Chapter Six: Imaginary Friends
Title: Harry Potter and the Secret of Godric's Hollow
Author: Ericadawn16
Characters: Harry Potter, Tonks, Lupin, Shacklebolt, Moody, Dumbledore, Ginny, Andromeda, Ron, Arthur
Rated: PG-13 ANGST AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Tonks and Lupin tell Harry some things he didn't know about Sirius.
Author's Note: I started writing this before Order of the Phoenix came out which meant immediate rewrites! Then, I rewrote it repeatedly over and over as more things came out. I think it's time to finish this thing and post it.
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/209841.html
Chapter Six: Imaginary Friends
“I had an imaginary friend as well,” explained Tonks, “but I played her so that acquaintances were convinced that she was real. Mum and dad asked Sirius to try and get me to quit so he gave me a stuffed dragon and told me about Felis.”
Tonks laughed.
“When I was little, I never did anything I was told unless it was my cousin that said it,” she said, remembering and gave Harry the toy along with a quick hug, “I’ll cover for you, but don’t stay up here too long or I’ll be forced to send a search party after you, all right?”
“Right,” said Harry and Tonks left. He could hear rain pounding the roof. Harry hugged the dog as Tonks had done. He still missed his godfather horribly especially being in Sirius’ childhood home. He studied the S.B., the unicorn beside it and the dusty stuffed animal. Then, he realised something about Sirius and his animagus. Sirius would turn into a black dog just like Felis. Harry put the dog back where it had been a silent sentinel of the ages and noticed that it had hidden a partial Hippogriff. A strange feeling overcame Harry as if he was meant to find this. He could still hear Sirius singing, God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs before feeding his pet Hippogriff, Buckbeak, who had been rechristened last summer Witherwings.
“Buckbeak. Buckbeak,” said Harry as something clicked. Sirius never revealed much or left much behind, but that didn’t make sense to Harry. How could someone not leave anything behind except a house with none of his possessions? His parents hadn't left much but that was Voldemort's doing.
Harry began looking for a complete drawing of a hippogriff and found one on the wall facing west where Sirius had drawn himself riding its back. Harry touched the drawing, but there was no crack or catch. He got out his wand and touched it, but nothing happened.
“Buckbeak!” cried Harry and pointed his wand at the drawing. A small door appeared in the wall and it slowly opened, revealing a small room. Harry stepped inside to find a child-sized desk and chair. He immediately began looking through the sparse items and found a photo book, but was unable to open it. He tried every trick and the book would not open.
“It won’t open yet,” said Remus Lupin, coming in. He was still filthy from battling the basement denizens.
“Yet? When will it open?” asked Harry, setting it on the desk.
“It will open when the secrets within are ready to come out,” Lupin spoke in his soft voice.
“What secrets? I knew Sirius.”
Lupin looked at him and sat on top of the desk.
“You had too little time to really know him. It took several rounds at the Three Broomsticks for me to learn some things.”
“How do you know that would work?” asked Harry, picking the book back up. He didn’t like what Remus had said…even if it was probably true.
“Give me the book and I’ll prove it.” Harry gave it to him and Lupin opened it easily. He flipped through pages, making sure Harry couldn’t see. Then Lupin held up two pages that contained nothing but Harry and his parents. Harry took it from him and the book sealed the other pages. Baby Harry smiled up at him from several different ages, including one with him in the birthday party hat from the dream he had.
“When was this?”
“That was your first birthday. Half the order attended along with their kids, kind of like this time,” said Lupin and Harry wondered what wasn’t being said.
Harry closed the book. There was the photo album, some papers, and odds and ends, including a slightly singed cloth doll with a plastic face and hands.
“How can he have so few things?” he asked.
“Voldemort doesn’t leave much behind when he pays a house call,” said Lupin, sadly.
“Voldemort came here?”
“No, it was Sirius’ place that was paid for with Uncle Alphard’s money. It was up north, not too far from Hogwarts,” Lupin told him and it made sense to Harry that Sirius would want a place far from London and his parents.
“How did you know how to open the book?”
“One time, I went up to keep him company when he went to see Buckbeak, but he wasn’t there. He was here at his desk, looking through the old pictures. He was glad I came because he wanted someone else to know about it. He made me promise that if something happened that I would make sure that you found this. I was going to give you until Christmas break before showing you this room,” he explained, rising to his feet.
“Tonks told you to come, didn’t she?” asked Harry, noticing how much older Lupin looked since they had first been on the Hogwarts Express together. His hair contained much more grey than brown. Lupin nodded and they left the secret room.
