When the worst is coming

When The Worst Is Coming

Chapter one

Famous last words

The thin figure held the wand before himself steady as a rock, oblivious to the scene of terror all around him. People were running in all directions trying to protect their families; the main source of terror however, was coming from the largest house, which was now on fire. On the lawn there were bodies strewn everywhere and above the roof was the dark mark glowing in the sky like a beacon of devastation.

Then, out of nowhere, a death eater Apparated.

"Master," said the death eater shakily. The thin pale man showed no sign of recognition in his face at all. "Master, beg my asking you, but whom or what's next?"

Then at last the man lowered his wand as if resigned to talk to the death eater. Then a small smile - not happy, but cruel and unkind, played on the corner of his mouth. "You know to whom we owe a little trip, Wormtail?" said the man, turning to face him.

Wormtail shivered "Er.... I do?"

"Yes...HARRY POTTER."

"AAAAAAHHH..."

Harry awoke covered in sweat and shaking. His head was swimming. Was that...no, it couldn´t have been...His scar was burning but was already staring to fade, as was his dream so Harry quickly grabbed his glasses and put them on.

The room came into focus; Harry had spent the holiday so far in the spare room because Dudley had now got so many old toys, computer games, clothes and general rubbish which he hoarded and refused, point blank, to throw away. So there was no other thing for it, no matter how many tears Aunt Petunia shed, Harry would have to sleep in the beautiful spare room, because Harry was too tall to fit in the cupboard under the stairs any more and Dudley needed his old room for his rubbish. This suited Harry just fine because unlike his other bedroom it was extremely clean and tidy and reminded him slightly of his room at Hogwarts.

The room itself was antique looking, the walls were dark green, and the carpet was a creamy colour on top of, which was a large rug that uncle Vernon had put down so Harry didn't have to walk on the new carpet. The rug was pale green flecked with darker shades of green.

The room had little furniture - just a desk and a wardrobe and a huge mirror all made of highly polished beach wood.

It was a fairly large room and square in shape and it was also away from the other bedrooms. Well, as far away as you can get in a fairly small house. However, the biggest advantage was that the window was on the other side of the house, so that Hedwig could send messages at night without anyone knowing.

Harry started to go to the other side of the room but then tripped up and landed in a small heap at the end of his double bed, "Ouch," he gasped.

Recently Harry had been growing very fast; he looked down at his sad looking Pyjamas, a few inches too short but nearly twice his waist size.

"At least," Harry thought "I'll never be as tall as Ron - he must be nearing 6 feet tall by now."

Then Harry got up off the carpet, sat at his desk and quickly jotted down his dream - but he struggled to remember it. (Although somewhere deep inside his head he knew just refused to accept it.)

Harry almost dreaded going to sleep now because when he did all he saw were horrible visions. When he wasn't having visions he was always reliving Cedric's death, over and over and over...

"Kill the spare," the words that haunted him day and night, day and night...

Harry shook his head to clear it of these dark thoughts that seem to be intruding it every so often...

He then got changed, his clothes weren't as bad as his Pyjamas because Aunt Petunia had finally relented and bought him some clothes (the neighbours were starting to ask questions "Can't you afford proper clothing for the boy?") Harry almost felt like thanking his neighbours as he went down stairs to have breakfast.

When Harry arrived in the kitchen the scene was much as it had been last summer and the summer before that. Dudley was still grossly fat (and had pretty much given up on his diet.)

Aunt Petunia was still fussing over Dudley and feeding him as much as she could. When he lost a single pound after coming back from Smeltings, she thought they were starving him. So therefore whenever Dudley refused to eat something (which wasn't very often), Aunt Petunia would burst into tears and starts to scream "no, my poor little Dudders is anorexic!"

Uncle Vernon still sat at his favourite place at the table reading the paper, complaining loudly about the same old things - today, it was teenagers.

"They drop out of school while we pump our money into their health care and schoolbooks - where's the justice in that? They're troublemakers and are disobedient...you know why? It is because they're brought up without manners!" spat Uncle Vernon, shooting a death stare at Harry.

This idea that all teenagers were useless applied to all except his little angel Dudley who, in his view, was perfect and should be the role model for all teenagers in the country. Also, in his view, every parent in England should model their child exactly like Dudley.

