Harry Potter belongs to J.K. Rowling, not me.
It's for the Best
Chapter 3 - Leaving Privet Drive
"Hello Hermione!
I'm just writing to thank you for the gift you sent me, and to assure you that I did indeed have a happy birthday. Professor Dumbledore arranged it so that I spent the whole day with Ginny! It was wonderful! We went to a muggle amusement park with Remus and Tonks. I really enjoyed sitting in the rides next to Ginny. She's so amazing! I tried to win her a Teddy Bear. I don't know how many times I tried throwing a ball at the target, but when Ginny took one try she got it! She'll make an awesome Chaser!
Dumbledore gave me the motorcycle that used to belong to Sirius, along with two jackets, helmets, and gloves (one for me, one for Ginny). Remus is going to teach me how to drive it. Ginny and I can't wait to take a ride on it! Tonks will be teaching me how to drive a car, too.
Ginny gave me this incredible picture of her. It's waving at me right now while I'm writing this letter. She's so beautiful!
Oh, and Tonks gave me a cap that disguises me - it changes my hair and eye color, and even hides my scar and glasses - so I can go out in public without being recognized. Ginny thinks I look better without the disguise, but understands that I need it.
I have started reading the Occlumency book you sent me. The first page told me more about the subject than Snape ever did! Hopefully I'll be able to learn it this way. I'd hate to have a vision while I'm with Ginny! I don't think I'll have to worry about that though since the visions happen when I'm asleep. I can't wait until I see Ginny again!
Your friend,
Harry"
Hermione read the letter over and over, amazed at how many times Harry mentioned Ginny. Like she was the center of his world. She wondered why that bothered her. She shrugged, figuring it was simply because Harry had only dated Ginny one time. She hoped he wasn't moving too fast. She'd naturally written Ginny after Harry told her they were dating, and the redhead seemed to feel the same way about Harry that he felt about her.
Hermione did feel a bit hurt that she and Ron hadn't been invited to the amusement park, but knew that Harry hadn't arranged that - Professor Dumbledore had. She supposed he thought Harry would enjoy spending the day with his girlfriend more than with all his friends. She was pleased that he was studying Occlumency now, and that he had a disguise to wear in public. She knew how much he hated being recognized. She took out a piece of paper and a muggle pen to write her friend a quick reply.
-
A week later, Harry (in disguise) was just finishing a driving lesson with Tonks in the early afternoon. Tonks was driving him home from the parking lot where he'd been practicing.
"You're a natural, Harry," she said. "You've really learned fast. Next week, I think we'll be able to have you leave the parking lot."
Harry smiled. "Thanks. That'll be nice. Do you think Remus will let me drive my bike to the Burrow?"
Tonks snorted. "You really are in a hurry to see Ginny, aren't you?" He nodded enthusiastically as his cheeks colored slightly. "He tells me that you're doing great at your lessons, but truthfully, I think that's a bit too far for your first road trip, and I think Moony will agree. You will be able to take the bike with you and take short drives with Ginny around their neck of the woods before you go back to school."
He sighed. "I guess. I just hate waiting. My homework's done and I don't have anything to do now since the Dursleys are scared to give me chores."
"Sorry kiddo," she said as she parked the mid-sized car, "Dumbledore said you can't leave just yet."
"Oh well." Harry shrugged his shoulders. "Thanks for the lesson."
"You're welcome Harry. See you later." He got out of the car and walked into his house. Tonks' car was leaving as he opened the door and went up the stairs to his room. He took off his hat, lay in his bed, and grabbed his picture of Ginny.
He had been staring at her picture for about a half hour when he heard a loud crash. He jumped up, pulling his wand, as well as his invisibility cloak, out and left his room. As he cautiously approached the staircase, he heard a familiar female voice cackling over the sound of two people screaming. He guessed from the varying intensities of the screams that Vernon Dursley was under the Cruciatus Curse while Petunia was simply scared. The cackling woman was none other than Bellatrix - Sirius' murderer. As he snuck down the stairs, he saw that he was correct, and that two other masked Death Eaters were with Bella and had their wands pointed at Petunia. Dudley wasn't at the house. He briefly wondered how they'd gotten past the blood wards, but didn't have time to dwell on that. He had to come up with a plan.
