A/N: Just to let you know, this is the first fanfiction I've ever written that I see myself finishing, so I thought I'd share it with you. I know it starts cliche, but I promise, it will get better and more original. Just ahve patience! Enjoy!
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"I don't care what you say, Moody!" exclaimed Arthur Weasley. While his row with Mad Eye had woken up Sirius' late mother in 12 Grimmald Place, no one cared anymore.
"Blood! I know Harry's been writing to us, but we musn't be fooled! Why would his letter saying 'Everything's fine' have blood in it? There's something suspicious going on at that Muggle residence!" said Moody, all the while watching four Extendable Ears with his magical eye.
"For this time, Arthur, I agree with Moody," said a quiet voice descending the stairs. Both looked at the person who was sharing his opinion: Remus Lupin.
"But Remus, we can't-" started Arthur.
"We can," said Lupin. "We can go and check on Harry. It's been four weeks, and as much as I hate to say it, something isn't right. His handwriting has been getting worse and worse over the course of his letters. We told him to write us every couple of days saying how things are going, but-..." he sighed," I believe something's happened to him. We can simply tell his relatives that we had orders from higher up to check on Harry. They won't check into it."
Moody nodded the whole time, eye still watching the Ears, which were quickly being pulled up to their owners. "You're absolutely right, Lupin. I noticed the handwriting, too."
He said the next bit loudly.
"I believe we will send a team, just to be cautious. We could be attacked on the-"
"WE'RE COMING!"
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, along with Fred and George, had come running down the stairs, waking all the pictures on the way.
Remus smiled. He now knew why Moody had said that loudly, as he had too noticed the Extendables. Ron and Hermione had both been wanting to see Harry, but Harry kept writing back that he would see them later. They knew something was wrong. When had Harry ever turned down an invitation to see his friends over the summer holidays?
However, Arthur seemed to think differently. He bagan to say no, but it seemed Ron had already rehearsed this conversation.
"Dad, we have to go with you to check on Harry. Not only because we're his friends, but we're also like family to him. Sirius would let us go because he understood that."
The room went silent after the last sentence. No one had really discussed Sirius after he fell through the veil. Everyone looked quite sombre, especially Remus, whose eyes had watered over.
"Let them come Arthur; he's right. Sirius would have been over to Harry's already, rather than sit here and discuss it." While he was talking, Lupin had gone over to a rack and grabbed his cloak.
"All right.."
Moody clapped his hands together; now was his bit in the organization.
"Let's assemble a team. Let's see how many people we got." He looked aroung the room counting in his head himself, Lupin, Mr.Weasley, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George.
"Seven will do nicely. Now that Fudge isn't controlling the Floo Network, can you set up a day link with their fireplace, Arthur?"
"I'll get right on it." With that he Disapprarated, most likely to the Floo Regulation Panel at the Ministry.
"Boys," said Moody, turning on Fred and George,"Could you go to Hogwarts? Ask Dumbledore if Snape's there, and, if so, have him bring plenty of healing potions. I have a bad feeling we'll need them."
"Sure," they chorused seriously, and went by Floo to the school.
"What about us?" asked Hermione, Ron discreetly holding her hand.
"You two can go and clean up a room for Harry. He might need medical treatment. Put fresh sheets on, and set up a table next to the bed. Oh," as he called after their retreating backs," give Kreacher a good kick for me if you see him, the little traitor!"
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"We're set up for Floo."
Eevryone had now assembled in the afternoon lit kitchen, as they had put a window in so it wouldn't always be so gloomy. It had only taken about thirty minutes to get everything set up.
"Snape's waiting in Harry's room in case... Well.. You know," said Mr Weasley, looking at the floor.
Remus, however, was grinning grimly, giving him a rather scary tone.
"If the've done anything to Harry, I might have to pay them a visit next full moon," he said, causing everyone in the room, excluding Moody, to shiver slightly.
"Let's go then," said Moody. He stepped in, threw down the Floo powder, and yelled,"Dursley Residence!"
As everyone assembled in the house, dusting off, they could only assume the Dursley's were gone as there had been no shrieking or yelling as they entered noisily into the room.
"Where will he be?" asked Remus to Ron and he answered as they walked toward the staircase."The bedroom up here on the right. That was the one we rescued him from second year right, Fred, George?" They nodded.
"Well, no wasting time then," said Mr Weasley and he opened the bedroom."Well, this is odd," he murmured as they all walked in," it looks like it hasn't been occupied in a while. Where could he be?"
Ron and Hermione had turned pale, and then, as though of one mind, ran down the stairs, leaving the others to follow very confused. When they caught up, Ron and Hermione ha stopped outside the cupboard under the stairs, which they now inspected. It had several heavy locks on it.
