Harry Potter and the Return to the Riddle House

Chapter One

Back to Grimmauld Place

It was a hot, still summer's evening, and the sleepy silence over Privet Drive was broken only by the occasional shrill cry of a bird, and then the equally shrill yell of a resident of number four.

"Harry! Get in here before dinner gets cold! I won't keep Dudley waiting!"

Harry Potter sighed and picked himself up off the sidewalk. He was much more interested in sitting and watching the sun set then eating another of his Aunt Petunia's revolting vegetarian casseroles (a new passion of hers) but he walked silently up the path and through the door anyway.

As he entered the kitchen, a nasty smell of burned cheese hit him. He concealed his disgust and sat next to his massive cousin Dudley, who was talking excitedly with his father about the boxing tournament taking place that evening downtown. Dudley was sure he would be taking home the first-place trophy, but Harry doubted this, as there was no boxing tournament taking place that evening downtown. For this letter had been sent to him just two nights ago by owl--

Dear Prongs Jr.,

I am sure you have heard about a certain upcoming boxing contest. I wish your cousin well, although he has about as much chance of winning as your uncle had for the All-England Best-Kept Suburban Lawn Competition; they are run by the same people. I trust you remember what happened last time your aunt and uncle and cousin went out, I believe it may happen again, by nine o'clock that night. Be prepared, it will need go quickly and smoothly.

Best,

Fawkes

He was already packed. Harry was concentrating hard on seeing his best friends, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, again after only a few weeks since school let out, and not--

"Eggplant and Parmesan Delight!"

His aunt backed through the door, carrying a large, steaming dish full of the burned casserole and interrupting his thoughts. She set it down and began ladling it onto their plates, giving Dudley an extra large dollop and saying, "Diddyums needs extra energy for tonight!" He did not look very excited anymore. She gave Harry a scoop and said nothing at all, only gave him a look that suggested she found him as nasty as he found the eggplant. When everyone had been served, Harry's Uncle Vernon nervously took a small forkful and sampled it, then attempted to look casual while draining half his water glass. Harry kept glancing at the clock; Aunt Petunia had said they would need to leave by seven-thirty.

When the casserole had been choked down and the family herded into the car, Uncle Vernon walked Harry upstairs to his room and locked his door, after the usual threats

('If we come back and one thing in this house is disturbed, you'll be back in your old cupboard again until that train comes for you.'), which Harry shrugged at. Uncle Vernon scowled, turned, and locked the bedroom door. Harry sat on his bed and immediately stood up again, with a yelp, massaging his backside. His snowy owl, Hedwig, glared at him angrily.

"Sorry, Hedwig...where did you get the letter?"

Harry had not written to anybody in days, but Hedwig was holding a large, official-looking cream-colored envelope. He took it from her and patted her apologetically; she hooted and flew off into her cage for a nap. Harry curiously flipped the letter over and saw a blue seal bearing the letters O.W.L. His heart leapt. These were the results of his Ordinary Wizarding Level exams he had taken last June.... He ripped open the envelope and unfolded a creamy sheet of parchment.

Dear Mr. Potter,

Please find enclosed the results of your Ordinary Wizarding Level exams, or O.W.L.s. These will determine the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test (N.E.W.T.) level preparation classes you are eligible to take in your sixth and seventh year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. If you have any questions, please write to Calvin Tofty, enclosing the offensive page.

Most Sincerely,

L. Marchbanks

Hands now shaking slightly, Harry put aside this sheet and unfolded the next, which

read--

O- Outstanding E- Exceeds Expectations A- Acceptable P- Poor D- Dreadful

Charms

Written-- A

Practical--E

Transfiguration

Written-- E

Practical-- E

Herbology

Written-- A

Practical-- A

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Written-- O

Practical-- O

Care of Magical Creatures

Written-- E

Practical-- O

Potions

Written-- E

Practical-- E

Divination

Written-- D

Practical-- D

Astronomy

Written-- A

Practical-- P

History of Magic

Written-- P

Harry stared at his grades. This was impossible...E's in Potions? He couldn't believe he made that kind of score ... and look at his other ones... excitement was welling inside him, he had done twenty times as well as he had expected, and he always knew he would fail Divination, he didn't care about that...this was incredible...wait until he told Sirius!

With this thought, the triumphant, happy smile on Harry's face disappeared. He still occasionally thought things like that, wondered what Sirius would feel or say, and with each time came an instant, painful shock of realization. It was sometimes like losing his godfather all over again. The pain and guilt were rising, and Harry busied himself checking for things he had missed packing, while the feelings slowly tapered off. He took a few deep breaths. He was not angry anymore, like he had been last year, with himself or Sirius or anybody, but he still felt, rather often, a bit empty or blank. He took down the chart counting down the days left until his return to Hogwarts and checked his clock. They would be arriving in about an hour, so he sat on his bed and read for a bit, leaning against the wall.

Harry was soon engrossed in the passes and goals of the Chudley Cannons. He watched a Bludger graze the shoulder of one of the opposing Chasers and grinned, if slightly flatly.

"Watcha reading, Harry?"

Harry jumped and looked up into the grinning face of a young woman with shocking pink, spiky hair.

"Tonks!" he exclaimed. "When did you get in?"

