Harry Potter and the Unicorn Guild

Chapter 3 - The D.A. at Privet Drive

Tonks and Moody walked with them to Number 4, Privet Drive, their wands out and Moody's magical eye swiveling every which way. "Your uncle isn't at home, is he, boy?" he barked to Harry as they walked up the drive.

"No, he's at work," Harry answered, feeling a twinge of disappointment. It was supremely ironic; most of the time when Uncle Vernon was home, Harry wished he wasn't - but right now he'd give ten galleons to see his uncle's broad face turn purple at the sight of Mad-Eye Moody thumping up the driveway.

"Shame," Moody muttered, evidently wishing to give Uncle Vernon more of what he'd dished out at Platform 9 ¾.

"All right," Harry said as he reached the front door. He looked at Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville and Luna. "Just remember that my Aunt Petunia and Dudley hate wizards and anything to do with them, so don't take it personally if they're rude, okay?"

"Go on, Harry, I just can't wait to see Dudley again," Ron sniggered.

Harry pushed open the front door, carrying his new owl stand. The others, including Tonks and Moody, followed behind. Moody looked around the Dursleys' immaculate foyer, and, apparently satisfied that there were no Death Eaters lurking behind the door, nodded to Tonks. The two Apparated back to Mrs. Figg's house.

A second later, Aunt Petunia bustled out from the kitchen. "Well, it's about time," she said sternly. "I need you to water the garden, it's absolutely parched - " She broke off abruptly as she caught sight of the entourage with Harry. Her eyes narrowed as her gaze raked over Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna. When her stare traveled to Ginny, however, Petunia paled and took a step back, one hand moving up to clutch her chest, the other grabbing the hat-stand and holding on for dear life. "L - Lily," she gasped, her pale eyes wide with shock. "It can't be…"

The others, Harry included, promptly turned to stare at Ginny, who looked rather taken aback at Petunia's reaction. With a start, Harry realized that Ginny did look something like the pictures of Harry's mum in his photo album; Ginny had slightly different features and brown eyes instead of green, but Harry could see a small resemblance to the fifteen-year-old Lily in his album.

"Er… no," Ginny said carefully, shooting a startled glance in Harry's direction. "I'm Ginny Weasley, a friend of Harry's from school."

"Friend… from… school?" Petunia repeated faintly. "From… that school?"

"Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry jumped in hurriedly. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Dudley lurking in the background, a frightened expression on his porky face. "They were at Mrs. Figg's… they threw a surprise birthday party for me. They're just helping me carry my stuff up to my room, and we'll leave."

"Mrs. Figg?" Aunt Petunia said suspiciously, releasing her hold on the hat-stand and calming noticeably. "How does she know… them?"

Harry opened his mouth and closed it again; he didn't want to give away that Mrs. Figg was a Squib, because he knew the Dursleys would be horrible to her if they found out she associated with the wizarding world. Mrs. Figg wasn't a bad old sort, and the last thing he wanted was for Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia to treat her like dirt as long as she lived in Little Whinging. Also, they'd fuss and complain at him for the rest of the summer whenever he went over there.

Luckily, Hermione jumped in. "She's a friend of my parents; I'm Muggleborn, so my parents know a lot of Muggles," she said, lying glibly. "I asked her if she would mind hosting a surprise party for my friend from school who lived near her, and she said that was okay. She… doesn't know that we're wizards; there wasn't any magic at the party." Harry could sense that Ron and Neville were struggling to keep straight faces; it was all he could do himself to contain a snicker. Hermione's fibs seemed to have slightly pacified Petunia, however; she visibly relaxed.

"Er, Aunt Petunia, these are my friends Hermione Granger; Ron Weasley; Neville Longbottom; Luna Lovegood; and you met Ginny Weasley," Harry introduced hurriedly, pointing to each in turn; he was hoping to take his aunt's mind off Mrs. Figg. "Everyone, this is my Aunt Petunia, my mum's sister, and my cousin, Dudley." Dudley jumped as he was introduced and looked as though he wanted to bolt into the kitchen; however, oddly enough, his piggy eyes seemed to be fixed on Luna. Harry noticed Luna and Neville staring with fascination at Dudley; likely they'd never seen someone their own age as enormous as he was.

