Harry Potter and the Tome of Shadows

            Harry Potter and the Tome of Shadows

                Chapter 1: Aunt Petunia's Big Surprise

    The rain drizzled persistently on the roof of Number Four Privet Drive, it's sound slightly hypnotic in its steady beat as it rapped against the ceiling. It had been raining for days, slowly and steadily, as if the rain had no where else to be, and all the time in the world. The rain was the answer to a country who questioned whether or not there would be a drought this summer; if it rained like this, there would most definitely not be a drought.

Of course, none of this particularly mattered to the sixteen year old now sitting at the dining table, eating a quiet breakfast with his Aunt Petunia.

    Aunt Petunia and Harry enjoyed these quiet breakfasts; it was very difficult to manage a quiet day in the house of two sixteen year olds, and since both were Harry and Dudley, the noise was particularly loud. Dudley was constantly picking a fight with Harry, more than usual, in fact, and Vernon and Petunia had to repeatedly pry the two of them from each other. Harry wanted nothing more than to avoid Dudley at all costs, but Dudley was making it difficult to do so. If he wasn't torturing Harry, Dudley was not happy.

    "Would you like some more bacon?" Petunia asked, breaking Harry's train of thought.

    "No thanks, Aunt Petunia," Harry said, taking a bite out of his scrambled eggs as he read the Daily Prophet. Harry was anxiously scanning the paper for any sign of an attack from Voldemort, but so far things had been quiet. He was probably planning, but as to what that was, Harry had no clue. Ever since the incident at the Ministry's hideaway months ago, Harry seemed to have lost his connection to Voldemort. While it was not a comfortable situation, being connected to the wizard who was trying to kill him, it was a benefit of sorts to have some sort of reconnaissance into what the enemy was thinking.

    "You could do with a bit more bacon," Aunt Petunia said, her eyebrows raised and her lips pursed. "You've gotten a bit taller, and while you don't exactly look ill, you don't look that healthy either." Harry knew it to be true; he did look slightly too thin for his age. He knew he could stand to gain some weight, but the fact was that gaining weight was difficult when he was often so worried that he wasn't hungry.

    "I'm just not hungry," Harry shrugged. Aunt Petunia's lips pursed even further and she dumped some bacon onto his plate.

    "I expect that plate to be empty by the time that I come back into this kitchen," Petunia said matter-of-factly as she left the kitchen. Harry sighed, relenting to the iron will of his aunt, and nipped at the extra bacon. His eyes ranged over the paper, but there was nothing of interest. The Wizengamot had not yet chosen a new Minister, and the highly awaited trial of Lucius Malfoy could not be held until the Ministry had a Minister. Harry couldn't help but feel disinterested by the whole affair. The politics involved were far too removed from the immediate peril that Harry was in. For the wizarding world, this was about reclaiming peace, of preserving order. For Harry, it was life or death.

    Harry had still not come to terms with the fact that his destiny included his death, and he absolutely refused to deal with it. The prophecy, Fawkes' decision, these things were stuffed to the back of his head. He tended to side with what he figured Hermione's opinion would be, that all of this future-telling was a bunch of wooly nonsense. But that didn't stop the nightmares of falling to the hands of a fully restored Voldemort, or the haunting thoughts of his friends brutally butchered because they had the misfortune of being the friend of the Boy Who Lived. It was all very overwhelming, and Harry felt that rather than let it take him over, he would stuff it down where it couldn't affect him. He was tired of adventure, tired of life or death showdowns. He had enough; he wanted a normal life. Or as normal as it could get in the wizarding world.

    Harry only worried himself about two things: seeing his friends again, and getting his O.W.L. scores. He had taken the Ordinary Wizarding Levels last spring, during a very stressful time in his life, and he was anxious to see how he did. His future, or what Harry imagined to be his future, if he ever had one, would depend on the scores he received. Hermione's letters were filled with breathless anticipation, while Ron was more than happy to live without the care of O.W.L.'s. Harry missed them, and really wanted to spend some time with them. Although things could have been worse; Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon could still despise him.

    Looking at the empty plate in front of him, Harry decided he was done for the morning. He folded up the Daily Prophet and put his plate in the sink. Aunt Petunia watched in satisfaction as Harry indicated that he ate all of his bacon.

