Something to Remember

Chapter 2 Visitors

**

It was Friday evening. Ron and Hermione were sitting together talking while waiting for Harry, who was set to arrive any minute now with Lupin. Harry had sent post the night before, telling them he was excited to finally see them again, as it had been torture at the Dursleys. Mrs. Weasley couldn't wait to get some food into Harry's stomach, as during the summers with the Dursleys, Harry was barely given enough. Though Ginny had been over her crush on Harry for quite some time, she still looked forward to seeing him. However, Hermione and Ron most wanted to see Harry to discuss all the current happenings.

And suddenly, a knock mantled on the back door. The visitors knocked exactly four times, as Harry said they would. Hermione and Ron went to the back door. Ron opened the door. Three people stood at the door.

The first to enter was Harry, who looked thinner than ever, and quite tired. Their second visitor was Remus Lupin, the undoubted favorite of all their past Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, looking, as Ron had predicted, even shabbier than before, though at very least with a widening smile that seemed unhurt, genuine. The third visitor was a rather harassed-looking old woman with white hair whom neither Ron nor Hermione at all recognized.

Dumbfounded for a brief second, Ron finally just said, "Err, hello Harry!"

Harry, instantaneously made joyful, greeted Ron and Hermione. "This is Professor Lupin, as you know of course! And this is Mrs. Figg, a neighbor of mine, whom I recently discovered is a witch herself. She's been looking after me all these years, babysitting me when I was younger and everything, even, and I never had a clue about it! Tonight, since I needed some guard on my way here, Dumbledore went ahead and asked Mrs. Figg to tag along. Anyway, great to see you guys!" He smiled at them all, but though his expression beamed with relief and happiness, Harry somehow looked so sad all the same, Hermione thought. She could see clearly right through his emotions; yes, Harry was happy to see them, but she knew they'd have a lot to talk about tonight...

In the meantime, following polite introductions, Mrs. Figg stayed for tea, then Apparated to see Dumbledore, while Lupin, however, was to stay at the Weasleys' for the remainder of the holiday to keep a watch on Harry. That way he'd be able to escort Harry and the others to King's Cross on September first. Harry and the others greatly enjoyed hearing this development, for as truth be told, Professor Lupin was, as he'd always been, quite the good-natured, fascinating fellow.

Later that evening, Hermione, Ron, and Harry sat in Ron's room discussing everything together. The subject of prefects came up.

"So you guys got the badge? Well, I'm Quidditch Captain! I'm over the moon!" said Harry, grinning broadly.

"Wow, Harry, well done! I thought Angelina would get it for sure!" said Hermione in surprise.

"Oh, well, we all know who the star always was!" corrected Ron flatteringly, grinning as he patted Harry on the back.

"That puts you on the same level as prefects, Harry," explained Hermione, winking. "And speaking of which, uh, well, oh for Heaven's sake...Draco Malfoy and Millicent Bulstrode are the Slytherin prefects." Her tone had quickly sunken to a dead monotone.

"WHAT!" exclaimed a furious-made Harry and Ron together.

"Well, he is the top in our year other than me," noted Hermione, thoughtfully.

"Fucking git, that's all Malfoy's is. A piece of shit at best, mate," spat Ron disgustedly.

"I know, Ron, I'm just saying," said Hermione patiently. "Unfortunately, we are going to have to deal with him even more."

**

The morning of September the first at last came.

A huge dog barked loudly outside of the Burrow, without a doubt audible inside the home. Hyper as can be, the massive canine was pouncing up and down on the Weasleys' front steps. Mrs. Weasley must've completely found this normal, as she promptly went outside and called, "Come in, Snuffles!" Without wasting another moment the dog hopped on its hind-legs, turned the door knob on the front door, and proceeded right in. Then, too suddenly the dog amazingly transformed into a human man -

Harry's godfather, Sirius Black.

"...Dumbledore almost didn't let me come! But I had to see Harry before he went off to school. How has he been doing?" asked Sirius urgently, though he gleamed with happiness nonetheless.

"He's much better. He's coping. Dumbledore stopped by and informed him on the Order and what's going on last week, so Harry's ready to go off to school now. He'll be delighted to see you," said a smiling Mrs. Weasley. She then raised her voice and called upstairs. "Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Fred, and George -- WE'RE LEAVING IN FIVE MINUTES!"

Lupin came downstairs and greeted Sirius with a big hug, and they waited for the others to come down. Harry was the first. "Sirius! It's great to see you," said Harry, glowing radiantly with elation. He had no idea Sirius would be there to greet him before heading to King's Cross!

The others came down and all greeted Sirius and they all were able to enjoy a few minutes with each other together. They didn't know when they'd next see each other, after all.

**

Narcissa escorted her son to King Cross's Station by Ministry cars - they were the Malfoys after all, very well connected. Narcissa, however, was very concerned about her dear son's safety. She didn't want Draco to get involved in affairs with the Dark Lord or anything dangerous -- regardless of what Lucius wanted. Yes, Narcissa was a pure-blood, a proud pure-blood, but she had never been interested in the Dark Arts. And yes, she'd thought Lucius was a charm, and had married him. But at the time, he had not, of course, been involved in the Dark Arts.

Had he been fascinated by it? Yes. But they had married right after graduation from Hogwarts, and it wasn't until some time later that Lucius became a Death Eater, herself but the supportive wife. Then they had Draco, and he had raised him to be a gloating, proud pure-blood, a hateful one even, who looked down with detest on half-bloods and, most 'specially, Muggle-Borns. She had tried to raise him to be proud of his ancestry, but still be tolerant. But at the moment, serious things with Draco were putting his life at stake, placing her young son in the hazard of the Dark Lord...

The Dark Lord saw potential in Draco, and hoped to make him a Death Eater in the future. Even just now though, at this point Lucius had already demanded Draco to spy on Harry Potter in any way he could, and to confidentially pass along any information retrieved back to his earnest-as-can-be father. Narcissa wished Draco could stay out of it. Just thinking about it brought her to tears, matter of fact. 'My only son, just a teenager, a child, his life at stake! What can I do? If I interfere, The Dark Lord will kill us!' she dreaded to herself again and again, all-throughout the course of each these days...

This afternoon, September the first alas, Narcissa inwardly was fragiler than ever about letting her son leave her for another year at school. She felt near an emotional breakdown: Silent tears flew down her cheek as she watched Draco enter the train, waving her farewell half-enthusiastically. Uselessly unforethoughtful within her own thoughts, Narcissa prayed silently for her son's safety - the one thing that mattered most to her right now.

**