Chapter Five
Harry smiled happily as he reread the letter, he had received just that morning from Hermione;
though Harry was happier than he had ever been, since coming to this new world, he still felt incredibly sad when he thought of his former friends that he had left behind in his old one, and when he received his first letter from Hermione, Harry had immediately written to Rose to thank her for talking to Hermione for him.
As Harry finished reading the letter, a small knock made him turn around in his chair to see his mother enter,
"Harry dear," Lily said warmly, "We'll be leaving soon, are you ready?"
"Almost, mum," Harry replied,
"Okay, well we'll be leaving in fifteen minutes, so come downstairs when you're ready, okay?"
"Okay, mum."
Without another word, Lily turned and left, shutting the door gently behind her as she went; Harry turned back to the letter and gave it one last look before gently folding it and placing it on his desk and rising to finish getting ready.
For over a month now, Harry had been regularly going to see Healer Stowe twice a week to help Harry recover from the years of abuse that he had sustained at the hands of the Dursleys in his old world (not that anyone besides Harry and a few others knew that; as far as anyone else was concerned, Harry had been abused in the orphanage where he had been raised). At first, Harry had been reticent to divulge anything about what he had gone through, but Healer Stowe had gradually gotten Harry to trust her and soon they were talking as comfortably as could be; Harry's nightmares had actually begun to fade and even his violent flinching when someone tried to touch him had slowly begun to ebb.
As Harry quickly pulled on his jacket and exited his room, he failed to notice the figure that had been watching him from outside his window, nor the shadow as the figure flew away.
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"So, Harry how are you feeling today?" Healer Stowe asked as she sat across from him, her parchment and quill ready to jot down anything Harry said that might be important and needed to be brought up again later.
"I'm okay," Harry replied with a shrug that left Healer Stowe unconvinced,
"Harry…..." Healer Stowe said patiently, "I thought we agreed not to lie to one another. So, how are you really?"
For a moment, Harry said nothing, just bit his lip fretfully in indecision before finally looking down at his feet and mumbling in a piteous voice,
"I had another nightmare last night…."
"Was it about the man who made you call him Uncle?" Healer Stowe asked, jotting something down as Harry nodded.
"You know he can't hurt you anymore, Harry," Healer Stowe said in a soft voice, "He can never hurt you again. You're safe and your parents will never allow any harm to befall you."
"I know…." Harry mumbled back, "And these sessions have helped a lot, it's just…."
"It's just you can't understand why you're still having them when you're finally free from the ones who have been hurting you," Healer Stowe stated, making Harry nod quickly.
"Harry, you've suffered greatly over the years, more than anyone, let alone a child, should have to endure," Healer Stowe replied with a sad expression, "The aftereffects of suffering that kind of abuse for so long don't just go away overnight."
"But I'm happy, now!" Harry exclaimed, "I have my parents back, I have a new sister and I even have friends waiting for me when I start Hogwarts! So, why am I still broken?"
"Oh, Harry…." Healer Stowe said sadly, leaning forward and placing a warm hand on Harry's knee, "You're not broken, far from it, in fact."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked in a small voice as he looked up at her,
"Those vile beasts that hurt you for so long tried to break your spirit, but they failed because do you know what I see when I look at you?"
"What?"
"I see a bright, wonderful, little boy that will one day go on to accomplish amazing things and I, for one, look forward to seeing them all."
Harry smiled shyly at that and Healer Stowe winked at him before leaning back again, and asking in a cheery voice,
"So what else is new this week? Are you excited about the coming holidays?"
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Rose smiled nervously as she checked her trunk for the fifth time in less than an hour; she would be going home for Christmas break the following day and she was understandably nervous and excited in equal measure.
It had taken her and the twins a surprising amount of needling to convince their respective families to host Christmas at Potter Manor, but the end result was that all agreed to it, to the elation of the Weasley children and Rose, but especially to Harry who was looking forward to seeing Ron again, if albeit a different Ron than he remembered.