    "Very good. Now, you're to be back at six tonight for dinner, your uncle and I have a very important surprise. You know the one I'm talking about, the one I told you about in the spring."

    "Oh. It's raining, so I won't go out today anyhow," Harry said, shrugging.     

    "I was hoping you'd help Mrs. Tuttle down the street move her furniture. She's been coming in late lately and I figured that you going down there would be the perfect way to find out what she's up to."

    "Aunt Petunia, you know you shouldn't be spying on anyone," Harry said with a smile.

    "I'm not spying!" Aunt Petunia said in a voice of indignation. "I am merely concerned for her well-being!"

    "Right," Harry said, shaking his head. "Well I suppose she could use some help. Would you let me borrow your umbrella?"

    "Why do you need it? Why not use a Water Repelling Charm?"

    "Because I'm not allowed magic outside of school, you know that."

    "Oh, right," Petunia said. "I suppose I could do it myself."

    "Mrs. Tuttle will be a bit concerned if I show up dry to her house without an umbrella," Harry said with a slight grin. Aunt Petunia was still getting used to the concealment part of her magical heritage, which surprised Harry since she had once worked so hard to keep him hidden.

    "Oh very well, but don't ruin it. That's my favorite umbrella." Harry nodded, grabbed the umbrella off of a little stand next to the door and then headed out into the rain.

***

    It took Harry two hours to help Mrs. Tuttle move her furniture, and Harry did not get one single ounce of information for Petunia. She would be immensely disappointed, but Harry thought that it was best that she not learn anything new about her neighbors. His aunt had recently taken to recording Mrs. Tuttle's activities, an activity that Harry found to be extremely unhealthy. The rain was falling at an angle, soaking Harry to the bone, which made him all the more uncomfortable. It was not a good day.

    "Playing in the rain, I see? Seems like you haven't grown up that much since I last left you," a familiar voice rang out behind him. Harry recognized the snideness in the voice immediately.    

    "I'm just walking home," Harry said. "What are you doing here, Mrs. Figg?" Harry turned and saw the old witch standing in front of him. Her raven black hair was still tucked in a tight bun, and her sour expression hadn't changed. The rain was veering away from her, as if a bubble was protecting her from the moisture.

    "Checking in. After all, it is my duty as your Custodia," she said, her eyes narrowing. "I suppose your aunt sent you to help Mrs. Tuttle?"

    "Yes. She's been hounding that woman for awhile now," Harry sighed. "Any news of Voldemort?"

    "You're still very impatient," Mrs. Figg said sourly. "No news yet, none that has reached my ears, anyhow."

    "Aren't you still in the Order of the Phoenix?" Harry asked, confused. If Mrs. Figg was part of the Order, she should have known everything there was to know.

    "Technically yes, but since my secret keeping of the last school year I've been blacklisted," Mrs. Figg scowled. "Not that it matters, they don't know what's going on either."

    "I wonder why he's been so quiet. With the Ministry in chaos now would be the perfect time for an attack," Harry muttered.

    "You're very astute, it's too bad that you're not like this all the time," Mrs. Figg said with an almost bemused expression on her face. "Something is holding him back. The destruction of the Orb of Power will hamper his quest for the second magical object in the chain, but there are other ways of finding where it is, and what it is. He's biding his time, but for what we do not know."

    "I'm not having any dreams anymore either," Harry added. "So we're complete in the dark."

    "Yes, yes we are," Mrs. Figg muttered, her mind seemingly elsewhere. "You look well enough, so I've done my duty. Do be careful, and do not use magic unless you have legal grounds to do so. The Ministry will be cracking down especially hard, in order to send the message that it is still effective."

    "Yes, Mrs. Figg," Harry said. Without a noise, Mrs. Figg disappeared into thin air.

***

    "You're soaked to the bone, why did you stay out in the rain?" Aunt Petunia's voice rang in the air when Harry entered the house.    

    "And take off those muddy sneakers, I do not want bloody tracks in my house," Uncle Vernon's voice waffled in the air. Harry obliged and took off his sneakers.

