CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: SUMMER HOLIDAYS II
So far, I wasn't having a good summer. I had already had an argument with Uncle Vernon over chores, and now I was sick with painful stomach pains. I was currently lying curled up on my bed holding my stomach, crying, begging for the pain to go away.
At the time, I figured this was just a normal stomach bug, as I was having diarrhoea too. I figured, like all the rare times I got sick, that I would be very ill for a few days, before it disappeared. But that didn't help me get comfortable, and it also annoyed me.
Uncle Severus was bound to be here soon and I didn't want him or my grandparents to worry about me, but they did.
The moment Uncle Severus arrived and heard that I was sick, he was right by my side, concerned. He told me that once we arrived at Acacia, I was to go straight to bed and he would give me a healing potion.
The car trip to Uncle Severus' place was unenjoyable. The motion of the car only made things worse, despite my uncle's desperate attempts to distract me. However, if I thought the car was bad, than nothing could compare me for the Floo. When I arrived in Acacia, I ended up vomiting all over the floor.
Ignoring my constant apologising and objections, Uncle Severus picked me up and carried me to bed.
'Stay in bed and I will be back soon with something for your stomach,' he said, when he was sure that I was comfortable.
'I'm sorry to be such a bother,' I apologised.
'Don't be sorry, sweetie,' Uncle Severus said softly. 'It's not your fault, and that's what I'm here for… to take care of you. Now hang tight. I'll be back in a minute.'
I watched as Uncle Severus left the room, before changing into my true self. I felt a little better from doing this one simple action and I tried to go to sleep, but I couldn't. In the end, I ended up jumping out of bed and running into my bathroom, to the toilet, feeling as though I need to go, but I didn't.
It was then that I saw it…
Uncle Severus was heading back to my room, carrying a goblet and a potion bottle, when he heard a terrified scream. Knowing that it was my scream, Uncle Severus dropped the bottle and goblet; the bottle smashed into a thousand pieces with its contents stain the hall rug, and ran towards my room. He was scared. He didn't know why I screamed and it worried him. He caught me in his arms as I ran out my bedroom door.
'Harri, what's wrong?' His voice was full of concern as were his eyes as he took in my terrified face.
'I think I'm dying!' I cried as tears fell down my cheeks. I was shaking all over.
'What makes you think that?' Uncle Severus said sharply, though he was gently at the same time.
'I'm bleeding from my you-know.' I gestured downwards awkwardly.
To my utmost amazement, Uncle Severus visibly relaxed, though he looked a little awkward.
'Your Aunt Petunia never gave you the Talk, did she?' he asked.
'Aunt Petunia and I never talk,' I replied, not knowing what he was talking about.
'I thought so. Sweetie, you're not dying.'
'Then why am I bleeding?' I demanded.
'It's normal. It happens to every girl.'
'Uncle Sev, you're talking in riddles. What happens to every girl?'
Uncle Severus became even more uncomfortable.
'I don't think I'm the right person to tell you that,' he replied awkwardly. 'Tell you what. You go back to bed while I go to Hogwarts to get your grandmother and Madam Pomfrey. It would be best if they told you.'
'No! I don't want you to leave me!' I cried, clinging onto his arm like a two year old.
This startled my uncle. He had never seen me so scared or some willing to reach out to someone for help.
'Sweetie, I promise you that it will be okay.'
'I don't care. I want to stay with you. I'm coming with you,' I said stubbornly. I didn't care if I sounded like a spoilt brat.
'Are you sure you will be able to handle the Floo?' he questioned uncertainly.
I nodded my head stubbornly.
'Alright then,' he sighed, changing into his glamour as Snape. 'Let's go then.'
We headed to a nearby fireplace before Flooing into Grandfather's office. Thankfully, I wasn't able to vomit as I had nothing left in my stomach.
Uncle Severus then led me through the familiar corridors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, all the way to the staff room. He motioned for me to remain quietly outside while he entered. I could still hear everything the staff were saying.
'Severus, what are you doing here?' I heard Grandfather question lightly, though I could hear the hidden notes of worry in his tone. 'We weren't expecting to see you today.'
'Nor was I expecting to come in,' Uncle Severus replied, 'but I need a favour from Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey.'
