Harry Potter and the Children of Light

Chapter 2:

The Skirmish

"Hello Aramil, er... please come in." Harry wasn't exactly sure if the Dursleys would want someone this...noticeable... in their house. After all, this person might attract unwanted attention. Harry, however, wanted to show some hospitality.

"No, we must leave immediately. Get your things and meet me here, on the front lawn." As Aramil said this, he turned around and sat down on the grass. This was getting a little weird, Harry decided. He thought he should just do what Aramil told him to do. He went inside and told the Dursleys that he was leaving. Just as he stepped outside, a noise like a gunshot resounded through the neighborhood. Harry scrambled for his wand, but when he looked up, he was too surprised to do anything at all.

About twenty Death Eaters had just Apparated, creating a semi-circle around Harry and Aramil, with their wands pointed not at Harry, but at Aramil. Aramil's eyes and crescent moon tattoo were glowing a bright white, and he had a slight smile on his face.

"You dare to challenge me?" Aramil said, almost laughing. "If you wished to kill me, you should have brought more Death Eaters. Twenty to one is hardly fair. I could take fifty of you, no problem."

"Your in for a surprise if you think we can't kill you, we're some of Voldemort's best." One of the Death Eaters shouted at him. "Now, you shall die." Twenty voices shouted "AVADA KEDAVRA!" in unison. Aramil bowed his head for a moment, concentrating, and then became surrounded by white light. When the spells hit this light, they were absorbed.

"Thank you for giving me even more power than I had. Now, I think it is time to get rid of you all." There were two flashes of light, emanating from where each of the Death Eaters stood, and suddenly, they were gone. Harry was shocked. It had all happened so fast, it was hard to keep up. When he finally got to his senses, he looked up at Aramil.

Much to Harry's surprise, Aramil was lying on the ground, panting like he had just run thirty miles nonstop. What was going on? How did Aramil use magic if he didn't have a wand? If his escort was this tired, how was he going to get to Hogwarts? Aramil slowly got to his feet, still panting.

"Harry...my...pocket." He indicated a pocket on his cloak. "Floo... Powder... Hogwarts...now..." Suddenly, he collapsed. Harry had to act quickly, before any other Death Eaters showed up. He ran into the house and grabbed Dudley by the arm.

"Come on, I need your help. We need to get this guy inside." Dudley looked at Harry with suspicion. "Why should I help you?" Dudley asked.

"Because if you don't I might decide to give you back your tail." At this Dudley squealed, clapping his hands to his bottom.

"Well, what are your waiting for? Let's go!" Dudley shouted, running out the door. Harry smirked to himself. Dudley was so easy to trick. Outside, Harry took one of Aramil's arms, and Dudley took the other. Together they pulled Aramil into the living room. Aunt Petunia fainted when she saw the man, and Uncle Vernon got up from his chair, his face turning red.

"Now, see here boy..." he began, but Harry cut him off.

"We'll be leaving right away, and I had to get him off of the lawn, he might have attracted attention." Uncle Vernon seemed to accept this explanation after some thought, then sat back down. He opened up his newspaper, pretending to read it. Harry looked in the pocket where Aramil said there was some Floo Powder and, sure enough, there was a small bag filled with it. Harry took out a pinch and threw it into the fireplace. Green flames erupted in the fireplace, and Harry was about to step in when he stopped himself. How was he going to get an unconscious man to Hogwarts by Floo Powder? Dumbledore would know what to do. Harry stuck his head in the fireplace with a shout of "Hogwarts!"

In moments he was looking into Dumbledore's office. Fawkes was on his perch, preening himself. Most of Dumbledore's silver instruments were repaired and back on his desk. Sitting in the chair behind the desk was Albus Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard in the world.

"Professor! Professor!" Harry shouted. Dumbledore turned to look at Harry.

"Yes, I'm here. What's the matter?"

"Aramil is unconscious. We were attacked by Death Eaters, and I don't know how to get him to Hogwarts. Please help me!"

"I'll be right there. But Harry, I'll need you to take your head out of the fireplace so I can get there." Harry pulled his head out and waited. Uncle Vernon was now openly gaping first at Harry, then at the fireplace, and back at Harry. It wasn't long before Dumbledore appeared in the fireplace.

"It was good of you to call me Harry. We'll have you back at Hogwarts very soon." With a flick of his wrist, Dumbledore brought Aramil back to consciousness. Soon, they were all at Hogwarts.

"Now, Harry," Dumbledore began. "I've brought you here because you need to be trained. I'll tell you in what later, right now I suggest you re-acquaint yourself with Hogwarts. This will be your new home for quite a while."