He quietly made his way past the Death Eaters while his uncle writhed on the floor, still under the torture curse. He opened the window and then snuck out the open door. Once he was outside, he stuck his wand through the window and whispered, "Expelliarmus!" causing Bellatrix's wand to fly out of her hand. He quickly ducked down, even though he was still covered by the cloak. He was glad he had ducked a moment later when two green beams flew out the window above him, hitting the Dursleys now totaled car.
"Come on in, Little Harry," came the taunting voice of Padfoot's killer, "We know you're out there. You don't want your family hurt, do you?"
While trying to figure out why he wasn't just running away, leaving the Dursleys to their well-deserved fate, he snuck around to the back door and removed his cloak (because it couldn't hide him while he fought) and stuffed it in his back pocket. He wasn't sure if anyone was guarding the inside of that door, so he blasted it off its hinges with a `Reducto' curse, and smiled when he noticed that someone was thrown backwards under the door. The mask fell off and he saw the unconscious, bleeding face of Goyle, one of Draco's goons. He instantly realized that the other Death Eaters were most likely Draco Malfoy and Crabbe. He guessed they were being taught by Malfoy's aunt.
He heard someone approaching the kitchen door and released the same curse on it, this time taking out Crabbe.
"Hello Scarhead," said Draco's familiar voice from behind a mask. "I knew you were too stupid to run away. Harry saw Vernon lying unconscious on the ground with a hysterical Petunia crying next to him. Both Draco and Bellatrix were pointing their wands at him. He knew shields would be useless against the curses these people would use.
He dodged to the left just as two beams of light were shot at him. He aimed his wand at Draco and shouted, "Stupefy!" nailing him between the eyes.
Bella shouted, "Crucio!" causing him to jump quickly out of the way, giving her time to "Enervate!" her nephew. "I see you're being a good boy again, Harrikins!" sneered Bella as Draco proudly got up.
"Sectumsempra!" shouted Malfoy, causing a beam of light to shoot at Harry, who dodged but got hit in his left hand, which started bleeding and hurt like hell.
Harry swore under his breath, realizing that he couldn't fight Death Eaters like that. With resolve to do what he had to, he pointed his wand toward Bellatrix, but at the last moment aimed it at Draco shouting, "Reducto!"
He barely stopped himself from vomiting as Draco's surprised head was separated from his body and rolled ten feet behind him.
"You KILLED MY NEPHEW!!!" shouted the deranged killer, "Crucio!"
This time Harry, in shock from what he'd just done, didn't dodge in time, and found himself writhing on the floor, screaming. He didn't know how long he'd been under the curse. He didn't notice his tormentor laughing or his aunt screaming. He did see when Petunia tackled Bellatrix to the ground, causing the curse to be broken. She still held her wand tightly. She angrily shouted, "Get your hands off me, you filthy muggle!" as she turned her wand on Petunia.
Harry looked around for his wand, but didn't see it anywhere. He tried to run toward his aunt, but knew he wouldn't make it on time. He heard the word, "Avada…"
At that moment, he saw Bellatrix getting shot with a red beam from behind and falling over unconscious. Kingsley Shacklebolt walked through the door as he put his wand in a holster. "Mr. Potter, is that all of them?"
It took him a moment to register what he'd been asked. "Um. There's the two others in here." He pointed at Crabbe and what was left of Draco. "Oh, and one in the kitchen who I think is unconscious."
A few more aurors walked into the room as Kingsley went into the kitchen. The aurors were examining the Death Eaters on the floor. One of them, an attractive blonde woman who appeared to be in her early twenties, walked up to him and said, "These are both dead." Before she said anything else, she noticed his bleeding left hand. "Let me see that hand, Mr. Potter." When she saw some hesitation in his eyes, she added, "I have some emergency healing training." He submissively held out his hand to her as she began performing a spell he'd never heard before.
"By the way," she said when his hand was healed, "My name is Auror Jones. You did great to take out three Death Eaters." She then smirked, "But of course, we could expect no less from the great Harry Potter, right." She winked at him. "I heard you did well at the Ministry, too."