    "I don't know what you were thinking, not using that umbrella. It didn't get ruined, did it?" Petunia was inspecting the umbrella, but there were no holes or rips.

    "Warm up boy, or you'll be getting pneumonia," Uncle Vernon said again.    

    "You're right, Vernon, he's chilled to the skin. Why I sent you out, I don't know what I was thinking." Petunia shoved Harry into the living room, where Harry felt heat waving over him. He saw Uncle Vernon reading the Daily Prophet, a sight that never settled well with Harry, while Dudley was snacking on potato chips, giving the rest of the household the evil eye.

    "Dunkie Diddydums, you can't eat potato chips, it's not in your diet," Petunia said sweetly. Dudley's eyes narrowed as he shoveled more chips into his gaping mouth.

    "Now Dudley, you listen to your mother," Vernon said, his own eyes narrowing. Dudley took one chip and held it to his mouth. "Don't do it."

    Dudley ate the chip.

    "That's it!" roared Uncle Vernon. "I've had it with your rebellion. You are going to your room, and you will sit there until you've leveled your head."

    "No," Dudley said simply, stuffing more food in his face. Harry looked around in shock. Vernon's eyes were wide, his face purpling like it had done so many times when Harry had gotten him angry. Aunt Petunia gave Dudley one more pleading look.

    "Please, Dudley, listen to mommy."

    "No," Dudley said again. Petunia's face went rigid, and in the blink of an eye, she whipped out her wand. She waved it once, and the bowl went flying, sending the chips all over the place. Dudley stood up, rage was plastered all over his face.

    "Now you get upstairs," Petunia snarled.

    "I hate you," Dudley said, his face going red with rage.

    "I will not tolerate that type of attitude in my house," Vernon said standing up, but Dudley did not back down. He was getting as big as Vernon, and was just as physically intimidating.

    "I don't care," Dudley boomed. "I hate you, I hate him, and I hate you the most, you filthy, disgusting, Mudblood!" Dudley spit at the ground in front of Petunia, and stormed out of the house. Vernon meant to chase after him, while Petunia bent over, absentmindedly picking up the chips as tears rolled down her cheeks. Harry stood in absolute shock. He couldn't believe that he called his own mother a Mudblood. In fact, where had Dudley picked up that word in the first place? Harry bent over and started picking up the chips as well.

    "Harry, if you don't mind, I'd like to be alone right now," Petunia sniffed. Harry stood up.

    "All right," he said, and he left Aunt Petunia alone in the living room, with only occasional sniffs and sobs coming from downstairs.

***

    A few days passed without incident, and when Harry looked at the calender, he saw that it was the beginning of August already. The summer had escaped him, even if it was extended. He hadn't seen Ron and Hermione that often, much to his disappointment. Harry heard from them often, and neither of them seemed to be going anywhere special for their vacations, which surprised him. They usually did go to other countries and experienced the outside world. The summer was unusually stagnant, with only two things keeping him going. The first was Aunt Petunia's surprise, which still hadn't been revealed to Harry, after Dudley's explosion from the other day. The second was his O.W.L. results, which were delayed due to the disorder in the Ministry. Both were pressing on his mind lately, and he desperately needed something to distract him.

    Harry heard the doorbell ring downstairs, and he left his room curiously. He didn't know of anyone visiting. For a moment he thought it was dreadful Aunt Marge, but he shook that theory out of his head; she couldn't come here now that Aunt Petunia was practicing magic. Dudley had left for the week, to stay at the Polkiss's, so it couldn't be him. Harry got to the bottom of the stairs and opened the door. He didn't have a moment's notice before a bundle of bushy hair flew into his face and he was knocked to the ground.

    "Harry! Oh how we've missed you!" Hermione shouted in Harry's ear. Harry's heart did a somersault when he realized Hermione had come to Privet Drive. She gave him a quick kiss on the lips and stood up, revealing the entire scene. Standing behind her was Ron, who was grinning like a madman.

    "How are you, mate?" Harry held out a hand, and Ron shook it eagerly.

    "I'm good, and you?"

    "Not too badly. Of course, I did have a great travel companion," he said, nodding to Hermione. "She talked about books the entire time."

