Chapter 5- Run from furry of thy friends

**AN** from this moment onward, when the Dursleys are mentioned as a whole they will consist of Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, Dudley, Aunt Marge, Piers, Malcolm, Dennis, and Gordon.

Ron and Hermione were looking frantically around the station for their missing friend. They had not received any letters from Harry for a while and they were quickly becoming panicked, it didn't help that the train was about to leave and Harry had not arrived yet.

"Oh Ron where could he possibly be? If he misses the train--" Hermione fretted for the thousandth time.

"Mi, I'm looking, and I don't see him. We need to get on the train and owl the headmaster or something. Maybe he was brought to Hogwarts early or he is already on the bloody train! Come on!" Ron yelled. He was just as worried as Hermione but in a rare moment of maturity, he was not the one freaking out about it. At least not so everyone could see. His mind was filled with all kinds of horrible scenarios. He hoped to Merlin that their friend was already on the train. If he was Ron was going to smother him for a good ten minutes thanking all the known gods in the world that he wasn't dyeing in a dark ally somewhere and then yell at him for the rest of the trip for scaring them like this.

'Harry had better have one hell of an explanation ready or he was going to wish he had missed the train.'

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The students would be arriving any minute and Dumbledore was bracing himself for the uproar he knew would be directed at him. He should have told Harry's friends about his condition. They were fiercely protective of Harry and were going to be furious at him for a good long time. He just knew it. They loved their friend and would do anything for him. Sometimes they acted more like his guardians than Remus did. He guessed that was to be expected, they had known him longer and watched him grow up more than any of them had.

He had already made room for the Dursleys in the Great Hall so they could have their own separate table. No need to punish the students by forcing unwanted company on them. He also made sure to have the Dursleys far away from the other tables so they, the teachers and the students, didn't have to deal with them. They were already seated, as was the staff. Dumbledore vaguely heard the entrance doors open and realized the students had arrived. He groaned and started counting down his remaining hours with hearing. This was going to be hell.

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Ron and Hermione ran into the Great Hall hoping to have an easier time finding Harry there. They had not found him on the train and they were beyond frantic at this point.

"Mi, look." Ron said and pointed to a small table in the corner of the Great Hall occupied by eight people. Several of which looked like four people each, they were so fat.

"Ron, isn't that Harry's Aunt and Uncle?" she asked pointing to the fattest man and the skinniest woman in the group. Ron stared at them in confusion.

"It looks like them but who are the others? They don't look related, well except that one lady next to his uncle."

They soon realized that the students had almost finished filing into the hall and quickly took their seats, making sure to leave a space for Harry, just in case. It seemed to take far too long for the sorting to end before Dumbledore stood to make his speech. The two friends noticed that he seemed very wary and resigned and they could only hope that it had nothing to do with Harry. After the sorting, Dumbledore stood up.

"Welcome, to both our old and new students. I am afraid I have some rather disturbing news but it will have to wait for after the feast. Everybody tuck in!" The food soon appeared and they heard several shouts from the corner table in the room. The people sitting there looked horrified and angry. They saw Snape wave his wand at them and they immediately became silent. Students exchanged disgusted glances with their neighbors at the Dursley's presance. Their were whispers all through out dinner, wondering who the muggles were and what they were doing here. Not soon enough, dinner ended and Dumbledore stood up again for his start of the term speech.

"Welcome new and old students. You should all know by now that the Forbidden Forest is forbidden for a reason and is off-limits to All students." Dumbledore sighed and glanced at the Dursleys before reluctantly continuing.

"As you can see we have a few guests, yes, they are muggles. They are also the reason one of our number is not preasant at this time. While under their care, Harry Potter sustained some very serious injuries and is currently in the hospital wing in a coma. When he awakes, it will be his choice to tell you what happened. Unfortunatly, while Professor Snape, Madam Pomfrey and myself were attempting to heal Harry, the houde was attacked by Death Eaters and we were forced to bring the Dursleys and their friends here. We are unsure how long they will be here, but I assure you that they will not interfeer with your daily lives because they do not have free reign of the castle. They will attend lessons with Harry when he recovers in order for them to see exactly what they attempted to throw away."

The entire hall was shocked and angry at the Dursleys. Ron and Hermione were beside themselves with fury, both at the Dursleys for hurting Harry and at Dumbledore for not telling them sooner. They glared angrilly at him and ran out of the hall twards the Hospital Wing.