Chapter 2: Get Out of Jail Free
Harry sprang upright, breathing heavily. He was soaked from prolonged perspiring. Reaching towards his bedside table, he picked up his glasses and put them on. Slowly, Harry pushed down on the bed and stood up. He flicked the switch on his bedside lamp, illuminating the room in a soft orange glow.
Whilst pacing back and forth across the room, Harry played the dream back in his mind. He saw those last moments that his Godfather had experienced before he passed through the veil, his life snuffed out in an instant. He remembered his anguished cry and vaguely remembered running towards the veil, shouting for Sirius, before being restrained by an unknown friend. It almost killed him, trying to stop himself crying out in grief, as he lived his memories again of that fateful day. The memories changed and he saw Hermione being hit by the curse thrown by that death eater. Anger rose up in him as he thought of what he would do to that death eater if they were with him at that moment. How dare they attack his friend, his Hermione.
His anger cooled as he was chilled by the thought of what he would do without his friends Ron and Hermione. Especially Hermione. She had always been there. During the fourth year when Ron was jealous, last year with Cho, as well as the countless adventures they had been through together. Although Ron participated in these, she was the one that always believed in him unconditionally and always accepted him for who he was. This wasn't always the same with Ron, as there were issues there. What was Ron doing now? Hermione was in communication, but Ron wasn't. This was another thing he added to his list of things to ask Hermione later.
His breathing had slowed now and he surveyed his room before straightening his bed covers.
Harry looked at the clock, now almost recovered from the dream, although he still had a great sadness pressing upon his soul. It read 4 o'clock. Too late to get back to sleep, because he had to start to make breakfast at six. He reached into his trunk and withdrew his precious photo album. Skimming through it until he found the picture he wanted, he gazed once more on the countenance of his Godfather. Sirius smiled up at him from the photo and waved. A pang of grief was felt every time he saw this photo, as well as the feeling of a calming sensation, that soothed him.
He used to look at the picture of the Potters' wedding and wish he still had his parents with him. Now, he looked at the photo and mourned the loss of one more "family" member. He sighed.
Feeling better, as if he had purged his system of some of his grief, he looked up and noticed that according to the clock, he had spent more than half an hour staring at the album. With care, he closed the photo album and replaced it gently in his trunk.
Picking up his transfiguration book, some parchment, his favourite eagle feather quill and some ink, he moved over to his desk. He positioned his work and stationary on the work surface and started his summer assignment on animagi that he had been set by Professor McGonagall. It took him a good hour and a half, but he had still not yet finished. He sighed. It would have to be finished later.
Quietly, Harry tiptoed downstairs and started on the bacon and eggs. The pan crackled merrily as he heard his uncle and aunt rise and make their way down stairs.
He plated up the first two portions of bacon and eggs and placed them on the table.
"Ah, breakfast", crooned his uncle, rubbing his hands together with anticipation, while positioning himself at the table.
"I'm not touching that hideous fatty food. It's bad for the complexion", Aunt Petunia snapped. By this time, Dudley's portion of bacon and eggs had entered the pan and was slowly frying.
"Fetch your aunt some muesli", Uncle Vernon commanded imperiously, though his words were distorted due to his half full mouth.
Harry distinctly thought that he heard "Been reading those poxy magazines again" muttered under his uncle's breath. Petunia shot Vernon a malicious look and he hurriedly returned to his fried breakfast.
Handing his aunt her bowl of cereal, Harry then proceeded to return to the frying pan to serve up Dudley's elephantine meal. It was just in time, because at moment, Dudley burst into the kitchen with a greedy look upon his face and snatched the plate from Harry's hand. He tucked into the meal with gusto and Harry averted his eyes, wishing to be able keep his breakfast down when he had it.
He could not believe his fortune. There was a spare portion of bacon and eggs, left from his aunt. After the Dursleys had finished and left the room, Harry sat down at the table and tucked in.
Half an hour later, after Harry had completed the compulsory washing up, he trudged upstairs to his room. He found Hedwig waiting for him on his bed, letter lying next to her. She cooed at his arrival, earning herself an affectionate ruffle and the accustomed owl treat, before she took flight to her cage where she proceeded to take a long draught of water. Harry settled himself on the bed and opened the letter. It was a reply from Hermione.
Dear Harry,
I am ecstatic that you did so well in your O.W.L.S, especially since you left the history of magic exam and you were distracted during astronomy. You achieved 6 Os. I am so proud of you. You see, all that studying payed off after all, as I said it would.
As to what I think you should study next year, it's simple, although I don't think that you will like my opinion. Firstly, I think you should try and put your dislike for Snape behind you and take N.E.W.Ts potions (I can almost hear you expressing your dissent on this idea). Secondly, I think that you should take Transfiguration, Charms, DADA, Care of Magical creatures (can't let Hagrid down if he is still teaching) and Herbology. I don't think that you should take divination as it is a waste of time and you know you can't take the remaining two because your grades aren't high enough. I know that six sounds like a lot, but with the threat of Voldemort, I think that you should be as well prepared as possible.
I am glad to hear that you are well. I am sorry about your nightmares, but I kind of expected that. Although there is little that I can do about your nightmares, if you need to talk about them, or anything else, don't hesitate to write to me.
Hope the Dursleys aren't being too harsh on you.
Lots of Love
Hermione
P.s. Hope to see you soon.
Harry read the letter and almost chocked when he saw Hermione's idea of taking potions in the coming year. Even with his dislike of Snape, Harry had to admit that Hermione's logic couldn't be faulted in her opinions on subject choice.
