank you Purple am5
Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past
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Chapter – 9
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It took Harry almost a week to open his eyes and then another fifteen days to sit up in bed. Another week rolled by before he was discharged from the infirmary. They were very close to the Midwinter holidays and Harry had hardly three days before School closed for Yule. Sirius and Remus had been daily visitors to the castle, visiting Harry who had been in a healing sleep and then only able to open his eyes and speak a few words to a very worried Sirius and Remus and then go off to sleep once again.
Sirius and Remus came early in the morning and did not leave until late at night. They simply sat there by Harry's bedside willing him to wake up and get better. Sirius especially was terrified he might lose Harry, his last link to James, the brother he was not born with and also his last link with sanity. Remus was worried about both Harry and Sirius, who was taking Harry's accident as catastrophic.
Remus was very much afraid Sirius might collapse with the strain and the stress he was taking. But after a week when Sirius had almost not eaten or washed and close to collapsing that Harry opened his eyes.
"Harry?" Sirius's voice sounded raspy with emotion.
"Hurts Sirius." Harry had muttered groggily, sipped some water and had gone back to sleep. His potions were given intravenously and Harry had slept for another two days before waking up once more. This time he was more coherent and was almost awake for half an hour and also took some three potions before slipping back to sleep.
Sirius heaved a sigh of relief before he accepted a sleeping potion from Pomfrey and crashed on the bed next to Harry's. Remus took the one next to Sirius. That pattern followed until Harry was awake for longer periods and then after three weeks after his fall, sat up in bed. That day there was a celebration of sorts in the infirmary. Sirius smuggled in Hermione and Neville and Ron, Dean and Seamus also insisted on coming along to see Harry. Ron especially wanted to apologize to Harry.
He had been feeling terrible inside, thinking that Harry had lost concentration because of the fight with him and it was slowly killing him. He had lost a lot of weight and had been too scared to say anything to anybody else.
He had become pale when he saw how thin and pale Harry was and how much he had suffered; the hot headed Gryffindor had blurted his apologies to Harry just reining in his tears.
"Merlin Harry! I am so sorry. It was all my fault." Ron had spoken through gritted teeth, trying to reign in his emotions.
Harry had blinked. "What! You hexed my broomstick?" he asked unable to believe what Ron was sprouting off. Everyone else was also staring at Ron in some kind of a horrified fascination, while Ron grew more miserable and pale, making his hair stand out even more vividly.
"No," he had managed to gasp out loud, "Of course I didn't. But it was because of my stupid argument that you must have lost your concentration and fallen down. I am so sorry Harry. You have been so ill." Ron's voice slowed down to a whisper and when he finished, his words could hardly be heard.
Harry had stared at Ron and shook his head in amazement and shock. How much had Ron beat himself up for him, Harry falling down? Harry shook his head and grinned at his first friend of his other life. "Hey Ron come here." Harry said softly. When Ron came a bit closer Harry caught hold of his hand and gave him a one armed awkward hug.
"I was flying for almost half an hour high in the skies before I was thrown off it Ron. Sirius here told me that some one had used a dark spell to do it. And I am sure it was not you or any of us here."
The relief on Ron's face at that was comical. Dumbledore had announced that Harry had been thrown off his broom suggesting a bad broom more than anything else and until that time Ron had thought that it was because of him that Harry had lost concentration. He had been afraid to say anything to his brothers for fear they would strangle him to death and he had been waiting for Harry to have visitors so that he could come and apologize.
After that all of them sat around and chatted for a while. Dumbledore had not called Sirius and Remus to talk about Harry because they had been very worried about the accident. Dumbledore decided to wait until Harry was fine and then talk to them. He did not think he would get anything coherent from them at this time.
After Harry was discharged from the infirmary, he spent the few days he was up and about catching up with all that he missed. Harry noticed that Snape was completely avoiding him, he had stopped staring every now and then at Harry like he used to and in fact he was acting as if there was no Harry Potter.
Harry wondered about it but he was too caught up with being with Hermione and Neville and telling Ron for the hundredth time about how he had been struck by the bludger and had lost consciousness and so did not know who cast the spell on his broom. Draco had not visited Harry in the infirmary and while he had looked long and hard at Harry when Harry joined the land of the living, he did not come up to the Gryffindor table or try and meet Harry to speak to him. Harry wondered about that too, but shrugged it off because he had too much to catching up to do.
