Author's Notes: I hate to break it to you all, but this is my last prewritten chapter. Don't worry though. I'm working very hard on the next chapter and am almost finished, but I still need to send it off to my betas. That could take some time. I hope you enjoy this chapter, the final one with the Dursleys, and I will update as soon as possible.
CHAPTER FIVE
PRECAUTIONS
When morning came, Harry woke up and grabbed a quick shower before he went downstairs to get a small bite before the Weasleys came. Reaching the kitchen, he found Aunt Petunia cleaning furiously. Uncle Vernon was sitting at the table, reading the newspaper and Dudley was looking up at Harry with a terrified look in his eyes.
"So, those people are coming around noon, correct?" Vernon asked as Harry grabbed a slice of toast.
"They should be," Harry replied and brought the jam his way.
Vernon grunted and went back to his paper, while Aunt Petunia stopped cleaning and then said, "Harry, come with me into the hallway."
Harry, feeling a little apprehensive, got up and followed Aunt Petunia out into the hallway where she stood in front of the door to the cupboard underneath the stairs. Petunia fiddled around in her pockets, searching for something. Finally, she produced an envelope. "Here."
Harry took the envelope out of sheer curiosity. "What's this for?"
"It is your birthday today, is it not? I thought it was about time you saw this," she said and walked back into the kitchen, leaving him alone.
Harry looked down at the envelope, which was addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Vernon Dursley in emerald ink. He stared at it for a few moments until he realized what it was. In awe, he opened it and read:
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley,
I am very deeply sorry to inform you of this, but your sister, Lily, and her husband James were killed last night. They were murdered by a very powerful man who was, and still is, after their son, Harry.
Because of their tragic deaths, young Harry now needs a home and protection. The man who wishes Harry dead will stop at nothing to ensure that your nephew does not live. But there are ways to save the boy.
Mrs. Dursley, your sister died to save her son, which ultimately placed a protection on him. Her blood lives on in Harry, as it lives in you.
I ask you to take little Harry in and make your home his home, thus placing a powerful charm upon your house which may just save Harry's life. He will not be able to be hurt if you take him in. But if he leaves, the charm shall be destroyed.
I implore you to take your nephew in. He is the last standing tribute to your sister and may ultimately be the only one who can avenge your sister's murder.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore
So that was it; that was the letter Professor Dumbledore sent Aunt Petunia the day he was delivered to number four, Privet Drive. He felt sick with rage at Dumbledore for leaving him with the Dursleys, yet he also felt tears sting his eyes because the Dursleys, no matter how much they didn't want to, did take him in. Because of his blood connection to Aunt Petunia, he was protected from Lord Voldemort.
He wiped away his tears and, sucking in all emotion, walked back into the kitchen where he finished putting jam onto his toast and began to eat. Aunt Petunia gazed over at him from the chair she was now occupying and he gave a small nod of thanks to her. She blinked in response and Harry assumed that was her way of saying, "You're welcome."
After breakfast, Harry cleaned all of the dished while Petunia finished cleaning the house. Uncle Vernon was making a phone call and Dudley was watching some TV show. About a quarter till noon, the Dursleys stopped everything they were doing and sat down in the living room, waiting nervously for the arrival of the Weasleys.
Harry, however, was in his room double-checking his trunk, making sure he had everything. Finally, he turned to Hedwig in her cage.
"You should get going," he told her as he opened her cage. "The Weasleys will be picking me up any minute. I'll see you at the Burrow."
Hedwig nipped at his fingers affectionately as he stroked her head. She then gave a small hoot and took off, leaving Harry behind watching from his window before he gathered up her cage and took a hold on his trunk and began to haul them down the stairs.
Once everything was downstairs and next to the door, he went into the living room and checked the clock. It was exactly twelve noon and Uncle Vernon was looking steamed.
"Where are they?" he demanded. "Can they ever be punctual?"
"Would you rather they try to come by fireplace?" Harry asked smoothly and watched his uncle turn a deep shade of purple. "Or better yet, would you like them to just pop out of thin air?" he asked, knowing full well that if that happened, Harry would not be able to Apparate back with them.
"Potter, I'm warning you now…"
"Stop it now, both of you," Petunia snapped just as someone knocked on the door.
Dudley jumped. "Is that them?" he asked, terrified.
Harry rolled his eyes and quickly exited before someone else could say something. They knocked again as Harry put his hand on the doorknob, turned, and opened the door to four people, three with bright red hair and one with brown.
"Harry! Happy birthday!" exclaimed his best friend Hermione Granger as she wrapped her arms around him in a fierce hug.
"Hey Hermione," he greeted with a slight laugh and hugged her back, before turning to the other three.
"Happy birthday Harry," his other best friend Ron Weasley said as he smacked his hand onto Harry's shoulder. "How've you been?"
"Okay," Harry replied and then greeted the other two. "Hello Ginny, Mr. Weasley."
"Hello, Harry," Mr. Weasley returned and shook Harry's hand enthusiastically.
Harry smiled. "Come on in," he said and stepped aside, letting the Weasleys and Hermione through. "My relatives are in the living room."
