The Potter Manor Chronicles

The Potter Manor Chronicles

Chapter One

"Are you sure you'll be alright, Harry," Hermione asked earnestly as she, Harry, Ron, and Ginny made their way reluctantly toward the enchanted barrier of Platform 9 3/4.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione had just completed their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry; and Harry had yet again narrowly escaped death when he was kidnapped by Death Eaters in masks on a routine Prefect round. They were on orders from Voldemort to bring Harry to him alive. Voldemort wanted Harry dead, but he wanted to do the actual killing himself. After the Weasleys' Ford Angelina had saved his life for the second time, Harry was finally glad that he and Ron had crashed it into the Whomping Willow at the beginning of their second year.

"I guess I'll be as alright as can be expected," said Harry. "At least Sirius and Annie will be picking me up so I'll have a little more time than usual before I have to see the Dursleys again." Hermione bit her lip and tried to hold back tears.

"Look, Hermione," said Harry. "There is magic that protects me there. It's the safest place for me." Ginny and Ron exchanged a sad look. Ginny took Harry's arm and buried her face in his shoulder.

"That isn't what Hermione's talking about and you know it, Harry," said Ron. "You shouldn't have to endure those lousy gits after everything you've been through. Do they even care?"

"There's nothing I can do about it!" snapped Harry. Ginny gave a sob. Harry sighed and put his arm around her. "Sorry," he said to Ron. "I just don't feel like talking about this right now." Harry could feel his throat tighten.

"How much longer do you think you'll be safe with those muggles," Draco Malfoy sneered from behind the quartet. The four of them turned around and glared at Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle were snickering behind him and Pansy Parkinson was clinging to his arm.

"Get stuffed, Malfoy!" snapped Ron.

"I wouldn't count on staying alive much longer, if I were you, Granger," said Pansy. "The Dark Lord isn't too fond of Mudbloods." Ron started forward but Harry, Ginny, and Hermione seized his arms.

"At least we aren't afraid to say which side we're on," said Hermione. "If the Dark Lord's so powerful, why don't you just declare your support openly for him instead of hiding behind you pure-blood family names. I think Salazar Slytherin would be ashamed to have you in his house!" Draco and Pansy looked furious.

"See you in September," said Harry to the four Slytherins as he and his friends passed through the barrier dragging a red-faced Ron.

"I wonder if he'll be so smug once his father is caught," said Ron.

"I can't wait for that to happen," said Hermione. They spotted Mrs. Weasley talking to Annie and Sirius and walked over to them. Sirius noticed some of the traces of cuts on Harry's face and scowled knowing that Wormtail had helped inflict them.

"Is there anything you'd like to do before going to the Dursleys?" asked Annie gently. Harry shook his head. Mrs. Weasley gave him her usual hug.

"Don't be a stranger, Harry," she said. "We'll see about you coming to stay with us later this summer."

"Thanks," said Harry. "I'll keep in touch."

"You'd better," said Ginny in a commanding, yet affectionate tone. She threw her arms around him, but did not dare kiss him in front of Ron. Harry felt the same way. Ron was his best friend, but he could still be a bit of a prat about Harry showing affection toward his little sister. Harry probably could have teased Ron about Hermione, but it just wasn't the same, even though Ron and Hermione's displays of affection were rather entertaining. Ron had become somewhat of a legend for dating Hermione. He was getting a lot of attention for being the man who had won the heart of Viktor Krum's girlfriend. That attention seemed to make up for Ron not being made a Prefect when Harry and Hermione both were. Harry was just grateful that being a Prefect hadn't created any friction between Ron and himself.

"Believe me, I will," Harry whispered to Ginny.

"I'll hold you to that you know. If I don't hear from you every day, I'll go to Privet drive, kidnap you, and keep you as my hostage," said Ginny.

"Don't tempt me," said Harry. He reluctantly let go of her and turned to Sirius and Annie. "Let's go," he said. "No use delaying the inevitable."

"Take care of yourself," said Hermione as she gave Harry a hug.

"Fred and George are planning on sending you something from their joke shop," Ron whispered so that Mrs. Weasley would not hear. "I'm sure the Muggles will give you a good use for it." Harry grinned. Ron looked relieved to see Harry grinning.

Annie and Sirius walked on either side of Harry as he pushed his trunk with Hedwig on top to the station exit. Having people walk beside him as he left King's Cross was a new experience for Harry; he was used to walking behind Uncle Vernon. Then again, Sirius and Annie were about as different from Uncle Vernon as was humanly possible. The three of them walked in silence to the car, feeling that they probably should not discuss the issues of the wizarding world in front of Muggles.

Annie and Sirius helped Harry get his trunk and Hedwig into the car. Harry sat in front between the two adults. "How's Remus?" he asked trying to break the ice.

"He's feeling a little ill from the potion, but other than that he's fine," said Sirius as Annie started the car and pulled out of the station. "How are you?" Harry opened his mouth to say that he was fine, but couldn't do it. After all, it was Sirius he was talking to.