Harry hoped not all teenagers would be modelled around Dudley's physique or they wouldn't be able to get through the front door! But on the bright side they wouldn't have to walk, they could just roll everywhere!

Harry stifled a snigger and grabbed some toast just as they heard the clink of the letterbox and the flop of the letters on the doormat.

"Get the letters, boy," Uncle Vernon grunted at Harry.

Apparently he had forgotten the Hogwarts' letters incident four summers ago.

Harry didn't expect to get any letters. (He grinned remembering the time Ron sent a letter to him covered in stamps). So Harry was ever so surprised when there was one letter, amongst the bills which had his name on it.

Mr H. Potter,

The Spare Room,

4 Privet Drive,

Little Whinging,

Surrey.

The envelope was thick and yellowish and the writing was in emerald-green ink. Harry didn't need to see the Hogwarts seal on the back to know whom it was from.

Harry quickly put the envelope inside his jacket and walked back into the kitchen.

Harry put the letters on the table in front of Uncle Vernon.

"Well you sure took your time," grunted Mr Dursley.

"Yes well I tripped over - I'm really clumsy and messy, you know me," Harry said, trying to suck up to his Uncle; the only way to do this is simply to insult himself.

"Um," said Mr Dursley accepting this excuse, although Harry had a feeling that it was only because of the insults, because every so often he threw Harry suspicious glances.

Then Dudley provided the perfect distraction, he had been leaning back on his chair all through breakfast and finally the poor chair gave way with a huge crash Dudley lay on his back his little legs wriggling in the air like an upturned beetle.

As usual when things like this happen Harry dived under the table so he couldn't be seen laughing - this was a good thing because their wasn't much for him to laugh at anymore he stopped laughing as Cedric came into his mind "Harry why are you laughing? when it is your fault I am dead."

So for the second time that day Harry shook his head to keep the dark thoughts away.

Once the situation had died down Harry left the table - and his toast, he didn't quite feel like eating breakfast after thinking of Cedric. He quickly walked out of the kitchen as if everything was normal. (Well, as normal as you can get in a house with one Wizard and three Wizard haters.)

Then Harry went up to his room to read his letter but not before sinking down the wall and concentrating all of his might (which at the moment there seemed to be less of,) into keeping calm and sane - It seemed to be taking more and more effort recently.

Harry decided to think about his letter instead - He was especially pleased with receiving the letter because he felt as if he was being kept in the dark, maybe not purposely. It is hard when you live in the Muggle world to find out about the Wizarding world.

Although Harry had only been home about a week he had heard nothing from anyone. Harry hoped everyone was all right and no one had got hurt because of him (Although he knew in the back of his mind that the dark lord was only after him - "makes me feel so special,"). He remembered his dream - had that happened yet? He hoped not, except he couldn't really remember the details they were slipping away like a glass with a hole in. "Maybe I can stop that from happening," he thought. "Once I read this I'll send Hedwig to Dumbledore and explain everything that I remember."

"Maybe not everything...I won't tell him about them coming after me; everyone will just worry for no reason - this house is well protected. No one can lay a finger on me here."

Then Harry quickly opened the letter:

Harry, at 6:00 p.m. tonight, meet me at Magnolia Crescent in the narrow alley between the garage and the wall of No 2. Come alone and bring this letter and your wand - Moony.

"That´s odd," thought Harry. It was written on Muggle napkin and didn't seem the type of thing that Lupin would write. Also, why was Lupin writing to Harry - Shouldn't it be Dumbledore?

Had something happened to Dumbledore?

Harry decided to try to stay positive by thinking that his dream never happened and Dumbledore was fine - probably on holiday (Harry had to stop himself from cracking up again as the thought of Dumbledore rubbing suntan lotion into his large crocked nose re-entered his mind.) After that, Harry actually started to look forward to seeing Lupin - "maybe he has good news," thought Harry "wasn't he supposed to be staying with Sirius?, I might be able to see him too," he thought while putting his silver coloured shirt on, even Harry had to admit he looked good in it. Harry had been saving up money all week until he could buy it by doing Muggle work, like washing the car and weeding the garden.