"Oh… well…" Petunia looked as though she would dearly love to kick them all out, but something held her back. "Take that rubbish up to your room, then. Make it quick, and don't track any mud or dirt over the floor - I've just mopped!" She positively ran back into the kitchen, grabbing Dudley's sleeve and dragging him along with her.

"Come on," Harry said, feeling immensely relieved. He led the way up into his rather small bedroom and shut the door once they were inside.

"That's your cousin, Harry?" Neville exclaimed immediately, bursting into giggles. "He… he could stand to lose a bit of weight, don't you think?"

"I've thought that for years, Neville," Harry answered, carefully placing his new owl stand next to the dresser where Hedwig's cage sat. "Two years ago he was put on a diet… his school didn't stock uniforms big enough for him anymore."

"Did it work?" Luna asked interestedly.

"Sort of… now he's a boxing champ at his school; that's a Muggle sport, kind of like dueling, except Muggles use these big gloves to beat each other up with instead of magic," Harry explained. "Come to think of it, I'm not surprised Dudley got so good, considering he used to use me as his punching bag."

"Gloves?" Ron scoffed. "Bloody hell - these Muggles obviously don't know that a sport's not a sport unless there's danger of falling fifty feet from a broomstick."

Hedwig, who'd been roosting on top of her cage, flew to her new owlstand and hooted in satisfaction. "Don't thank me, thank Ron; he's the one who made it," Harry told her with a smile.

Hedwig flew to Ron's shoulder and nipped at his ear affectionately, hooting her thanks. Ron's ears went red as Hedwig flew back to her stand, but he was grinning happily. "You're welcome, Hedwig," he said.

Ginny and Hermione had been strangely quiet. As Harry glanced at them, he noticed that they were exchanging odd glances. "Something the matter?"

"What's all this junk?" Hermione asked, gesturing toward the shelves filled with Dudley's old, damaged, and broken-down toys and equipment.

"Dudley's," Harry said in an off-hand voice. "This used to be his second bedroom - whenever he broke something, he chucked it in here."

"Has been your bedroom the whole time you've been here, Harry?" Ginny asked quietly, depositing the gifts she'd carried on the sagging, lumpy bed and gazing at the mismatched, chipped furniture and cat flap installed in the door.

"Well - no, actually," Harry replied slowly, "until I was eleven, I slept in the cupboard under the stairs." Ginny looked at him, her eyes wide and horrified. "They moved me up here when I got my Hogwarts letter… it was addressed to me in my cupboard, you see, and they thought they were being watched, so…" He trailed off, his cheeks burning.

"When Fred and George and I flew the car here before second year, they had bars on the window," Ron jumped in.

"Yeah, that was after Dobby smashed that pudding and got me in loads of trouble," Harry remembered with a scowl.

"Oh, Harry," Hermione said, looking as though she was about to burst into tears.

"It's not so bad; it's only for a couple weeks out of the year," Harry said uncomfortably, "and once I'm of age, I'm going to get my own place, maybe in London, like S-Sirius did." It was hard for him to speak his godfather's name, but he managed and stared defiantly at Hermione, as if daring her to object. She looked as if she wanted to, but evidently decided against it. "Why did your aunt call me Lily?" Ginny asked curiously, changing the subject. "Wasn't that your mum's name?"

"Yeah. I dunno why she did that, maybe it's 'cause you look a bit like she did," Harry shrugged, digging in his trunk for the handsome leather-bound photo album in his Hogwarts trunk. He flipped to a picture of his mother at fifteen (his mother was waving energetically at the camera, flashing a red-and-gold prefect's badge and grinning widely at whoever was taking the picture) and handed the album to Ginny.

"I can see the resemblance," Neville said, craning his neck over Ginny's shoulder. "Ginny looks a bit like your mum - her eyes are different, though."