He blushed at the compliment, just as another auror said, "Hey Jones, come over here." Harry looked to see the older auror bent over Vernon, who was unconscious. Auror Jones performed a spell on Harry's uncle and frowned at the results.
"How, how is my husband?" asked Petunia, who'd rushed to his side.
"I'm sorry Mrs. Dursley. Your husband suffered a heart attack while he was under the Cruciatus curse. It's too late to help him. He's dead."
Petunia's face went pale, and it looked like she was going too say something, but instead she passed out.
Kingsley walked back into the living room and said, "The other Death Eater is dead as well. Mr. Potter, I'm gonna need your statement. Tell me what happened."
After Harry told the tale, revealing the names of his attackers, Shacklebolt said, "I can promise you that you won't have any problems for performing underage magic, and your uncle's death clearly justifies the force you used against his killers. You shouldn't have any trouble over this. They were in your home attacking your family, and all of them have the Dark Mark."
"Er, thanks. I, er, do appreciate it. Um, how did they get here? Dumbledore said there were some kind of blood wards here that kept me safe."
Kingsley looked confused. "All I detected were some standard wards that are currently down. Nothing else."
"They are undetectable to all but the most powerful wizards," came Dumbledore's voice from the doorway. He looked truly shaken up. "I'm afraid Voldemort himself must have penetrated them. He must have provided your attackers with some of your blood, which flows in his veins. I'm afraid this house is no longer secure. We'll be moving you to headquarters as soon as you can pack." The old man sighed. "There is now no reason for you to return to this house." With a twinkle in his eye, he added, "Why don't you eat this pumpkin pasty while you're packing?"
He stared at his headmaster in disbelief as he took the pastry. "That's it? I can finally leave? Hold on. This place hasn't been safe from me since Voldemort returned! You knew he took my blood!"
"I was hoping he wouldn't realize the kind of wards that were protecting you. Without his direct involvement, they couldn't possibly have gotten in here."
"But if he was directly involved, why didn't he come himself?"
For a brief moment, Albus looked upset. He quickly regained his usual pleasant demeanor. "I'm sorry, Harry, but you can't expect me to understand everything that a psychotic killer does. You don't think I can truly relate to him, do you?"
"Of, of course not, sir. I didn't mean to imply…"
"Quite alright, my boy, quite alright. I'd suggest you get to packing. I'll take you to headquarters and inform the Order of what has happened. I'll also ask them not to question you about the attack. I'm sure you don't want to relive it. By the way, I must say that you defended yourself admirably."
He looked down to the floor. "Not admirably enough. Uncle Vernon died."
Dumbledore put his hand on Harry's shoulder in a grandfatherly way. "You mustn't blame yourself for that. At least the rest of your family is fine. That is thanks to you."
"I guess," he said, not convinced. He then started walking toward the stairs.
"Wait, Harry!" He stopped and turned to see his aunt (who'd obviously been revived) walking toward him with tears falling down her eyes. "You were outside, but came back in. Why did you do that?"
"I couldn't just run away," he said nonchalantly.
"Why not? You could have escaped."
"I'm afraid you'll find that young Harry doesn't run away from his battles," said Dumbledore proudly.
Harry blushed at the praise and went up the stairs, shoving the snack in his mouth, and packed.
Ten minutes later, Harry was coming downstairs with his heavy trunk and an empty cage. "I sent Hedwig to Ginny with a brief note," he said when he noticed his headmaster eying the cage.
"Of course."
"Er, Professor, what can be done to protect Aunt Petunia and Dudley in case the Death Eaters decide to attack again?"
"I shall put up the strongest wards that I can without you living here," he promised, "but first, I'll take you to headquarters."
"Can't I go to the Burrow?" asked Harry.
The old man smiled at him. "Perhaps that would be better. Certain wards have been put up around that house to make it as safe as possible. It's almost as safe as headquarters, and it would be prudent to assure them, specifically Miss Weasley, that you're alright with more than a note."
A broad smile formed across Harry's face as Dumbledore took his hand and they disappeared out of Number Four Privet Drive with a small pop.
-
Please review. Thank you to those who have. I'll try to have the next chapter up within two weeks.
-->