There was a huge Gryffindor party the day Harry came back to his dorm and Harry learned that the game had been declared abandoned and would be rescheduled for later. Oliver sought him out and was relieved when he found Harry would be fit to play seeker for their next game against Ravenclaw.
Dumbledore had had to pacify a livid Sirius and Remus who were threatening to remove Harry from Hogwarts and home School him, if Hogwarts could not keep her students safe. While being struck by a bludger was acceptable in a game of Quidditch, especially when with the slimy Slytherins, having a dark spell on your broom to deliberately throw you off with intention to kill was not and Sirius was justifiably angry, making Harry feel very warm inside once again that here was someone to be angry on his behalf. The last time he had had no one.
Harry went to Grimmauld Place for the holidays, inviting Hermione, Neville and Ron and the twins for Midwinter. He spent one week of his holidays recuperating; he still became tired very easily. Hermione, Neville, Ron and the twins had accepted Harry's invitation and Sirius had apparated to Hermione's home and activated her floo system. He gave the secret of Grimmauld Place to Hermione, Ron, Neville and the twins and also told them he would activate the floo in Grimmauld Place by afternoon on Midwinter day.
Harry had got a Chudley Cannons robe for Ron, a box of muggle pranks for the twins, a book on Herbology for Neville and a book on magical culture for Hermione. He had one of that himself and he read that conspicuously all that week. In fact Harry used his time recuperating by reading widely inviting anxious and humorously sarcastic comments from Sirius who wondered how Harry could be James's son and his Godson. Then he would slap a hand to head and exclaim that Harry had taken after Lily and all of them would laugh.
Every time Harry laughed or even widely grinned and rolled his eyes at Sirius's antics, Sirius's eyes would light up and his whole frame would brighten up and he would say something sillier. He delighted in amusing and caring for Harry and Harry revelled in the attention from an exuberant Sirius and a calmer Remus.
Sirius had almost become normal in the months Harry had been away at Hogwarts and he was looking very smart and young, more so than last time. This time he had been declared innocent before he had been released and he was no longer a fugitive from justice and it showed. Remus was looking very young too and Sirius had made him his own personal secretary to help him handle the businesses of the Black family and had him living in Grimmauld Place all the time. Sirius and Remus were also exploring avenues of making the wolfsbane cheaper so that it would be available to more werewolves, especially small children who had been bitten, to ensure a better standard of living for them.
Ron, Hermione, Neville and the twins came in the afternoon looking slightly awed at the huge house that could not be seen. Grimmauld Place it self had undergone a massive transformation. All the dark objects had been removed and destroyed and all those that refused to be destroyed were taken away from their original places and stored in the attic, which itself had been cleaned and heavily warded.
The walls were now bright and windows clean. The elf heads had gone along with the dark artefacts. Only the portraits remained. They could not be removed at all.
Harry received them and they had a fun time after the initial shock of being yelled by Mrs. Black whose curtains opened after Neville tripped and fell with a loud shout. All of them opened their presents and had a huge high tea and Harry was sure that no one would be able to eat that day apart from Ron, who was always ready for a meal this time too.
For Sirius and Remus Harry had created the four Marauders on a largish square of wood and a full moon hanging high. He had approached McGonagall in the three days he had been out of the infirmary to ask her help to create it. She had agreed very happily to help him in his ambitious project and Harry had a tough time trying to make the Transfiguration slightly imperfect and taking many tries to get it instead of simply flicking his wand and creating it.
The stag, grim and the werewolf ran happily through the woods and they were at intervals chewing the rat and then letting it go, only to be attacked all over again.
When Harry had handed it to them, Sirius had become very still and blinked his eyes furiously to clear it and Remus had looked in joy when the werewolf chewed and spit the rat only for it to be stamped upon by the stag's hoofs.
"McGonagall helped me with it." Harry had told them shyly and Sirius and Remus who were holding it went carefully to the corner of the room where Remus conjured up a huge table and they placed it there adding lights around it to attract attention of everyone who would come into that room.
After placing the board carefully, Sirius and Remus crushed Harry. "This is the best gift we have ever received, haven't we Moony?"
Remus nodded beaming at Harry and ruffling his hair. "Of course Padfoot. This is the very best. I love the way the Wormtail gets his dues from Messer's. Prongs, Padfoot and Moony. Brilliant Harry. You are the best."
The twins had been attracted by Harry's gift and their eyes opened wide when they saw the words on the side "Messer's Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs." They whispered hastily to each other and then came quickly to Harry.
"Harry, who are they?" Fred had asked urgently gesturing towards the joyous animals running around.