    "Oh Ronald, you could do with a bit more reading," Hermione said, the grin on her face bringing into sharp relief just how beautiful she was. Harry noticed that she was a bit taller now, though the top of her head barely reached his chin. She was more grown up now, more feminine, more graceful somehow, and it was all the more striking. She still had that eager look in her eyes, and she was still the same Hermione he knew. Harry turned his eye to Ron, who was now a towering beast of a sixteen year old. His red hair was as burning as ever, but despite being extremely tall, maybe six feet by now, he had filled out a bit as well, and didn't look as gangly.

    "Are you going to invite our guests in or what?" Aunt Petunia said from behind him. Harry whirled around, his smile as broad as ever.

    "You knew about this?" Harry asked in wonder.

    "Well of course, I invited them over. Of course, the rest of the surprise will have to be saved for later," she said, winking at Ron and Hermione. For the first time in Harry's life, he felt a swell of affection for his aunt.

    "Thanks," he said breathlessly, not sure what else he could say.

    "Say nothing of it," she said, her eyes now narrowed as Crookshanks sprang into the house. "I'm...I'm sure it'll be for the best. If you'll excuse me...I have to check on dinner." Aunt Petunia hurried after Crookshanks, probably to make sure that he didn't ruin anything.

    "Well, let me take you guys upstairs, you can unload your things," Harry said. The situation was absolutely new to him; he never expected to bring people to Privet Drive. The idea never came to mind, even after Aunt Petunia discovered that she was an Effloresca and could do magic. Now he was sharing a part of his world to his friends, and the situation was uncomfortable and yet fulfilling in a way Harry knew he would never be able to express into words.

    "Well, I'm assuming you're going to be sharing my room, Ron, so you can hang your stuff in there. Hermione, you can have Dudley's room down the hall," Harry said, smiling.

    "All right," she said, walking down tentatively. "Are you sure your cousin won't mind?"

    "Who cares," Harry said. Ron nodded in agreement. Hermione turned and put her trunk in the room.

    "Have you gotten your Hogwarts stuff yet?" Ron asked eagerly.

    "Yes, I did that a month ago," Harry said. "And you?"

    "We both have, yes," Hermione said, returning. "Of course, we are still missing an important letter from Hogwarts."

    "Like?" Ron asked, although Harry knew what was coming.

    "Our O.W.L. results! How are we supposed to prepare for our classes if we don't even know what we're taking! They haven't even sent our book lists!" Hermione muttered. "Unbelievable."

    "Well, I'm glad to not have my O.W.L. results, thank you," Ron said. "We could do with a break from all of our school responsibilities."

    "Still, it would be nice to know," Harry said.

    "I hear they give you a list of professions you can consider when you get your O.W.L.'s," Hermione said. "I wonder what they'll decide I can do!'

    "Probably everything, I bet you ten galleons you get an O in everything," Ron said, rolling his eyes. Hermione blushed a bit.

    "I'm sure I didn't get an O in something."

    "I doubt it," Harry said with a grin.

    "Kids, wash up, it's time for dinner," Aunt Petunia's voice rang up from downstairs.

    "Yes, Aunt Petunia," Harry called down.

***

    "This is delicious, Mrs. Dursley," Hermione said, wiping her mouth off with a napkin. Aunt Petunia had whipped up a veritable feast.

    "I quite agree, Petunia," Vernon agreed. Aunt Petunia blushed a bit, looking extremely pleased with herself.

    "Did you make his with magic or no?" Harry asked with a grin.

    "I might have had a bit of help," Aunt Petunia said. "But I mostly stick with the Muggle fashion." Harry looked nervously from Hermione and Ron, anxiously hoping that the enjoyed themselves while they were here.

    "So, your father works in the government," Uncle Vernon said to Ron, who looked slightly nervous at Vernon. Ron was probably still remembering the horrible demeanor Vernon once had.

    "Yes, that's right," Ron said nervously. "In the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts office." Ron stuffed more food in his mouth, probably to ensure he didn't have to talk much.