Finally deciding that she had packed everything and wasn't forgetting anything, Rose made her way out of the dormitory and down to the common room; Hermione was sitting in a chair by the fireplace, as usual, and was currently reading a book on advanced Transfiguration, while the twins were busy helping Ron finish packing. Ron had foolishly decided to wait until the last minute to pack and had paid for it with a stinging hex to the buttocks from Fred, which sent poor Ron dashing to his dormitory to finish packing before they were set to leave.
"All packed?" Hermione asked as Rose plopped down in the chair next to her,
"Yup," Rose replied happily, "What about you?"
"Of course," Hermione smiled, "I've been packed to leave for over a week, now."
"Over-achiever," Rose teased, laughing as Hermione responded by sticking her tongue out at Rose,
"Anything new from Harry?" Rose asked, watching happily as a bright smile appeared on Hermione's face, it was the same smile that always appeared when Harry was mentioned.
"Oh yes!" Hermione cried happily, "I received a letter from him yesterday, he's looking forward to the start of the new term and meeting me for the first time, I told him that I feel the same, of course."
"So I can see," Rose laughed, making Hermione draw inward for a moment before she said in a shy voice,
"I've never really had any real friends, so it's nice to have one for once, it's just…"
"Just what?" Rose prodded,
"What if Harry doesn't like me when we finally meet?" Hermione asked in a small voice.
"Now, you get those foolish ideas out of your head, Hermione Granger!" Rose said in mock-anger, making Hermione look at her in surprise, "Harry is really looking forward to meeting you, and I guarantee that he will love having you as a friend, and why wouldn't he? You're the best witch in your year."
Hermione looked like she was about to cry at the compliment, when the door to the boy's dormitory exploded open, making both girls jump; a moment later, Ron came running out with his hands over his head trying desperately to avoid the streaks of light that the twins were firing at him as they followed him down the stairs.
"I'm sorry!" Ron cried as he jumped down the stairs and narrowly avoided what appeared to be a stinging hex from George, "It was an accident, I swear!"
"Well so is this!" George retorted as he fired another hex at Ron, who again managed to avoid it before diving out of the entrance to Gryffindor's common room, followed almost immediately by the twins, who were both still swearing vengeance against Ron for whatever he had done to them.
"What was that!" Hermione asked in shock,
"I have no idea," Rose replied as she got up, "But I better go stop them before they injure the little beanpole. Molly Weasley will not be happy if her children show up one short tomorrow."
With a final wave, Rose smiled and dashed out after her two best friends as Hermione laughed behind her; nothing could upset Rose, for this was without a doubt going to be the best Christmas of her life, for she would be sharing it with her little brother.
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Harry smiled happily as he walked around Potter manor, the snow falling gently around him; he was excited because in a few hours the Potters would be traveling to London to pick up Rose from Kings Cross and the waiting was killing him.
Lost in thought as he was, Harry failed to notice the slowly approaching figure that was rapidly descending on him until it landed on his shoulder hard, making him jump in alarm and stare at the white owl that was staring at him in what appeared to be indignation.
"….Hedwig?" Harry whispered in shock, "Is that you?"
Hedwig hooted angrily in reply and dug her claws into Harry's shoulder as though saying,
"Of course it's me!"
"But how!" Harry asked in shock, "We're in a different dimension, how did you get here?!"
Hedwig simply turned her head sideways and stared at Harry as if to say,
"Did you think something as simple as dimension travel would keep me from you?!"
"I've really missed you, girl," Harry said softly as he ran his hand down her feathered back, pulling his hand away when she nipped his hand rather hard, "Aw, Hedwig, don't be that way!"
Hedwig hooted indignantly and turned away from Harry, who smiled affectionately at her antics,
"Would some bacon make it up to you?" Harry smirked,
Hedwig slowly turned to him to look at him with narrow eyes and hooted sharply as if to say,
"Better be a lot of it!"