"Oh, good. I want to go see that cousin of yours," Mr. Weasley said as he stepped through the doorway. "Lupin told me what happened."
"It was nothing," Harry said quickly. "Just a minor altercation."
Mr. Weasley, who was bald except for the red hair on the sides of his head, nodded slowly. "If that's the way you see it."
"I've always wanted to meet your cousin," Ginny whispered to Harry. "If what Fred and George told me is true then this is going to be fun."
Harry led the group into the living room, where Uncle Vernon jumped up and Dudley's eyes widened in fear. Aunt Petunia looked rather nervous.
"Ah, Mr. Dursley, how are you?" Mr. Weasley asked as he crossed the living room and shook Uncle Vernon's hand.
"Er-fine," Vernon mumbled, obviously taken-aback by Mr. Weasley's polite question. The last time the two had spoken, Mr. Weasley had threatened him.
"Er-Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, you remember Mr. Weasley." Harry turned to Ron, Hermione, and Ginny. "And I'm sure you remember Ron," he said and Ron gave a quick grin. "This is Ginny, his sister," Harry went on, motioning to Ginny, who looked over at Dudley and winked. "And this is Hermione, who I'm sure you've met before," he finished as Hermione gave a shy smile.
"Yes, of course," Aunt Petunia said apprehensively. "Would anyone like some tea?"
"Oh, I'd love some, thank you," Mr. Weasley said.
"Me too," Ginny said, before giving another wink to Dudley.
"Okay. I'll be in the kitchen," Petunia said and took off.
"Er-Petunia, dear, I'll help you," Uncle Vernon said and followed her.
"Yeah, me too," Dudley said and bolted.
Ginny giggled. "Wow. They certainly couldn't leave fast enough."
"Yeah," Ron agreed. "It seemed like they thought we were going to hex them or something. Mind you, I would-"
"Ron!" Hermione scolded, but she turned to Harry. "How's your leg?"
"Leg?" he asked.
"In your last letter you said your aunt's dog bit you. Did it heal as nicely as you told me it was healing?"
Harry actually had forgotten all about his leg. It still hurt occasionally and there was a gigantic bruise, but other than that it didn't bother him. "It's okay. I still have a bruise, but it's okay."
She regarded him worriedly for a moment and then turned away.
"Got your trunk ready?" Ron asked him.
"Yeah, it's out in the hall," Harry replied, glad for the change in subject.
"Good. We just have to wait for the others to get here-"
"Others?" Harry asked.
"Well, yeah. The Order is sending some people to look after you while we go home, just in case something happens," Ron explained.
"Apparently Dumbledore insisted upon it before he agreed to let you come," Ginny told him in a hushed tone, all the while stealing glances at her father, who was looking around the Muggle home with great interest.
Harry scowled. "Still worried that the dementors are going to come after me?"
"No," said Hermione as she stepped up next to Ron, "not dementors. But he is worried about another Death Eater attack."
"Another? Has there been more since the Bristol attack?" Harry asked anxiously as Mr. Weasley joined them.
The other four looked grim. "Outside of Canterbury," Mr. Weasley said solemnly. "Two Muggles were dead by the time the Aurors got there, but the Death Eaters were gone."
"Fudge is terrified," Ron told him. "Haven't you been reading the Prophet?"
"No, I decided not to receive it after I sent Hedwig to your house. What else has been happening?"
Mr. Weasley frowned. "We'll tell you more later," he said as Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley returned with tea from the kitchen.
"Thank you very much," Mr. Weasley said as he took the cup Aunt Petunia offered.
"We'll be leaving as soon as some others arrive," Harry told them, noting the curious look that was mixed with anger on his uncle's face.
"Others?" Uncle Vernon asked, horrified.
"Just a precaution," Mr. Weasley said as Aunt Petunia gave a cup to Ginny. "We can't be too careful. They should be along shortly."
Uncle Vernon turned a darker shade of purple and sat down, as did Aunt Petunia. Dudley, however, kept eyeing both Hermione and Ginny. Ginny, who noticed this, gave Dudley a flirty little smile before taking a sip of her tea.
"Such interesting things you Muggles have," Mr. Weasley said as he sat down with his cup. "Like the fellytone-"
"Telephone," Hermione corrected automatically.
"Sorry. The telephone, electrickity-"
"Electricity, Mr. Weasley," Hermione again corrected.
"Oh, yes, silly me. But anyhow, it's fascinating, all of the things Muggles have invented to get by."
Hermione laughed. "Yes, everything from refrigerators to e-mail, automobiles to mobile phones. Believe me, Muggles get by all right."
The Dursleys were staring at Hermione in amazement. "How does a person like you-" Uncle Vernon began.
"Er-Hermione's a Muggle-born," Harry explained hastily. "Her parents are Muggles, but she is a witch."
"You mean you've got normal parents?" Vernon blurted.
Hermione looked extremely offended, but Harry said curtly, "Yep, she has normal parents-parents that aren't prejudice against the wizarding-kind."