"What could they keep in there that needs so many locks, Moody?" clearly from Fred's voice, Moody was supposed to be checking with his eye. Moody already was, however, and no one had ever seen him that pale.
"Arthur, unlock this door!" Mr Weasley took no hesitation from that tone, and quickly said "Alohamora". The door swung open. There, cramped in the cupboard, the saviour of the world laid on his back, mumbling incoherently to himself. He had several large and deep gashes from what could only have been a large knife, several long thin ones from a belt, and had the word 'FREAK' cut unceremoniously across his chest. His eyes looked as though they had been burned with something, and to make this scene truly disturbing, he was clutching the ruffled and deteriorating body of Hedwig, his owl, to his chest, stroking it softy, and the word 'HELP' had been written several times on the inside in his own blood.
"Oh my god..." Mr Weasley murmured softly.
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"No time to waste!" yelled Moody, and he very carefully began to lift Harry out of the cramped space. In full light, it looked as though every bone in his body had been broken. He was only wearing a ripped up pair of boxers, although the shredded remnants of a shirt, pants, and a pair of socks still hung around him. His body looked as though a skeleton of a human had been wrapped in flesh coloured cling wrap. At this sight, Hermione turned down the hall and vomited, Ron loooked like he was ready to faint, Fred and George looked like someone had told them that they could never play jokes on anyone again, and Lupin collapsed on the floor, sobbing. Only Arthur and Moody looked in any condition to help Harry, still mumbling to himself.
"All of you, GET UP NOW!" commanded Mr Weasley, and while everyone was collecting themselves, he wrapped his traveling cloak around the small boy shivering in Moody' arms.
"I know it's bad, but we must get him help now. Ron, you, Fred, and George search the house for Harry's stuff as you know it best. Fred, George, use locator spells if necessary. Hermione," he pulled her over to him," I need you to take pictures with this camera for evidence. Try to find the offending items and take pictures of everything suspicious. With any luck, Harry won't have to come back here anytime soon." He handed her a small camera, and she nodded, looking more serious than he had ever seen her. He then yelled loud enough for the twins and Ron to here.
"I'm leaving a bag of Floo powder on the fireplace mantle, so come back when you're done. We've got to get Harry help immediately." And with that, he went through the fire followed by Moody carrying the now incoherent Harry.
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"I don't care what you say, Moody!" exclaimed Arthur Weasley. While his row with Mad Eye had woken up Sirius' late mother in 12 Grimmald Place, no one cared anymore.
"Blood! I know Harry's been writing to us, but we musn't be fooled! Why would his letter saying 'Everything's fine' have blood in it? There's something suspicious going on at that Muggle residence!" said Moody, all the while watching four Extendable Ears with his magical eye.
"For this time, Arthur, I agree with Moody," said a quiet voice descending the stairs. Both looked at the person who was sharing his opinion: Remus Lupin.
"But Remus, we can't-" started Arthur.
"We can," said Lupin. "We can go and check on Harry. It's been four weeks, and as much as I hate to say it, something isn't right. His handwriting has been getting worse and worse over the course of his letters. We told him to write us every couple of days saying how things are going, but-..." he sighed," I believe something's happened to him. We can simply tell his relatives that we had orders from higher up to check on Harry. They won't check into it."
Moody nodded the whole time, eye still watching the Ears, which were quickly being pulled up to their owners. "You're absolutely right, Lupin. I noticed the handwriting, too."
He said the next bit loudly.
"I believe we will send a team, just to be cautious. We could be attacked on the-"
"WE'RE COMING!"
Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, along with Fred and George, had come running down the stairs, waking all the pictures on the way.
Remus smiled. He now knew why Moody had said that loudly, as he had too noticed the Extendables. Ron and Hermione had both been wanting to see Harry, but Harry kept writing back that he would see them later. They knew something was wrong. When had Harry ever turned down an invitation to see his friends over the summer holidays?
However, Arthur seemed to think differently. He bagan to say no, but it seemed Ron had already rehearsed this conversation.
"Dad, we have to go with you to check on Harry. Not only because we're his friends, but we're also like family to him. Sirius would let us go because he understood that."
The room went silent after the last sentence. No one had really discussed Sirius after he fell through the veil. Everyone looked quite sombre, especially Remus, whose eyes had watered over.
"Let them come Arthur; he's right. Sirius would have been over to Harry's already, rather than sit here and discuss it." While he was talking, Lupin had gone over to a rack and grabbed his cloak.
"All right.."
Moody clapped his hands together; now was his bit in the organization.