"Prongs is my dad, Sirius is Padfoot and Remus is Moony and Pettigrew was Wormtail. Why?" Harry had asked seemingly bewildered and the twins much to his amusement had gone and fallen at the feet of very bemused Sirius and Remus.
"Hail to the great Marauder's.
"It is indeed a day of joy to behold one of your idols in front of you."
"Hail to Moony."
"Hail to Padfoot."
"STOP! What are you two doing?" Sirius bellowed totally confused when the twins went on.
"Oh Lord and Master of pranks,"
"We found the Marauder's Map,"
"Last year when in detention,"
"With Filch, and today,"
"To realise we are actually,"
"In the hallowed presence,"
"Stop! Stop!" Sirius was laughing helplessly along with Remus. And then the explanations of how they had found the Marauder's Map came out and Sirius and Remus promised to make one for Harry.
"Wait!" Hermione said, her eyes wide, "does that mean Mr. Lupin is a werewolf?"
There was only silence after that hushed question and nobody said anything apart from a terrified squeak from Neville and a backing away from Ron that made Harry very irritated.
"Yeah!" he said into the deafening silence. "In fact I saw him during full moon and with the help of the wolfsbane a potion he takes, Remus is perfectly alright. If any of you cannot accept it, then I think we will part as good friends' right here."
Sirius and Remus gaped at Harry. Instead of pacifying them and explaining to them that a werewolf was not dangerous except during the full moon Harry was issuing ultimatums. Remus felt very warm inside as he brushed his glistening eyes carelessly.
The twins shrugged. "We knew the moment we saw that thing. When you told me that Moony is Remus, well," Fred shrugged and fell silent.
"Makes no difference mate." George said. Fred nodded, his thoughts already on how he could milk these two for all kinds of pranks and not really caring for Remus's werewolf status.
Harry beamed at them and they went to Remus and dragged him off to a corner to discuss pranks with him. "I really don't mind Harry." Hermione said softly and Neville and Ron nodded their heads, their eyes full of fear.
"So we are fine?" Harry asked his raising his eyebrows in silent enquiry, looking at all of them and when they nodded, he smiled and clapped his hands calling for attention. "Okay folks, may I now suggest a game?" when everyone had gathered around him.
"What is it oh son of Prongs?" Fred asked him bowing deeply to him. Sirius laughed, delighted by this show of respect for their pranks and simply revelled in it.
"I propose a prank war now. Let us divide into four groups and attack each other. Gred and Forge you are one unit, we four are one and Sirius and Remus operate on their own." Harry said, giggling loudly when he saw the eager faces and it was not Hermione, Ron, Neville or he.
"Fantastic Harry! That is what we will do. And none of us will reverse the pranks and at the end of one hour we will see how many of us got each other. Now we will take fifteen minutes to plan and then I will sound a whistle, then the game is on." Sirius told all of them and everyone scrambled to think for good ideas to prank.
Harry led his group to his room and they planned. Fifteen minutes later the whistle sounded and the war started.
An hour later a previously timed whistle sounded and all of them gathered in drawing room to see who had been pranked the most. Harry was completely bald and had a beard that was plaited with bright ribbons at the end, and added to that he had two arms sprouting from his stomach and back hanging down very unattractively.
Fred had become an elf complete with tennis ball eyes and big floppy ears. He was holding his robes and tripping over them at every step. George had some kind of scales all over his body that were hissing and spitting on their own from the many mouths they seemed to have and his head was in green dreadlocks. He was grinning and howled with laughter when he saw Harry's hands.
"The hands are good aren't they?" he said laying claim to his artistry and Harry laughed along with him.
"How do you like green? You look good in this though; green hair with dreadlocks." Harry told him proudly and Sirius and Remus who had come in agreed completely.
Sirius had his face turned into a monkey and his arms had been lengthened and were almost touching his toes. Harry and the twins screamed in laughter at both Sirius and Remus. Remus who had done this partial Transfiguration of Sirius pumped his triumphant fist into the air. Remus was the least affected; his robes were flashing all colours of the rainbow and had spaghetti straps for his robes that showed off his shoulders and a lot of chest; the neckline of the spaghetti top was very, very low and everyone had catcalled and when he had walked into the room.
Hermione, Ron and Neville who had hidden in various rooms after the first prank played on them came in sheepishly and stopped at the entrance and stared at the five inside. Then Ron who had blonde wavy hair and purple skin that made him look very ugly, rolled on the ground with laughter.