Harry had been looking forward to meeting Lupin. He left the house at 5:45 p.m. feeling a little apprehensive. He thought he heard the phone ringing as he left but it couldn't be for him, so he left it.

Harry hoped Lupin wouldn't take too long because he hadn't told the Dursleys he was leaving - they would never let him go out to meet another friend, let alone another Wizard. That would be worse than breaking the law, to them.

Harry reached his destination at 5:55pm and expected to see Lupin already waiting for him. When he wasn't, he realised that the reason Harry was this far from Privet Drive was so Lupin could Apparate at a safe distance, and it was silly to think Lupin would just be waiting for him.

Harry thought of all the charms on the house and decided that if you tried to Apparate into the house, you'd probably turn inside out!

Then Harry got a chill, and suddenly it hit him - he was standing in the exact same place that he saw the black dog two summers before. The fact that it was Sirius didn't really comfort him, he was starting to think this might even be a set-up. Then, just as Harry was about to turn and go home, he felt the familiar jerk just behind his navel.

As every thing started to spin, Harry thought in vain "...This house is well protected no one can lay a finger on me here."

"Famous last words..."

Hermione's day

"Mum...MUM...WHERE ARE YOU!" Shouted an angry Hermione "you promised you'd lock my door, Crookshanks has ruined my potions book - Professor Snape will kill me!" Hermione growled.

Mrs Granger then walked into Hermione's room.

"Oh there you are dear, your father and I have been called in to the dental surgery - It is an emergency," Said Mrs Granger.

"But Mum," Hermione said, disappointed at not being able to see her parents all year and even in the summer she didn't get to see them as much as she liked...she suddenly felt a pang of guilt - Harry doesn't even have parents to miss...

"That's a good girl...bye," said Mr Granger entering the room and Mrs and Mr Granger then left.

"Great, what are we gonna do now Crookshanks?" Hermione said stroking the cat, completely forgetting what it did.

Almost as if someone heard what Hermione had just said, then was the "clink, flop," noise of the post arriving.

Immediately, Crookshanks leapt out of the room and down the hall and jumped on the only letter and tore it apart "No Crookshanks - the letter is from Hogwarts...stop it."

The cat ran off when it found out that the contents weren't in fact fish, but a screwed up tissue. "Eeeww why would Dumbledore send me a tissue?"

Hermione, Can you meet me behind the beech tree on Green Lane at 6:00pm. Bring your wand and this note come alone - Snuffles

What's Sirius doing so near London? Why is he meeting me? Shouldn't he be meeting Harry?

Has something happened to Harry?

Hermione looked out of the window but no one was there; Sirius must have run off in his dog form.

Hermione spent the whole day worrying about Harry, so in the end at 5:45, she decided to call him and risk the threat of the Dursleys. Although she had the sense not to mention Hogwarts, she did not however have the sense to call earlier...

"Hello."

"Mr Dursley speaking."

"May I speak to Mr potter please?"

"Oh...you want to speak to him?"

"Yes please."

"May I ask why?"

"Um...to talk about a job he applied for."

"Right...It is about time the boy got a job...HARRY...GET DOWN HERE NOW, excuse me Miss...?"

"Um...Crookshanks."

"Miss Crookshanks, I'll just check his room - the idiot probably locked the door again. The funny thing is, there is no lock (laughs) he's so stupid, he probably just got choked up on the knob."

"Ahem."

Uncle Vernon then went upstairs to look for Harry...

(Loud thumping sound)

"HE'S GONE, I CAN'T BELIEVE IT - I'LL GET HIM THIS TIME, I WILL, I SWEAR I WILL. I LET HIM STAY IN OUR NICE SPARE ROOM AND THIS IS HOW HE REPAYS ME..."

Please hold the line - Please hold the line - Please hold the line - Please hold the line -

"That´s it I have to go," thought Hermione, and put the phone down...look how much time I have wasted on the phone...It is already 5:55.

Hermione really had to rush to get there on time yet, she still made it...

Five minutes later Hermione was waiting for Sirius behind the beech tree wondering why she had been so stupid to believe the note, this was obviously a set up - but she decided to stay a while. If Sirius turned up just after she left, she would kick herself.