    "Ah yes, I recall him saying something about that. Well the Ministry is in a right state now, what with no Minister," Vernon snorted. "I knew you lot couldn't handle something like a government. You could use some new blood in office, shake things up a bit. A steady hand, that's the key." Hermione smiled a bit, the look on her face indicating her confusion on whether or not to take Uncle Vernon's ideas seriously.

    "Who do you have in mind," Hermione asked bravely. Vernon looked at her in slight shock.

    "Well, the candidates so far are not adequate. This Diggory fellow, Amos, he sounds like a bungler if I've ever heard of one." Harry lowered his eyes to his food. Amos Diggory, a candidate for Minister? Harry really didn't know much about Amos Diggory except for their meeting at the Quidditch World Cup. Harry felt inclined to agree with Uncle Vernon; the way Amos Diggory acted with Winky made Harry think of him as an irrational fool, prone to emotional responses. He couldn't see Amos being a good Minister.

    "Is there anyone else in consideration?" Petunia asked curiously, taking a sip of wine.

    "Not many. This Wizogamo thingy seems to be reluctant to nominate anyone at the moment, since all the other nominees rejected the proposal."

    "I wonder why," Ron muttered darkly.

         "What about your father? He's had experience, he sounds somewhat capable," Uncle Vernon suggested. Ron snorted into his food.    

    "My father? Minister? I doubt it," Ron said.

    "Well, someone has to do it," Hermione offered. "Without a Minister the Ministry doesn't work well."

    "They should just force someone to do it and be done with it," Vernon waved his hand dismissively.

    "You can't force someone to take a position if they don't want it," Hermione said politely.

    "Well why the ruddy hell not? The place is going to the dogs anyhow, you might as well have someone running the show."

    "If they don't' want the position, they'll bungle it anyhow," Hermione retorted impatiently.

    "Not if someone makes them do a good job," Uncle Vernon replied.

         "No one can make them do a good job," Hermione snorted.

    "Anyone want some pie?" Aunt Petunia said loudly, breaking up the argument.

    "I'll have some more wine," Uncle Vernon said, eyeing Hermione suspiciously. "You're young after all, you're not that world wise."

    "Age has nothing to do with wisdom," Hermione muttered.

     "What was that?" Uncle Vernon asked, not quite sure what he heard.

    "Can you please pass the butter?" Hermione asked with a horrendously forced smile on her face.

    "Oh, here you go," Uncle Vernon said, passing the butter. Ron was grinning into his cup while Harry felt his heart beating. He didn't want his uncle to hate Hermione, and that situation came pretty close to yielding that conclusion. Aunt Petunia returned with some pumpkin pie, Harry's favorite. Aunt Petunia passed a slice to Hermione, who took a bite.

    "Wow, this is delicious!"

    "Thanks," Aunt Petunia said, passing a slice to Harry. "I know it's your favorite, Harry." Harry grinned at her. She was about to pass a slice to Ron, who held up his hand.

    "No thanks, I'm not a fan of pumpkin pie," he said with a polite smile. Aunt Petunia nodded and cut a slice for herself, knowing very well that Uncle Vernon did not enjoy pumpkin pie either. Aunt Petunia had an eager expression on her face, and then smiled.

    "All right, I've held it in long enough. Harry, I have a grand surprise for you." Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, who were grinning.

    "Well?" Harry asked, hardly able to stand the suspense.

    "We're going on vacation this year," Aunt Petunia said. "To Egypt."

    "Oh, that's great. When are you going?" Harry asked.

    "Not just us, boy," Uncle Vernon snorted impatiently. "We're taking you too."

     "And your friends," Aunt Petunia added. Harry's jaw dropped.

    "Really?"

    "Yes, really. Vernon has a business deal in Egypt and we're going along. Dudley doesn't want to go so he's staying with the Polkiss family," Aunt Petunia said, her eyes wavering a bit.

    "That's awesome!" Harry said. "When are we going?"

    "In two days, so you'll have to pack. We're waiting on the rest of your school stuff to arrive in the mail," Aunt Petunia said.

    "Wow," Harry said breathless. He was going on a vacation, an actual vacation. He had never left the country before, and to be going to Egypt with Ron and Hermione and the Dursleys was such a shock. The summer was shaping up to have an exciting conclusion.