The woman chuckled.

"You didn't hear me, did you?"

Harry shook his head.

"How long have you been here?"

"Lupin and I just arrived," she replied, still smirking. "Lot better than last year, huh? No broken plates! You didn't even notice me open the door! "

She smiled in a pleased sort of way.

"They noticed at work, too, I'm getting more and more important assignments."

"Cool," Harry tossed his book into his trunk. "Ready to go. Why is it just you and Lupin?"

"Oh, we made a convenient little friend at the Floo Regulations Office, we can sneak you away loads easier this time," said a new voice. Harry looked up. Standing in the door was one of his favorite people, Remus Lupin. He looked tired and gray as ever, but he seemed to be eating better. A pleasant smile was creasing his face.

"If you're ready to go, Harry..."

Harry nodded. They followed him downstairs and to the fireplace, which Lupin unblocked and lit with waves of his wand.

"Harry," he said in a low voice. "I'm sorry we have to go back to-- well, you know... but he left it to Dumbledore for headquarters, and you know how safe it is..."

"I know," Harry said, just as quietly. "I just.... It's fine. I understand."

Tonks took a small sack, threw a pinch of glittering green powder into the fireplace, and picked up Hedwig in her cage and his broomstick for him.

"Ready, Harry?"

Harry took a deep breath and nodded again. He stepped into the green flames with his trunk and Tonks, swallowed, and shouted,

"Number..."

But his voice died in his throat. Tonks glanced at him and said quickly, "Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place!"

And they spun through the flames. Harry choked on a mouthful of ash and stumbled out of the fireplace into a new room. He intended to avoid Tonks' eye, but he didn't need to, before he had even stopped being dizzy, his trunk was taken from his grasp, he heard a cry of "Harry!" and he was being almost violently hugged by Hermione Granger. When she had released him, Harry glanced around the room. He was in the kitchen of Sirius's old house. Standing around the fireplace waiting for him were Ron, his elder twin brothers, Fred and George, who must have been in the Order only a month or so, his little sister, Ginny, and their parents. Behind them were Mundungus Fletcher, still in his shabby coat, a witch he was pretty sure was called Hestia Jones, and a man he didn't know with gray hair, a full beard, and a dark blue cloak. Everybody was looking at him. Mrs. Weasley smiled and said gently,

"Come here, Harry, we'll give Lupin room to come out..."

A few seconds later, after Lupin had flown through the fireplace and reported that he had left a letter for the Dursleys, there was a rather awkward pause. Mr. Weasley cleared his throat.

"Well, Harry, you know Mundungus... Hestia... er, this is Elliot Gallagher, he made sure nobody knew about this little Floo trip, works in the department..."

Harry shook hands with Gallagher, who smiled at him agreeably. There was another uncomfortable pause.

"Well," said Mrs. Weasley, "Would you like to unpack or, um... have you eaten?"

"Yeah... I think I'll just go unpack, thanks."

Mrs. Weasley led him up to the bedroom he had slept in last summer. Harry looked around the hallway... his godfather's house.... As he walked with Ron and Hermione, he caught glimpses of rooms they had cleaned his first visit. He looked at his feet instead. The feelings weren't going away this time. They stepped into the room and closed the door, and Harry silently put Hedwig's cage on top of the bureau.

"Harry..." Hermione was looking at him rather anxiously. "Um... we know it must be ...tough...being here again..."

"I'm going to bed."

"Harry..."

"I'm fine," he said again. "Just tired."

Harry flopped onto the bed he had slept on last summer. Ron and Hermione looked at each other uncertainly, hesitated, and turned off the light. Harry bit his lip hard and pressed his face into the pillow. Everything was breaking over him in waves, Sirius, being lonely and shut up in this house, Sirius, risking everything to see Harry, (he felt something wet on his face, but remained silent) Sirius, gone... his fault... gone...

"Harry!"

Harry felt somebody shaking him. He looked up groggily.

"Wuzzamatter..."

Ron's face came in clearer focus as Harry's eyes adjusted to the light.

"I think something's happened, I was getting past that foul clock to go to the bathroom, and I heard talking; there was this great mob in the front room, and nobody noticed me so I came here..."

Harry was wide awake now.

"Do you think Voldemort's done something?"

"I dunno..."

"Wake Hermione up. I'll get the cloak."

Two minutes later, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were leaning against the barrier in the open hallway outside their room under Harry's Invisibility Cloak; they had an excellent view of the entryway below. Harry could see, at an angle, the profiles of many members of the Order-- Tonks, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, and a few others.... At the far end of the room stood Lupin with a pretty girl about Harry's age. She had longish blonde hair and a thin face, and was wearing jeans and a charcoal gray T-shirt. She had a small boy, perhaps three or four years old, on her hip, and she looked scared and upset. Harry could make out fragments of confused conversations-

"What happened?"

"Did anybody get Snape?"

"Are the Connors...?"

"Is that her?"

"That must be their little boy..."

The door suddenly opened. Professor Severus Snape walked in, looking paler than usual.

"What's going...?"

Suddenly Snape caught sight of the girl. An odd look passed over his face. The room went very quiet.

"Rachel?" he said softly.

The girl, Rachel, was looking pale, too. There was a long pause. And then...

"Dad?"