Hermione giggled, slightly horrified at the various additions all of them were having. She had the Dumbledore hair and beard only her hair was white, long and bushy as was her beard, refusing to settle down.
Neville had the hopping jinx on him and his whole body was a nice frog green and he was hopping from one place to another. He had looked at the others with wide eyes and then had started giggling and violently hopping all around the room, making everyone laugh.
All of them decided they had a great time and the twins were sorry to see themselves back to normal. "We couldn't even get one thing on you guys." Fred said enviously looking at Sirius and Remus, "But let the next war come, I shall avenge this rectify this defeat and restore the name and glory to the Weasley family." He finished striking a pose and looking snootily at everyone.
All of them laughed a lot that afternoon and after a round of hot chocolate and cookies, everyone left for their homes, feeling they had had a great time. Harry was almost asleep as he waved them goodbye and Sirius noticing that lifted Harry into his arms, making him squeal and took him upstairs to his bed room. There Sirius flicked his wand and changed Harry's robes into his night clothes and gave another wave of his wand to clean Harry's teeth. Harry slept the moment his head touched his pillow.
The next day all of them woke up very late and in Harry's case a little tired and dull. Sirius, seeing Harry's demeanour stopped all talk of yesterday he had been chortling with Remus and silently placed his breakfast before him. Once Harry had cleaned his plate, Sirius made him lie down on the comfortable sofa in the drawing room and read. He and Remus joined Harry too and they sat there Sirius reading The Daily Prophet, Remus one of Harry's books on defence he had wanted to read for a long time and Harry who was looking through his Self Updating Book of Spells.
In the afternoon, just as Harry was beginning to doze off, a brown School owl came to Grimmauld Place and dropped a letter on Sirius before flying to the window sill. The barn owl did not leave indicating that it was waiting for a response.
"Who is it from?" Harry asked perking up a little.
"Looks like it's from someone at Hogwarts." Sirius mumbled opening the letter and Harry frowned. Why would anyone send a letter to Sirius from Hogwarts? He looked at Sirius who had read the letter and was looking very astonished. He cleared his throat and read it aloud.
"Dear Sirius,
I hope you have recovered from your unfortunate stay in Azkaban. I realize I have not seen you since the day you left here to go to your home. I would like to invite you, Remus and young Harry for dinner with myself and the other professors at Hogwarts tonight. If you are in agreement kindly send your acceptance with the School owl.
Yours sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore."
Sirius finished the short letter and looked up confusion in his face. "Why?" he asked.
Harry and Remus had no answers, though Harry frowned a little more inside while maintaining a perplexed expression on the outside. Why was Dumbledore inviting Sirius, Remus and him to Hogwarts for dinner with the staff? Was he suspicious because of Harry's proficiency or surprised that Harry was a topper in his class? He had made sure that he was a normal brilliant. The only thing Dumbledore could be suspicious was about his Occlumency skills, but even that could be explained as natural because Harry had subconsciously wanted to bury all those feelings inside of him.
Harry looked at Sirius who was looking at him and seeing the small frown on Harry's face smiled. "You need not come if you don't want to." He said and Harry contemplated that statement. He need not go but if they did discuss anything Harry would not know about it. But then, Dumbledore was capable of sending Harry away to discuss whatever he wanted with Sirius.
He shook his head and smiled a little at Sirius. "You decide. I don't mind either way so long as we get a fab dinner there." Sirius laughed at the childish answer and scribbled a note to Dumbledore and sent it off with the owl.
"Are you sure you are up to going?" Remus asked him a little while later. "You still look a bit tired Harry."
Harry nodded. "I do feel a bit tired but it will only be dinner and back. So no problem Remus. Yesterday was so much fun wasn't it. But it was a bit tiring. I should be alright tomorrow."
"So much fun." Sirius grinned at the memory and that started off long discussions about the pranks they played when they were young. Harry listened having heard most of it from their portraits, a long time ago, but still enjoying their nostalgia and laughing along with them.
Harry, Sirius and Remus had written each other almost everyday and once again Harry was struck by how patient Sirius was. Mrs. Weasley was wrong the last time, Harry thought. Sirius never looked upon him as James, only as James's son and he cared for Harry in a way that touched Harry to the bottom of his heart.
Harry had told him all about the professors in his letters and also about his classmates and about how he had tackled Malfoy; that account brought a lot of appreciation from Sirius who had laughed himself silly, according to Remus. Harry had grumbled that the Slytherins were lucky because Snape was partial to them and McGonagall treated them like Slytherins. Sirius had been very sympathetic and promised Harry that he could have his revenge on McGonagall by pranking her and had sent a whole lot of ideas. Harry had laughed over them, but had not acted upon it, mainly because he was still establishing himself in the School the way he wanted to.