Ginny examined the picture, and then flipped the page. The next page held the picture of James and Lily Potter's wedding day. "Harry… is that Sirius?" Ginny gasped, staring at the youthful, energetic man grinning at the camera and making playful faces at the love-struck couple in the photo with him.

"Yeah, that's him," Harry said quietly. "He was my dad's best man."

"He looks so different," Hermione marveled, gazing at the photo. "So… young."

"Well, twelve years in Azkaban tends to age a person," Harry replied curtly, moving his birthday gifts to his trunk - he didn't want Dudley sneaking in and wrecking some of his presents.

"I… suppose it does," Hermione murmured, her face growing scarlet. Ginny handed him the album, and Harry returned it to his trunk and locked it securely. "Come on then, let's get out of here."

They filed out of the small bedroom. To Harry's surprise, Dudley was lurking in the hallway near his bedroom door. "What're you doing here?" Harry asked suspiciously.

"N-nothing," Dudley said quickly, his chins wobbling as his eyes flicked over to Luna. "I - I'm just making sure that you're not doing any of - that - with your friends."

"Any what? Hermione asked coolly, raising an eyebrow. "Magic?"

Dudley, his eyes still on Luna, jumped as though she had suddenly said a swear word. "Yes," he said almost incoherently. "That." He drew himself up to his full height and puffed out his chest. "I'm Junior Inter-School Boxing Champion of the Southeast at Smeltings, you know," he suddenly bragged, sounding not unlike Uncle Vernon, who frequently boasted about his company car and important position at Grunnings.

"Really," Luna said dreamily, fixing her large, pale blue eyes on Dudley's jiggling chins. "Harry plays Quidditch for Gryffindor. Do you play Quidditch?"

"No!" Dudley exclaimed, looking horrified at the very thought.

"Pity. I rather like men who have nice broomsticks," Luna said absently, and swept past Dudley - it was a rather tight squeeze - to the top of the stair. Dudley stared stupidly after her, his brows furrowing in confusion.

Harry motioned to the others, and they all managed to squeeze past Dudley's rather large bulk and head down the stairs. "Just a minute," he said to the others in the hall. "The telephone's in the kitchen, I'll go on and call Moody."

When he returned to the hallway (Aunt Petunia had holed herself up in the living room, so Harry, thankfully, was able to call Mrs. Figg's in private), Dudley had come down the stairs and was staring fixedly at Luna. Luna was examining a vase on the hall table and humming what sounded like "Weasley is our King" under her breath as the others stood around awkwardly, stealing curious glances at Dudley. Ginny appeared to be choking back laughter; her face was nearly purple with the effort. Hermione wasn't staring at Dudley; instead, her gaze was fixed on the door of the cupboard under the stairs, her expression inscrutable.

"Come on," Harry said, opening the front door. "We're supposed to wait for them outside."

His friends followed him out the door. Luna paused, blinked at Dudley, and said cheerfully, "Toodle-oo!" before going out.

Once the door was closed and they were safely out of earshot, Ginny burst into laughter. "Oh, Harry - " she gasped. "Your cousin - has a crush - on Luna!"

Harry shook his head, bewildered. "Of all people, Dudley gets a crush on a witch. I'll never understand him."

"Did you hear the big oaf? 'I'm Inner-School Bozking Champ,'" Ron mimicked.

"Boxing champ," Hermione corrected.

"What a git," Ron continued, ignoring Hermione.

Harry agreed, still feeling rather astonished about the whole experience. Aunt Petunia mistaking Ginny for his mum; Dudley getting sweet not only on a witch, but on Luna "Loony" Lovegood, of all people… it was mind-boggling. Harry wondered if Uncle Vernon, had he been there, would have begun discussing drills with Neville.

Moody and Tonks Apparated in front of them. "All right, you lot, let's go," Moody growled, moving to the rear.

"Er… " Hermione said hesitantly, peering down the street. "Is it wise to Apparate in broad daylight like that? What if a Muggle saw you?"