After debating internally for a while, Harry decided against telling Hermione about his dream. He just wasn't ready to talk about it yet and he didn't want to worry her.
Harry scribbled a short response to Hermione, asking about what she had been doing and what she planned to do during the rest of her holiday. He also asked about whether Ron was alright and wrote down that he had not heard from him yet this summer. As casually as possible, Harry wrote about the letter from Voldemort and hoped it would not cause too much concern on her behalf.
He signed off and attached the letter to Hedwig's leg and was about to send her off into the morning sky, when he noticed the letter he had written to Dumbledore lying on his desk. Attached this to Hedwig's leg as well and shooed her off out of the window.
The day was beginning to hot up again. It was going to be another scorcher. Harry was thankful for the fact that he would be washing the car today and not doing hard labour, especially as it would allow him to use the hose to cool off a bit.
Harry walked downstairs, out the back door and over to the shed. He opened the door and took out a bucket and a sponge. Harry uncoiled the hose, turned it on, and took his equipment around to the front of the house to the drive where the car stood waiting. He used the hose to douse the car in water before setting to work with the sponge.
Half way through the job, Harry was cleaning the car windows and was by now thoroughly but pleasantly soaked, when his Aunt came running out of the house. She berated him about the hosepipe ban, she had just heard about on the news, and what the neighbours would think. Harry cleared up and took his equipment back to the shed. As he coiled the hose, Harry noticed the grass snake he had seen yesterday lying on the lawn again. It turned to look at him before hissing, "Good luck Harry Potter, for all our sakessss". With a bemused expression on his face, he watched the snake turn away from him and slither off into the undergrowth. Harry shook his head and returned inside.
As he moved through the house towards his bedroom, Harry noticed Dudley sitting in front of a fan looking rather uncomfortable. Harry almost felt sorry for Dudley and how hot he must be with all that extra insulation on a day like today. Chuckling to himself, Harry climbed the stairs to his room. He changed into some dry clothes and went downstairs to prepare some sandwiches for lunch.
After lunch, Harry found himself in his room once more. He looked at the calendar that he kept on his wall. It was a strikingly bright orange. It had been a gift from Ron and, of course, it depicted the Chudley Cannons in all their glory. It was the 27th of July today. Only 4 days until his birthday. The new school term would begin in…..
His thought processes were interrupted by the door bell ringing. The door was opened to their elderly neighbour, Mrs Figg. She was talking to Aunt Petunia on the doorstep in a thin reedy voice.
"Harry!" Aunt Petunia's shrill voice reverberated around the house. Harry hurried downstairs to see what he had done wrong now.
"Harry, Mrs Figg, here, needs help moving some furniture and boxes around so I have said that you will go over to her house for the remainder of the day and help out. If I find that you have been any trouble at all, then you will be forced to do even more chores than you already do".
Harry nodded and followed Mrs Figg down the road to her house, where Mrs Figg fumbled with her keys before the door opened and they walked inside. The door closed after him as Mrs Figg placed her sun parasol in an umbrella rack and turned to face Harry.
In a completely different voice to the thin reedy one he had heard her use earlier when talking to his aunt, she spoke to him.
"Harry, do please come and sit down, I am afraid that I need to talk to you."
Harry did as he was bid and settled himself into an armchair in the lounge.
"This may come as a bit of a shock to you Harry. I am afraid that Voldemort has found a way to get to you when you are at Privet Drive. I have been informed by Professor Dumbledore, who received your letter by the way, that it has something to do with him using your blood to restore him to his body after the third task. He has used a modified version of a family, by which I mean blood relation, locater spell mixed with an apparition spell. This means that you might as well be anywhere for the summer now because the protection that Privet Drive provided you with has now been made redundant. So you can't really stay here as Voldemort knows where you are and has the ability to attack you. You needn't worry though, because he can't locate you after a procedure that will take place soon and then you will be safe to move wherever you want during the remainder of this and the following summers."
Harry didn't know what to think. Firstly, the possibility of leaving Privet Drive seemed like an attractive prospect, but he also felt worried that there was nowhere apart from Hogwarts where he was safe anymore. Secondly, Harry didn't know where he would spend the rest of his holidays - he didn't want to spend them at Grimauld Place as that would bring back to many painful memories. He was about to ask where he would spend his summer, when Mrs Figg started speaking again.
"You will be picked you at 9 o'clock tomorrow morning at your aunt and uncle's house and from there you will travel to Hogwarts together. There we will meet Professor Dumbledore."
"Right, now I need your help rearranging the furniture. All of your questions will be answered tomorrow. When your aunt and uncle ask where you are going, tell them that because you did so badly at school last year, you need to return to the school over the summer to catch up."
Three hours later, Harry sat in front of the television with Mrs Figg, having finished the reorganisation of the furniture and the movement of some boxes of items up into the loft. They were both eating pizza and, initially to Harry's surprise, were watching "Die Hard" with Bruce Willis. To Harry's even greater surprise , Mrs Figg got all excited during the film and started talking at the television. It was the most enjoyable evening he had spent since the start of the summer.
When the film ended, Harry bid goodbye to Mrs Figg, thanking her profusely, and made his way back to the Dursleys. He rang the doorbell. A thin neck and drawn face peered around the door and slowly it was opened by Aunt Petunia to allow Harry into the house. Fatigued from a long day, Harry walked upstairs, collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep immediately without even getting undressed. Needless to say, he slept soundly that night.