"I'm pissed off!" Harry said surprising himself as well as his parents' friends, but he continued. "I mean, one minute I'm this hero of the wizarding community and the next, most people turn against me because of some stupid rumor! Fudge knows that Voldemort is back, yet he still turns a blind eye away from everything that has happened; the Malfoys and the Averys are still running around doing whatever they please because, hey, they make donations to excellent causes! Fudge is more interested in pinning something on Hagrid or Remus."

Sirius and Annie exchanged glances. They both wanted to say something to comfort Harry, but knew that everything he was angry about was true. They were watching the history of the last war repeat itself.

"We're working on getting all of that changed," said Annie.

---------------------------------------------------

When Harry, Sirius, and Annie reached Number 4 Privet Drive they heard Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia shouting from the kitchen.

"We can't pull Dudley out of Smeltings!" shrieked Aunt Petunia. "What will everyone say?"

"I'm not suggesting we pull him out, Petunia, but money is getting tight. We could lose the house. The dean said that Dudley might be able to be in the work program."

"Dudley work? I won't hear of it, Vernon, I won't."

"Work might do that kid some good," Sirius muttered to Harry and Annie as they entered the house and took Harry's things up to his room. Harry snorted. If Dudley did actually do any work, he'd probably drop dead. As they made their way down the hall, Dudley peeked out of his bedroom door. He quickly ducked back inside as Sirius scowled at him. Harry had the impression that Dudley was clutching his massive bottom at that moment.

When they got to his room, Harry opened Hedwig's cage and let her out. She gave his finger an affectionate nip before flying out the window. Harry envied his owl for her ability to fly at that moment.

"We'd better get going, Sirius," said Annie. "Arabella's expecting us." Sirius gave Harry a concerned look.

"Very well," he sighed.

"I'll see you out," said Harry. The three of them walked down stairs. "Don't worry about me," said Harry as they reached the door. "The Death Eaters can't touch me here and the Dursleys are afraid that Sirius'll turn them into beetles or something if they try anything."

"I will certainly turn them into something," said Sirius. "Take care of yourself, Harry. We'll stop by to check on you in a few days."

"You take care of yourself," said Harry giving his godfather a hug. "You do the same," he said to Annie as he gave her a hug as well. Both Annie and Sirius knew that it was useless to tell Harry not to worry about them so they didn't bother.

As the stepped outside and closed the front door behind them, Annie and Sirius heard Vernon come into the living room to shout at Harry. "Back are you, boy? Here to leech off your aunt and me, well, we'll have none of that." Sirius clenched his fists at his sides and began to shake with anger.

"Dad, Harry's weird friends were threatening me," came Dudley's voice.

"They were not," said Harry.

"Don't lie, boy," said Uncle Vernon. "It's bad enough that you've been a useless burden on your aunt and me for the last fifteen years, but I'll not have your lot come into my home and threaten my son. Understand? UNDERSTAND?"

"Yes, Uncle Vernon," came Harry's defeated voice.

"Did I hear correctly?" came Petunia's voice. "Those-those people were threatening Dudley. Oh Duddikins, are you alright?"

"I-was-s-so-scared-mummy," said Dudley through pretended sobs. Annie peeked through the window and saw a look of triumph on Dudley's face as he smirked at Harry behind his parents' backs. With a surge of rage, Annie grabbed her wand out of her belt and blasted the front door open. The three Dursleys stood frozen with terror as Sirius and Annie entered with their wands up and wearing expressions of sheer fury.

"Would you be so kind as to tell your parents the truth, Dudley?" said Annie with her wand pointed right at his face.

"I-um-they-never-threatened-me," stammered Dudley. Annie lowered her wand.

"Thank you," she said.

"You know, Dursley," said Sirius to Vernon. "We couldn't help overhearing your rather unkind words to Harry."

"I was just telling it like it is," said Vernon as his face purpled.

"BULLSHIT!" roared Sirius in a very doglike manner. "If anyone in this house is useless or a leech, it's your son!"

"HOW DARE YOU!" shrieked Petunia.

"Would you mind shutting the hell up, Petunia," said Annie pointing her wand at Petunia's face. "Sirius is trying to make a point here." Petunia and Annie glared at each other in a manner that strongly reminded Harry of the way Snape and Sirius looked at each other. Petunia began to chew her tongue.

"I'll not have you treating Harry like scum anymore," said Sirius. "Do you have any idea what he's been through the past few years?"

"Nobody forced him to go to that freak school," said Vernon. "It's not our fault if he gets mixed up in the same rubbish that got his parents killed."

With a fresh wave of fury, Annie waved her wand. With a loud CRACK! Dudley had become something that looked like a cross between a skrewt and a niffler.

"Oh, Dammit," said Annie. "I botched up the spell. Oh well, Transfiguration never really was my best subject. Do you remember the reversal spell, Sirius?"

"Not at the moment," said Sirius scratching his head sarcastically. Harry was trying not to laugh. "But I'm sure that if Vernon here will listen to the proposal I have to make, my memory just may come back..."

"And just what proposal might that be?" shouted Vernon over Petunia's shrieks. A vein was throbbing dangerously in his forehead. He looked as though he was ready to commit murder.