"Don't worry, Hermione, we have our ways of making sure no Muggles are about," Tonks said mysteriously. "Back to the party, then!" She strode down the street to Mrs. Figg's, and the rest of them followed.

Hermione fell in-step with Harry as they walked across Privet Drive. "Harry, I wanted to apologize," she said, her voice small.

"For what?" Harry asked.

"Lying to your aunt. I hope I didn't make more trouble for you," she said nervously.

"It's all right, you haven't," Harry reassured her, shrugging. "If they try anything, I'll threaten to write to Moody; that's worked so far this summer."

"Still, I - " Hermione remained anxious. "I didn't realize it was like that for you. I mean, you've told me that the Dursleys don't like you, and I know you've never had proper clothes and all, but - "

"But what?" Harry asked curiously.

"But - oh, Harry - they used to make you sleep in a cupboard!" Hermione said, her large brown eyes troubled.

"Hermione, it's okay," Harry said, alarmed. He glanced at the others, but Ron and Ginny were chatting with Tonks, and Neville and Luna were speaking to each other. None of them seemed to be listening to their conversation. "Really, I've gotten used to it, and as I said I'm only here during the summer holidays anyway - "

"All right, here we are," Moody announced, stopping at Mrs. Figg's house. A large black-and-white cat stared insolently at them from the front steps; Harry recognized him as Mr. Tibbles, one of Mrs. Figg's many cats.

"Go on, then…" Tonks opened the door and ushered them inside.

The party seemed to have moved down to the living room; Fred and George were gone, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Dumbledore were seated at Mrs. Figg's kitchen table, with Mrs. Figg pouring tea for them all. "Hello," Mrs. Weasley said cheerfully. "Did you have a good time?"

"Smashing," Ron said, glancing around the room. "Where'd Fred and George go?"

"They had to go back to the store, dear; Lee Jordan Flooed and said something had come up… I can't believe that those two actually have a work ethic." Mrs. Weasley was shaking her head. She threw a glance at Harry that was affectionate and exasperated all at once. "I almost sent you a Howler when Ron told me where they got the money to start their business. I admit I wasn't too keen on their opening a joke shop, but it seems to have given them a bit of responsibility, which is more than I ever could do…"

"Mum," Ginny said suddenly, "do you think I look like Harry's mum did when she was at school?"

"What?" Mrs. Weasley said, surprised. "Well… I don't know, dear, I was well out of Hogwarts by the time Lily arrived…"

Both Moody's magical eye and normal eye were staring intently at Ginny, who squirmed uncomfortably under his concentrated stare. "A bit," he growled. "You have her figure. But she had lighter hair, different eyes."

Bill was gazing at Ginny, a contemplative expression on his face. "I knew her at Hogwarts, she was some older than me, though… I dunno, I think Moody's right. You do look a lot like her, especially from the back, but your face and eyes are a bit different."

"Why do you ask?" Mr. Weasley said, his eyebrows raised.

"Harry's aunt… when we walked in, she saw me and called me Lily…" Ginny said, looking uncomfortable. "She looked really shocked; maybe she thought I was a ghost or something. It was kind of weird."

Dumbledore chuckled softly, polishing his half-moon spectacles on his crimson robe. "No doubt her sister has been on her mind lately, what with recent events… Voldemort's return, the Dementors last year… her new attitude with Harry this summer seems to indicate a change in her thoughts, as well." He put his glasses back on and looked at Ginny over the top of them. "I agree with William - you do bear a passing resemblance to Lily, but no more than that."

Dumbledore's gaze traveled from Ginny to Hermione. "Is something the matter, Miss Granger?"