Then she suddenly felt a jerk behind her navel...

As the world started to spin Hermione thought "I don't know why everyone thinks I'm so smart."

Ron's day

"Pass me the toast Dad," said Ginny.

"Has anyone seen my other sock?" said George.

"It is in the toaster," said Mr Weasley.

"What! My sock is in the toaster?" laughed George.

"No, Ginny's toast is in the toaster," said Mr Weasley.

"Oh Dad you're not using that Muggle contraption again?" said Bill.

"It is cute," remarked Mr Weasley.

"Fred, have you seen my sock?" said George.

"Yeah Percy turned it into a slug!" Laughed Fred.

"I would do no such thing," proclaimed Percy as he walked into the kitchen.

"Then who has my sock?" said George.

"I do," said Ron running through the kitchen into the back yard.

"Where's he gone?" said George.

Ron ran back into the kitchen "Sorry George I was using it as a catapult when it pinged out of the window...Here - sorry about the mud," said a breathless Ron.

"It is alright - in fact it has never looked cleaner!" said George.

"Ah the student has become the master!" said Fred remarking on Ron's sock pinging game.

"Flop," came the noise of the letter falling out of the fireplace.

"What was that?" said Mrs Weasley.

"Muggle mail by the look of it," said Charlie.

"But we don't get the Muggle mail, Arthur do something," said Mrs Weasley.

"I'll check it out, get back," said Mr Weasley.

There was a hushed silence, which even the ghoul in the attic failed to fill...

"Oh, every thing is alright, it is just a letter for Ron from Hogwarts," said Mr Weasley Breathing a sigh of relief.

Chatter suddenly filled the house again like a television set that has been muted then switched back on again.

Mr Weasley handed the letter to Ron.

"It will probably just be letter to say that Harry and Hermione have been made prefects," said Ron bitterly.

"Oh honey, I'm sure you would make a great prefect, why don't you open it?" Said Mrs Weasley.

"No I'll leave it 'til later," said Ron.

"That's funny - why would Hogwarts send Ron's letter instead of Owling it?" said Ginny.

"Dumbledore probably thought it best not to Owl us because we don't want to broadcast to the death eaters where we live. We don't want a load of death eaters at the door do we?" said Mr Weasley.

"Arthur that wasn't very supportive...are you alright darling?" Mrs Weasley said to Ginny.

Ginny said she was all right, yet became very quiet.

Later the whole Weasley family played Quidditch in the paddock on the hilltop, at the end of the game everyone had gone home except Ron and the twins who were clearing up.

George then jumped out of the way of an apple thrown by Fred from one of the near by trees. As George jumped he fell on top of Ron and the letter fell out of his back pocket.

"Sorry mate - you alright there?" Goerge said seeing Ron's face as he picked up the seemingly forgotten letter.

"Yeah, I just need to get back to the house...um to reply to this letter. See you back at the house," Ron said deciding to lie - he didn't want to but felt he had to so he could have some space while reading the letter - the way home would be perfect...

Ron, meet me in the churchyard of Ottery St Catchpole at 6:00pm today. Bring your wand and this note, come alone - Padfoot

The note was written on a Muggle dishcloth. (Although Ron had no idea what it was.)

"What," Ron was startled he wasn't expecting this?

He checked his watch - 5:30. "Damn," Ron cursed, Otterly st catchpole was ages away "I can only make it if I run."

So Ron started to run at full speed, not stopping to think that it might be a set up...

Ron finally made it with only a few minutes to spare; he looked around the graveyard, panting. "Where is he? Shouldn't he be here by now?" Thought Ron.

The clock finally ticked 6:00pm and still no sign of Sirius...Suddenly Ron felt a jerk behind his navel. "I should have known it would be a set up," thought Ron bitterly as the world around him swirled...

*********

Harry landed and didn't have a chance to notice the surroundings as he crumpled to the floor and the world faded into black, but if he had caught a glimpse he may have realised where he had seen them before...maybe...

He fell next to the others but failed to notice their presence as he was too busy wondering why he had been brought here. Harry remembered that this place looked very different when he last saw it...very different.