'What kind of favour?' Madam Pomfrey inquired.
'I am currently looking after my niece and she needs to talk desperately to a motherly figure about an issue. Unfortunately, I cannot help her and I thought you would be able to help me.'
'I didn't know you had a niece, Severus,' Flitwick commented.
'Well clearly I do. If I didn't, I wouldn't be standing here having this conversation,' Uncle Severus replied impatiently.
'We'll see to her now,' Grandmother said calmly. 'I'm sure everyone can manage without us for a while.'
'Of course,' said Grandfather.
The moment Grandmother saw me, and saw how pale I was, she immediately began to panic.
'Harri, what's wrong?' she asked at once.
'Relax, Mother, it's nothing serious,' Uncle Severus informed her, leading the women towards the Hospital Wing. 'She is merely due to have the Talk.'
Understanding immediately washed over the two elderly women's faces.
'In that case, let's hurry over to the Hospital Wing, where we can have a long, private conversation,' Madam Pomfrey said to me, gently.
'Have fun with that,' Uncle Severus said before fleeing. This did not impress me. Why couldn't he stay?
I soon found out why…
Once the Talk was finished, I just stared at the two women before me. I didn't know how to react to such news. However, the first thing I said when I found my voice amused them greatly.
'I don't think you're going to be a great-grandmother,' I informed Grandmother seriously. 'I won't be having kids.'
She laughed.
'You say that now, but one day I'm sure you will change your mind, no matter how stubborn you are.'
'So I'm going to be sick every time I get them?' I groaned.
'Yes and no. Some girls are, some girls aren't. We shall see in time,' Madam Pomfrey replied, 'but if you stay as a male when they are due, you will. When they come, you will need to be female.'
'How am I to do that during school?' I demanded.
'Just tell your friends you are going to see your grandmother as she is very sick,' Grandmother invented. 'I'm afraid there is nothing else we can do.'
'This stinks!' I grumbled.
'Believe us when we say, you're not the only one who thinks that.'
For the week that I had my Periods, my family and I discovered that being around me during this time, was like creeping around a time bomb. At any minute my mood would change in an instant, though it was usually a negative emotion, namely anger. I became very moody and would snap at anyone over the simplest things. Poor Uncle Severus was the last to figure this out and we ended up having a lot of heated arguments in English and Parseltongue. We were all grateful when they were finished.
It was then that the real summer holidays began.
I spent a lot of time hanging out with Uncle Severus, helping him with his potion making, playing wizard games, and I even managed to convince him to play some Quidditch with me. When I beat him, he did not look surprised. It was then that he informed me that my father, James, had gotten all the Quidditch talent, while he had gotten the Potion making talent.
However, the cheerful summer mood was not to last. It was the morning of my birthday, and my family and I were sitting in the lounge room, listening to the Wizarding Wireless Network, while I unwrapped my birthday presents.
As an urgent announcement was heard, we all feel silent.
'In breaking news, we have just received word that Sirius Black, a murder who was imprisoned twelve years ago for murdering twelve Muggles and a wizard, Peter Pettigrew, with a single curse, has miraculously broken out of Azkaban prison.
Muggles have been informed of Black's escape and they have been told that he is dangerous and carrying a gun, which is a kind of metal wand which Muggles use to kill each other.
If you have any information about Black's whereabouts, contact the Aurors immediately. Aurors also ask that you do not approach Black…'
I looked around at my family and saw that they were grim, especially Uncle Severus, though he looked as though he was ready to go out looking for Black himself.
Grandfather, however, stood abruptly and left the room without saying a word.
I looked questioningly at Grandmother, who gave me a forced smile.
'He's probably gone to the Ministry,' she said simply, before telling me to go and try on my new clothes so she could see what they looked like on.
I didn't end up seeing Grandfather for the rest of the day and, as for the rest of my family, I could see that they were all very worried, though Uncle Severus looked like he was ready to murder someone.
It wasn't until the next morning that they explained their odd behaviour to me.
'Harri, dear,' Grandfather began as I began to pile some eggs and bacon onto my breakfast plate, 'there is a serious matter that we need to talk to you about.'