"Deal," Harry said with a laugh as the two made their way back inside Potter manor;
after telling his parents how he suddenly came into possession of a snowy owl, Harry set a plate with half a dozen pieces of bacon which Hedwig pounced upon with an almost feral amount of glee that made James, Lily, and Sirius laugh.
"I've heard of loyal owls before," James said warmly, "But I've never heard of one literally crossing dimensions to reunite with its owner."
"It's almost too impossible to believe," Lily added as she ran a finger down Hedwig's back, making the owl hoot happily at the attention she was getting.
Once she was done with her meal, Hedwig flew to Harry's shoulder and gave his ear an affectionate nip before flying away to the Potter's owlery as Harry watched happily, he had truly missed Hedwig and had never thought to see her again, to be proven otherwise made Harry almost cry with happiness.
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A few hours later, Harry was bouncing happily next to his parents as they waited for the Hogwarts Express to arrive; any minute now, Rose was set to arrive and Harry was determined to give her the biggest hug he could. The train wasn't set to arrive for another fifteen minutes and Harry desperately needed to relieve himself, so after they had gone through the pillar between platforms nine and ten, Harry told his parents he would be right back and made his way to the nearest bathroom.
Harry was washing his hands when he looked up and saw someone in a black cloak standing behind him, making Harry jump in alarm and spin to face the mysterious person,
"W-who are you?" Harry asked in sudden fear,
"Only a servant," the cloaked person stated quickly, "And my master would very much like a word with you, Mr. Potter."
Before Harry could so much as cry out, the robed figure roughly grabbed his arm and the two apparated away, leaving nothing behind but an empty bathroom.
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Rose nearly ran off the train when they finally arrived, in her desperation to see her little brother again; as she stepped onto the platform, Rose swung her head around and smiled happily as she spotted her parents and Uncle Sirius waiting for her with bright smiles of their own upon their faces.
"Mum! Dad! Uncle Sirius!" Rose called happily as she ran to them, giving each a hug before pulling away and looking around for her little brother,
"Where's Harry?"
"He said he needs to use the bathroom," James said with a frown as he looked down at his watch, "But he should have been back by now, I wonder what's keeping him."
"I'll go get him," Sirius replied quickly, sending a wink at Rose before stepping away towards where the bathrooms lay.
"How was the trip?" Lily asked cheerfully, "Your father and I have been looking forward to seeing you, and I know Harry has as well,"
"Wasn't too bad," Rose replied with a shrug, "Mostly played exploding snap with the twins."
Said Weasley's had just begun to walk over when Sirius ran back to the Potters with a dark look on his face that suddenly made Rose feel very nervous.
"James! Lily! Harry's gone!" Sirius called out, making Rose's parents turn pale instantly,
"What?!" James nearly shouted in alarm, "What do you mean gone?!"
"I mean, I just came back from the bathroom, and he wasn't there!" Sirius clarified,
"Maybe you missed him…." James said quickly, desperately trying not to panic,
"And gone where!" Sirius retorted, "There's nowhere for him to hide here!"
"James!" Lily cried in terror, "Where is he?! Where is my baby!"
"We'll find him, Lily, I promise," James replied quickly as he took his wife in his arms and tried to calm her before releasing her and turning back to Sirius,
"Summon the Aurors! I want every inch of this station searched!" James said, his Auror discipline taking over at the thought of his son having been kidnapped.
"Right away!" Sirius replied before turning on his heel and Apparating away,
"Dad…." Rose said in a hollow voice, "Harry's going to be okay, isn't he?"
"Harry will be fine sweetie," James replied quickly before drawing his wife and daughter into his embrace, "You'll see, we'll find him safe and sound."
Rose nodded slowly, trying to hide how terrified she was; this was supposed to be a good day, instead, her brother was missing and Rose felt like someone had gripped her heart in a vice grip and wouldn't let go.
"James, we have to find him!" Lily sobbed, "Please, I can't lose him again!"
"We'll find him, Lily," James replied quickly, "I swear it to you, and then I will make whoever took him wish that they had never been born!"