Sirius had been very indignant about Snape questioning about OWL and NEWT level potions to Harry and he was very proud Harry had managed to answer and shocked that Snape had not abused Harry at all. Sirius had thought Snape was scared of him and Remus but sounded doubtful and warned darkly that the great git was up to no good and it would be better for Harry to always be on his guard. Harry agreed with that one. It was always better to be on his guard with Snape. Always.
Now Sirius, Remus and Harry left for Hogwarts through the floo and Sirius and Remus landed gracefully, while Harry landed on his bottom, scowling at their laughter. They had landed in the Headmaster's office and Harry looked around curiously.
"Hello Sirius. You are looking well. And you too Remus and Harry, you are looking a lot better than when you left." Dumbledore told them, smiling at Harry.
Sirius frowned. "Have you any news about who it was that sabotaged Harry's broom?" Dumbledore shook his head at Sirius. "No we do not know Sirius but I have tightened the wards." and smiled at Harry who was watching him very intently too. Harry's face showed a mild disappointment and a slight fear?
Dumbledore had invited Harry as a test. If Harry had not come he would have taken it as yet another thing against him, but Harry had come. So maybe this Occlumency was a natural thing. Now he looked at Harry who was seemingly contemplating and Dumbledore peeped again.
He saw Harry's thoughts and saw his happy thoughts of Grimmauld Place and the prank war they had played yesterday and his current thoughts of who could have sabotaged his broom. The suspects seemed to range from Snape who seemed prime candidate to Dumbledore himself whom Harry thoughts at the time seemed to say, was hiding his violence underneath his benign nature. Harry was wondering whether Dumbledore and Voldemort were actually one, with McGonagall and Snape being his assistants when Dumbledore drew back astounded at the imagination of this boy and biting his cheeks to stop howling with laughing.
Harry was frowning slightly and Dumbledore actually grinned at the boy. "Er, Harry do you read a lot of story books?" he asked.
Harry nodded. "Yes sir. I read a lot of them and I have watched a few crime serials on the T.V. sometimes."
"Ah!" said Dumbledore smiling. "Come on, the others are waiting for us at the Great Hall."
All of them stood up to leave when Fawkes suddenly trilled and with a magnificent flap of his wings flew over to Harry and sat on his shoulder shocking the other three, especially Dumbledore, who blinked and then beamed. This was confirmation Harry was a fine boy and he was not dark. Dumbledore never felt so relieved.
Suddenly Fawkes trilled again and flew up and let two red and golden feathers fall on Harry, who caught them totally gob smacked. Then Fawkes flew once more to Harry's shoulder and stayed there.
"Wow! Harry. Fawkes has just gifted you with a feather for your wand." Sirius told him awed. Harry was completely shocked. Once again fate was intervening and giving Harry the feathers for his wands. Did that mean Fawkes knew he had two wands? Harry was very confused and slightly alarmed. Schooling his expression and thankful that Dumbledore did not peep then, when his thoughts were so chaotic, Harry turned to Sirius.
"How do I do this Sirius? Should I go to the wand shop again? Wait! I have a better idea. I will ask the Self Updating Book of Spells and then do as it says." Harry nodded to himself and Sirius who nodded back again.
"I never asked you Harry. What is your wand core?" Remus asked him.
Here it comes Harry thought and grinned to himself while maintaining a perplexed front. "There were so many things Remus. There was some blood, some Phoenix feather and tears, some snake venom and some blood of everything and some stag tail hair. Now I have two of Fawkes, you said Sirius?" Harry asked him and when Sirius nodded dumbly, Harry continued, "Fawkes's feathers." He finished sounding extremely satisfied, while the three adults were gaping at him. Well, Sirius and Remus were gaping and Dumbledore was staring inscrutably at Harry, but with Fawkes on his shoulders he could not see Harry's face fully.
They walked quietly down to the Great Hall, Sirius and Remus determined to question Harry once they got home and Dumbledore determined to do that right now, here at Hogwarts.
All the professors were there and Harry sighed inside when he saw Snape and Sirius scowling at each other, right from the door where they had obviously spotted each other. Then Snape looked at Remus and his lips curled and then his eyes met Harry's. Snape's face closed off and he turned away. Harry frowned at that, but before he could decipher the look they were at the table and Harry was seated between Dumbledore and Snape; McGonagall, next to Snape and next to her were Sirius and Remus. There was another table set for all the other professors. That meant Dumbledore wanted McGonagall and Snape to watch him and they had suspicions of their own about him.