Hermione's fingers were twisting together and her face still bore the troubled expression she'd worn as they walked from Privet Drive to Mrs. Figg's house. "Professor Dumbledore, why does Harry have to stay at that - that place all summer?" Hermione erupted, causing the occupants of the room to stare at her. Vocal emotional displays from Hermione were rare. "It's awful - he's in a tiny room with a horrible bed, and it's filled with his cousin's old rubbish, and there's a cat flap on the door and they used to have bars on the windows, and they used to make him sleep in a cupboard, for Merlin's sake, and his aunt and cousin are so unpleasant, and I haven't even met his uncle, I can't imagine how bad he must be, and I don't see why Harry has to stay there when they obviously don't want him!" With this, she promptly burst into tears.

"Hermione…" Harry was aghast; he hadn't realized just how upset she'd been about his circumstances at the Dursleys'. He couldn't fathom why she was so distressed; it's not as if he was being forced to sleep in the garage or in the backyard. "I told you, it's okay, I don't mind, really…"

Mrs. Weasley had risen from her chair at the outset of Hermione's outburst and now had the sobbing girl in her arms, trying to comfort her. "Hermione, shhhh… it's all right, dear, there's no need to cry…" She looked helplessly at Dumbledore as Ginny moved toward Hermione and put a tentative hand on her shoulder. Hermione just cried harder.

"Harry," Dumbledore said quietly, "why don't you and the others - " he nodded at Ginny, who reluctantly backed away, " - go back up to the attic, perhaps for a game of Exploding Snap?"

"Er… yeah, sure," Harry mumbled, glad for the excuse - he felt incredibly guilty, witnessing Hermione's misery; at the same time he was strongly and unpleasantly reminded of Cho Chang. Ron, Neville, Luna, and Ginny seemed similarly stricken; Neville in particular looked afraid to move. Luna's customary dreamy expression had morphed into one of concern, and Ron looked as uneasy as Harry felt.

Harry beckoned to the others and headed for the stairway. Ron looked unwilling to follow, apparently wanting to comfort Hermione as Ginny had tried to do, but Mrs. Weasley shooed him away and he followed Harry up the stairs.

"D'you think she's okay?" Ron whispered to Harry as they climbed up the attic ladder.

"I don't know; I hope so," Harry whispered back. He hoisted himself through the trapdoor, helped Ron up, and sank into one of the squashy armchairs in the pseudo-common room. "I don't know what I did to make her so upset," he said aloud.

"Oh, Harry, it wasn't you," Ginny said. "It was…" she paused. "Well, it was a bit of a shock for her - for both of us. I mean, we knew that the Dursleys weren't exactly a loving family, but we had no idea that they were like that… I guess we assumed that they had at least given you a decent bedroom."

"But Hermione knew they were like that!" Harry protested. "And I've always told her about them and how awful they are."

"Not exactly, mate," Ron spoke up suddenly. "I mean, you've told me what they were like scores of times, but I've never heard you say much about them to her, unless you've owled her about them before."

This gave Harry pause. Come to think of it, Ron was right - most conversations he had about the Dursleys took place in their dormitory when Hermione wasn't present, and he'd never given many details in his owls to her. "Look at the summer before fourth year - she knew I was being forced to follow Dudley's diet; they were practically starving me," Harry pointed out. "She sent me a box of snacks and a birthday cake so I wouldn't go hungry."

"But you were getting food," Ginny objected. "You weren't being starved, exactly. And I remember reading the letter you sent Ron; it didn't sound like they were being too horrible, it just sounded like they wanted you to go along with the diet for Dudley's sake, not out of any malice toward you."

"Well, that's true, that's why we all had to follow that stupid diet - even Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia - " Harry paused, feeling more foolish than ever. "I still don't see why she was so upset. It doesn't bother me any and I'm the one who has to live with them!"

"That's different," Luna piped up. "You've had fifteen years to get used to it; she's had fifteen minutes."

Neville, who'd been silently listening to the conversation, shook his head. "Give it up, Harry - girls are hard to understand. Maybe you can talk to her later after she's calmed down."

"Okay," Harry agreed grudgingly, giving a worried glance to the attic trapdoor. He hoped Hermione had stopped crying.

Ron pulled a pack of Exploding Snap cards from his pocket. "Come on, let's play."

~ end of Chapter 3 ~