"I didn't ask you, Potter," Vernon growled.
There was another knock on the door as he spoke and Ginny went off to go answer the door. Moments later, Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody stepped into the room. "What's going on here?" Lupin asked cautiously, seeing Uncle Vernon's angry face.
"Mr. Dursley just asked about Muggle-borns." Mr. Weasley explained, his enthusiasm gone.
Lupin looked puzzled. "Alright, Arthur, you and I will get Harry's things. The kids and Tonks will come next, followed by Mad-Eye. Got it?"
Mr. Weasley nodded. "Very well. Good day to you," he said to the Dursleys and left the room, accompanied by Professor Lupin.
"Wotcher, Harry!" Tonks greeted. Her hair, which she could change at will, was short with neon green spikes today and she grinned widely at Harry. "S'pose your summer's been terrible."
Harry scowled as he gave a final look over his shoulder at the Dursleys as he and the rest left the living room. "That's sort of an understatement."
"Well, now you're going to have fun," Ron said enthusiastically as Tonks looked out the door. "I want to practice Quidditch so badly to work on my Keeper skills."
"Fine, but you'll have to let me borrow a broom. Mine's still at Hogwarts," Harry replied as Tonks ushered them out the door.
"Don't worry about it," Ron assured as the four piled into the back seat of Mr. Weasley's car. Very quickly, Mr. Weasley jumped into the driver's seat and Lupin, Tonks, and Mad-Eye Moody all crammed into the passenger seat. But with the same spell that Harry was sure was used on Mr. Weasley's old Ford Anglia, everyone was comfortable.
"So what's been happening?" Harry asked as they took off. "What's Voldemort been up to?"
Ron, Ginny, Mr. Weasley, and Tonks all shuddered. "We don't know what he specifically is up to, but his Death Eaters have been killing Muggles, as you already know," Professor Lupin told Harry from the front seat.
"There have been two attacks, right? The one in Bristol and now the one in Canterbury?"
"Well…that's what we're hoping," Lupin said quietly.
Harry looked, wide-eyed, at his fellow companions in the back seat. Ron just shrugged while Hermione looked worried. "What's the Ministry been up to?" Harry asked.
"Trying to keep the Aurors on top of everything," Tonks replied. "I've got to go to Hogsmeade tonight for protection duty."
"Protection duty?"
"Yep. We're trying to prevent anything from happening. There are patrols all over Britain. It's incredible."
"Fudge is absolutely terrified," Mr. Weasley said.
"The funniest thing about it all is how many times he's apologized to Dumbledore for not believing in him. It has to be over fifty," Moody told him. "And now he says that he's going to make it up to him." He gave a sharp cackle. "Yeah, right."
Harry sat back, satisfied with the information at the moment. "So how bad was it at the Dursleys's this year, Harry?" Ron asked him.
"Just about the same as it is every year," Harry answered and for the first time was able to regard his friends.
Ron looked as if he had grown at least another inch and some of the freckles on his face were starting to disappear. Ginny had gotten her long red hair cut up to just above her shoulders, giving her a slightly more mature, attractive look. Hermione was tanned to a nice golden brown color and had gotten her ears pierced.
"What did you do to your hair?" he blurted.
Ginny giggled. "I got mine cut, you dingbat," she said.
Harry turned to Hermione. "When did you get your ears pierced?"
"Hmm?" she murmured as she touched one of the earrings. "Oh, a few weeks ago. My parents let me do it."
"I still can't believe it," Ron said, looking at the earrings unscrupulously. "I still can't believe you actually go for that stuff."
"There's nothing wrong with getting your ears pierced," Hermione grumbled with a scowl. "I don't see why you have a problem with it."
Harry, sensing a fight, quickly jumped in the only way he knew how. "I like them. They're pretty."
Hermione's scowl melted away into a bright smile. "Why thank you, Harry." She shot a triumphant gleam at Ron.
"Whatever," Ron muttered under his breath.
Harry rolled his eyes as Hermione glared at Ron. "So, Harry," she said, turning her attention towards him, "were you surprised when you got your O.W.L.s?"
"Yeah. I couldn't believe it. Congratulations on yours, again."
"Thank you," she said with a small smile.
"How'd you do, Ron?" Harry asked, leaning forward to look at his other friend.
"Not as well as Hermione, that's for sure. I got eight. Mum's a little disappointed I didn't do as well as Bill or Charlie or Percy-"
"But she's happy he did better than both Fred and George," Ginny piped in.
"What's so wrong with eight?" Harry wondered. "That's great."
Ron grinned. "Yeah, I suppose I did do pretty well, didn't I?"
Harry smiled and turned to look outside. They were out of the city and hurtling along a road in the countryside, heading towards Ottery St. Catchpole, the town in which the Weasleys lived outside of. They passed farms and trees, hills and lakes.
Harry was glad to be away from the Dursleys. He was glad to be in the company of his friends. He was glad to hear what was happening in the wizarding world. He was glad to hear that Fudge had finally found some common sense regarding the Second War. But most of all, he was glad that he would finally have some rest from his dreams about Sirius.