"Well, I couldn't but hearing earlier, that you are having money problems," said Sirius in a calm manner that he must have picked up from being friends with Remus.

"So?" snapped Vernon.

"Well," Sirius continued casually twirling his wand. "I have a rather large sum of wizard gold that could easily be exchanged into Muggle money." Vernon seemed to take interest in the proposition when Sirius mentioned money. Harry knew for certain at that moment that he had been right about the Dursleys when he had thought that their hatred for all things magical would not extend to a pile of wizard gold under Gringotts.

"I'm listening," said Vernon. Sirius turned to Annie.

"Is the old Potter Manor still in good condition?" he asked.

"Yes," said Annie slowly not certain where Sirius was going with this.

"Good," said Sirius and he turned back to Vernon. "What I propose is that you and your family come and stay with my friends and I at the old Potter Manor during Harry's summer breaks so that we may give him the kind of support he needs."

Vernon opened his mouth to respond negatively but Sirius held up his wand. "In exchange, I will supply financial backing for your company as well as take care of your other expenses until you get back on your feet."

"All of my expenses?" asked Vernon.

"Well, I won't be buying Dudley any new toys, but I'll pay his tuition to Smeltings," said Sirius unable to keep a strait face when he said the name of Dudley's school out loud.

"And just when will this begin?" asked Vernon.

"As soon as Annie and I can make the arrangements. Oh right, is this okay with you Annie?"

"It's just fine with me," said Annie with her hand on Harry's shoulder. Harry grinned.

"Alright," said Vernon. "We'll stay at your ruddy manor."

"Vernon!" hissed Petunia. "We can't stay with, with...them! What will people say?"

"Do you want to lose everything we have, Petunia? What will people say if that happens? Besides, we don't have to tell anyone where we're staying, do we?" he asked turning back to Sirius.

"We won't tell if you don't," Sirius replied as he flicked his wand and Dudley became human again. "Right, then. Shall we go and get everything, ready, Annie?"

"The sooner, the better," said Annie. She gave Harry's shoulder an encouraging squeeze. Sirius did the same and they started for the door. As they were about to leave, Annie turned around and looked directly at Petunia. "Oh, one more thing. If any of you say or do anything unkind to Harry, I shall go strait to Smeltings and bribe them to kick Dudley out. Understood? Good."

As Annie and Sirius turned to leave again a wave of nausea swept over Harry. His scar began to burn. He fought hard not to scream. The room disappeared around him and he began to hear the familiar cold laughter.

Oh I can't believe it! You had Harry Potter in your clutches and you let him slip through your fingers because of a car. That is rather incompetent. Lord Voldemort despises incompetence!

Master, please!

CRUCIO!

"Harry! Harry, wake up!" said Sirius poking Harry on the side of his head. Harry was still clutching his scar. There was a thin layer of sweat on his face. He opened his eyes to see Sirius and Annie kneeling on either side of him. The Dursleys were standing up looking rather shaken.

"Harry, are you alright?" asked Annie. "What happened?"

"Voldemort," replied Harry weakly. "He was torturing someone for letting the Ford Angelina rescue me. I couldn't tell who it was."

"We'd better get you up to bed," said Sirius. He and Annie helped Harry to his feet and up to his room.

"Will you be alright until we get back?" asked Annie as she covered Harry with his sheets. Harry nodded.

"Do whatever you have to do. Like you said, Annie, the sooner this is taken care of, the better," said Harry.

The adults both nodded and glanced back anxiously at Harry before leaving the room. Harry had the feeling that they were going to give one last warning to his aunt and uncle before leaving.

Harry clutched his pillow and stared at the wall. His head was still throbbing painfully. He heard Aunt Petunia coming up about fifteen minutes after Annie and Sirius left and pretended to be asleep. He could hear her set a glass of juice on the night table. It was probably the nicest gesture she had ever made to her nephew. Harry opened his eyes again after hearing the door close. He found himself wishing that Ginny was with him. No matter how bad things were, her presence was always comforting. It was only in the last year that Harry had truly realized that. After getting to know Cho Chang personally, Harry had discovered that he only liked her as a friend. She was a good friend, though. After getting to know Ginny more personally, Harry had consciously realized that she was so much more to him than Ron's little sister.

Harry got out of bed and opened his school trunk. Sitting on top was the teddy bear that Ginny had made for him a few months earlier. Had he been living any kind of normal life, Harry may have felt a little foolish clinging to a stuffed animal. But Harry was about as far from normal as one could get. Ginny had given him the bear so that he could have something to hold on to during the lonely nights at the Dursleys. It gave Harry physical comfort. He knew that there were people who cared about and loved him, but the physical comfort of the Teddy bear helped enforce their love and make it feel more real. Harry lay in the bed, clinging tightly to the bear and tried to think about the Potter Manor. He would have Sirius, Remus, and Annie there with him. Just hurry up, guys, please, he thought. Perhaps after spending time with other wizards, the Dursleys might understand him better, or even start to care... Maybe Ginny, Ron, and Hermione would be able to spend the summer there and they would be protected from Voldemort. This thought allowed Harry to drift off peacefully into a dreamless sleep.