I looked up from my breakfast and took in my family's grim faces.
'Does this have anything to do with Black?' I asked curiously.
'It does,' said Grandfather. 'We weren't going to tell you this, but seeing as you insist on knowing the truth about everything that concerns you, we have decided to tell you.'
'Tell me what?'
'Harri, have you ever heard the name, Sirius Black, before?' Uncle Severus questioned with a slight edge to his voice.
'Should I have?'
'Not necessarily. Do you remember that conversation we had about who was to blame for your parents' death at the end of your first year?'
I nodded.
'You will remember, then, that I said that your father's so called best friend was one of the people responsible. Sirius Black was that person.'
'My dad was friends with a murder?' I gasped.
'He wasn't a murderer at the time,' Grandmother said quietly. 'He was quite an intelligent boy and he was like another brother to James. He was James' best man at his wedding and he was even named your godfather.'
'Great, so now I have an uncle and a godfather who are both murders,' I said angrily as I began to shake.
'We were shocked when he betrayed your parents, but your grandfather expected it to occur.'
'You knew what he would betray them?' I turned angrily to Grandfather.
'I knew that someone close to James would betray him,' Grandfather replied sadly. 'When we knew that your uncle was after them, I took all the steps necessary to protect my family, including Fidelius Charm.'
'Huh?'
'It's a spell involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living-soul, the Secret-Keeper,' Grandfather explained. 'Once performed correctly, the secret information cannot be discovered unless the Secret-Keeper reveals it.'
'So basically, Tom could have had his nose right up against your parents' living room window, and still wouldn't be able to find you,' Uncle Severus said bluntly.
'But he was able to find us, wasn't he? My parents' Secret-Keeper blabbed.'
'Black did indeed,' Gran huffed. 'James stubbornly refused to use anyone else, stating that Black would never betray him. He even turned down your grandfather's offer to be his Secret-Keeper. It was barely a week after the Charm had been performed, that Black betrayed them to Tom.'
'So do you think that he has escaped to try and return Uncle Tom to power?' I asked.
'Yes and no,' Grandfather answered. 'Black is unhinged, Harri, and he has somehow gotten it into his mind that by murdering you, he will be able to return Tom to power, at least that is the Aurors' theory.'
'But you don't think it is,' I probed.
'No. We think he is just after revenge or wants to finish off the job,' Uncle Severus growled.
'How do you know this?' I asked as a sudden thought occurred to me.
'The Minister went to Azkaban when Black escaped,' Grandfather replied. 'The guards told him that for a while, now he had been muttering in his sleep the same thing over and over again, "He's at Hogwarts".'
'But what makes you think it's me?' Something didn't seem right to me. 'If he is my godfather, shouldn't he know that I'm a she, not a he?'
'It just shows how little he cares for you,' Uncle Severus said bitterly. 'Needleless to say, you must be cautious this year, though hopefully Black will be found soon.'
But he wasn't.
The summer was almost over and still there had been no sign of Black.
I learnt this from Grandfather, as he raged to Grandmother about having to have creatures called Dementors guarding the school. Hearing this, I went to Uncle Severus to learn what they were and learnt that they were the dreadful guards of Azkaban, who sucked the happiness out of a person until they were left with only their worst memories.
I shuddered at the thought and began to dread what this year would bring. It seemed that I in for another dangerous year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
A/N:Let me apologise for the very late updates, but I've never really been a huge fan of The Prisoner of Azkaban so updates in this time period will be slow. I have read over the chapters that will follow this one, so hopefully there isn't any spelling mistakes. if there is, please let me know and I will eventually get around to fixing them.
For those who are still following and enjoying this story, I would like to thank you and state that I am surprised.
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Written: 2 April 2013
Updated: N/A
Beta: N/A
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT CLAIM OWNERSHIP OVER THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IN THIS STORY. THIS IS A NON-PROFIT FANDUB CREATED BY FANS, FOR FANS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED, FAIR USE ONLY. I DO, HOWEVER, CLAIM SOME COPYRIGHT OVER HARRI SINCE SHE IS HALF BASED ON MY ORIGINAL VALKYRIE CHARACTER, PRINCESS HARRIETTA.