"Let's assemble a team. Let's see how many people we got." He looked aroung the room counting in his head himself, Lupin, Mr.Weasley, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George.
"Seven will do nicely. Now that Fudge isn't controlling the Floo Network, can you set up a day link with their fireplace, Arthur?"
"I'll get right on it." With that he Disapprarated, most likely to the Floo Regulation Panel at the Ministry.
"Boys," said Moody, turning on Fred and George,"Could you go to Hogwarts? Ask Dumbledore if Snape's there, and, if so, have him bring plenty of healing potions. I have a bad feeling we'll need them."
"Sure," they chorused seriously, and went by Floo to the school.
"What about us?" asked Hermione, Ron discreetly holding her hand.
"You two can go and clean up a room for Harry. He might need medical treatment. Put fresh sheets on, and set up a table next to the bed. Oh," as he called after their retreating backs," give Kreacher a good kick for me if you see him, the little traitor!"
---------------------------------------------- :3O~~~ ---------------------------------------------
"We're set up for Floo."
Eevryone had now assembled in the afternoon lit kitchen, as they had put a window in so it wouldn't always be so gloomy. It had only taken about thirty minutes to get everything set up.
"Snape's waiting in Harry's room in case... Well.. You know," said Mr Weasley, looking at the floor.
Remus, however, was grinning grimly, giving him a rather scary tone.
"If the've done anything to Harry, I might have to pay them a visit next full moon," he said, causing everyone in the room, excluding Moody, to shiver slightly.
"Let's go then," said Moody. He stepped in, threw down the Floo powder, and yelled,"Dursley Residence!"
As everyone assembled in the house, dusting off, they could only assume the Dursley's were gone as there had been no shrieking or yelling as they entered noisily into the room.
"Where will he be?" asked Remus to Ron and he answered as they walked toward the staircase."The bedroom up here on the right. That was the one we rescued him from second year right, Fred, George?" They nodded.
"Well, no wasting time then," said Mr Weasley and he opened the bedroom."Well, this is odd," he murmured as they all walked in," it looks like it hasn't been occupied in a while. Where could he be?"
Ron and Hermione had turned pale, and then, as though of one mind, ran down the stairs, leaving the others to follow very confused. When they caught up, Ron and Hermione ha stopped outside the cupboard under the stairs, which they now inspected. It had several heavy locks on it.
"What could they keep in there that needs so many locks, Moody?" clearly from Fred's voice, Moody was supposed to be checking with his eye. Moody already was, however, and no one had ever seen him that pale.
"Arthur, unlock this door!" Mr Weasley took no hesitation from that tone, and quickly said "Alohamora". The door swung open. There, cramped in the cupboard, the saviour of the world laid on his back, mumbling incoherently to himself. He had several large and deep gashes from what could only have been a large knife, several long thin ones from a belt, and had the word 'FREAK' cut unceremoniously across his chest. His eyes looked as though they had been burned with something, and to make this scene truly disturbing, he was clutching the ruffled and deteriorating body of Hedwig, his owl, to his chest, stroking it softy, and the word 'HELP' had been written several times on the inside in his own blood.
"Oh my god..." Mr Weasley murmured softly.
----------------------------------------------- :3O~~~ ------------------------------------------------------
"No time to waste!" yelled Moody, and he very carefully began to lift Harry out of the cramped space. In full light, it looked as though every bone in his body had been broken. He was only wearing a ripped up pair of boxers, although the shredded remnants of a shirt, pants, and a pair of socks still hung around him. His body looked as though a skeleton of a human had been wrapped in flesh coloured cling wrap. At this sight, Hermione turned down the hall and vomited, Ron loooked like he was ready to faint, Fred and George looked like someone had told them that they could never play jokes on anyone again, and Lupin collapsed on the floor, sobbing. Only Arthur and Moody looked in any condition to help Harry, still mumbling to himself.
"All of you, GET UP NOW!" commanded Mr Weasley, and while everyone was collecting themselves, he wrapped his traveling cloak around the small boy shivering in Moody' arms.
"I know it's bad, but we must get him help now. Ron, you, Fred, and George search the house for Harry's stuff as you know it best. Fred, George, use locator spells if necessary. Hermione," he pulled her over to him," I need you to take pictures with this camera for evidence. Try to find the offending items and take pictures of everything suspicious. With any luck, Harry won't have to come back here anytime soon." He handed her a small camera, and she nodded, looking more serious than he had ever seen her. He then yelled loud enough for the twins and Ron to here.
"I'm leaving a bag of Floo powder on the fireplace mantle, so come back when you're done. We've got to get Harry help immediately." And with that, he went through the fire followed by Moody carrying the now incoherent Harry.