"Hello Potter, how are you now?" McGonagall asked him, Sirius was still scowling at Snape and Snape was bending down at his plate. Fawkes was now at the back of Harry's chair and was trilling very softly.
"Fine professor, thank you." Harry replied politely, still thinking about Snape.
"Fawkes usually does not come down to the Great Hall Albus, does he?" McGonagall asked him curiously a question in her voice.
Albus smiled. "He has taken an exceptional liking to Harry here, Minerva." Lowering his voice he added, "He has given Harry two feathers for his wand."
Snape looked up at that scowling heavily at Harry and then at Fawkes. "What is your wand core?" he asked Harry abruptly. Sirius scowled and was about to tell Snape what he could do with his question when Harry replied.
"Blood, Phoenix feather, tears, tail hair, snake venom and now Fawkes's feathers. I am going to ask the Self Updating Book of Spells and fix it to my wand sir." Harry replied proudly.
"That is the second time I have heard that name Harry. What book is it?" Dumbledore asked him with a small frown.
"That is what the name says sir. I found it in a shop in Knockturn Alley and Remus and I tried everything to work the book and finally a drop of my blood did the trick. That book was owned by Ignotus Peverell and it really is the Self Updating Book of Spells sir." Dumbledore stared completely shaken and so did Snape. Harry looked normal.
"What does that book do Harry?" Dumbledore asked him and at the same time Snape and McGonagall to whom the name did not mean anything much asked, "Knockturn Alley?"
Harry blushed. "Yes professors. I did not know I should not have gone into Knockturn Alley, since I went shopping alone. It was dark but the book store and wand shop was great."
"You got your wand at Knockturn Alley?" this time there were many voices, Sirius, Remus, Dumbledore and McGonagall. Snape was oddly quiet. Remus explained how Harry had gone shopping, glazing over the Dursleys, but Dumbledore understood in between the sentences anyway and so did McGonagall and by the way she was glaring at Dumbledore, he was going to get an earful of it later on. Snape only sneered but still was very quiet.
"May I see that book Harry?" Dumbledore asked quietly.
"I don't have it with me now sir. May I show you when I come back to School?" Dumbledore nodded, but Harry could see that he had thrown Dumbledore for a six. Harry wanted all of this type of information out in the open so that no one would think of delving into other things that would be far more dangerous for them to know and for him to reveal.
"Yes Harry." Dumbledore said and turned the topic away from Harry and Harry's purchases and they spent a good hour chatting and then seeing Harry yawing not so discreetly, Sirius and Remus took leave and flooed back to Grimmauld Place. Sirius turned to Harry and asked in him great detail about his trip to Knockturn Alley and Harry answered as best as he could.
Before Harry and the other two left Dumbledore's office, Dumbledore handed him a brown parcel tied up in string. "This was left in my care by your father Harry. Use it well." Harry's eyes shone and he opened the parcel and took out the invisibility cloak.
"James's invisibility cloak. Yes!" Sirius shouted and punched the air, and taught there on the spot how to use the cloak to Harry. After Harry tried being invisible completely and then showing only his head and hiding his body and Sirius trying a few tricks too, all of them left for Grimmauld Place. The moment they stepped in Sirius turned to Harry and asked in him great detail about his trip to Knockturn Alley and Harry answered as best as he could.
"I chose the wand and everything by closing my eye and the wood and stuff felt so right in my hands Sirius. I got a lot of red, gold and green sparks from it when I waved it first. It was thrilling. But with the Self Updating Book of Spells that Remus and I were checking out, I completely forgot about this. I am sorry Sirius." Sirius was finally satisfied and only then allowed Harry to go to bed.
Before Harry went to bed, he begged Sirius to allow him to try to place Fawkes's feather into his wand. "Please say we can try with the help of the Self Updating Book of Spells here. Please. Please."
Sirius laughed and nodded. Harry immediately ran to get his book and he wrote as Sirius dictated the question and soon Sirius followed the instructions of the book and soon they had Phoenix feather fixed into Harry's wand.
"Give it a twirl Harry." Sirius told him. Harry lifted his wand that felt so complete in his hand and swirled it high above his head. A riot of colours burst out of the wand and all three of them watched awed by the various colours that mingled with each other and lit up the whole room.
End of Chapter – 9
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