That night found another Order meeting followed by food.
“Young Malfoy seems to be trying to do his father proud,” said Shacklebolt, “We can’t prove it, but he was at the board again, trying to influence their choice of Defence against the Dark Arts teacher.”
“It isn’t their decision, it’s Dumbledore’s,” said Moody, turning to Harry, “Pass a goblet, James.”
Harry surely had heard wrong. It sounded as if Moody had just called him James, but Moody knew he was Harry.
“Harry,” said Moody, slightly more insistent. Obviously, Harry had heard wrong and that was his thought as he passed the clean vessel.
“I have a few ideas,” said Dumbledore, giving a long look at Moody, “but I’m afraid it will take some convincing to both parties.”
“You never seem to have much luck with that position, Albus,” said Andromeda, with a glass of water in her hand.
“Still, it’s made for an interesting experience,” said Tonks before helping herself to a sweet.
“It has been, but I’d rather have competent over interesting,” said Ginny, whose first DADA’s failure of skills had almost led to her death. Harry looked toward Snape who applied every year for the position and had always been rejected, stuck in his Potions position. He looked mum on the current subject, preferring to pick at the vegetables that remained.
“Perhaps this year, the professor, whoever they may be, will carry over into next year as well,” said Dumbledore as Harry encountered a piece of gristle. He wrestled with it and weighed his options, glancing from napkin to glass of water. He went with the glass of water. The rest of the evening was uneventful except for McGonagall arriving late with Crookshanks in tow.
********************************************************
Harry yawned, rubbed his eyes and put his glasses on. Ron must have had a nightmare about the spiders again because he was on the floor with a surprised expression before getting up. It had been a little over two weeks since he had arrived at Grimmauld Place and everything seemed so normal now. Moody hadn’t said anything questionable. It was hard to imagine that the next Hogwarts term was only around two weeks away. Crookshanks pounded lightly into their room and meowed. The boys ignored him. He meowed again.
“He must want something,” said Harry.
“Probably to show us something else he’s killed,” said Ron.
Crookshanks whined.
“Give us five minutes,” said Harry, getting down. Crookshanks stiffly bounded out of the room.
When Harry and Ron were fully dressed, they made their way downstairs to find Arthur being fussed over. Lupin and Moody helped him onto a couch while Arthur made a face as he put weight on the old snake bite wound.
“Dad!” said Ron and Ginny and Hermione entered.
“I’m fine, Ron,” his father said, “I just need a moment of quiet before your mother comes. She’s with Katie today.”
“What happened?” asked Harry.
Arthur’s usual cheerful face clouded over for around a moment.
“Percy came to see me and…well, we got into a bit of a row and he shoved me…just hit the filing cabinet, that’s all.”
He tried to settle into a better spot. Ginny knelt beside him, worried.
“That git,” exclaimed Ron, “What did he want?”
“Information,” said Arthur, “He knows we’re on Dumbledore’s side. He’s trying to decide what would be most advantageous to his career.”
With a pop, Molly arrived and began her own round of making sure her husband was all right. Katie and the twins would arrive later. The others dispersed to give the couple some privacy and Harry realised that Lupin had left without him noticing.
Author: Ericadawn16
Characters: Harry Potter, Tonks, Lupin, Shacklebolt, Moody, Dumbledore, Ginny, Andromeda, Ron, Arthur
Rated: PG-13 ANGST AU
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Summary: Tonks and Lupin tell Harry some things he didn't know about Sirius.
Author's Note: I started writing this before Order of the Phoenix came out which meant immediate rewrites! Then, I rewrote it repeatedly over and over as more things came out. I think it's time to finish this thing and post it.
Masterlist: http://ericadawn16.livejournal.com/209841.html
Chapter Six: Imaginary Friends
“I had an imaginary friend as well,” explained Tonks, “but I played her so that acquaintances were convinced that she was real. Mum and dad asked Sirius to try and get me to quit so he gave me a stuffed dragon and told me about Felis.”
Tonks laughed.
“When I was little, I never did anything I was told unless it was my cousin that said it,” she said, remembering and gave Harry the toy along with a quick hug, “I’ll cover for you, but don’t stay up here too long or I’ll be forced to send a search party after you, all right?”
“Right,” said Harry and Tonks left. He could hear rain pounding the roof. Harry hugged the dog as Tonks had done. He still missed his godfather horribly especially being in Sirius’ childhood home. He studied the S.B., the unicorn beside it and the dusty stuffed animal. Then, he realised something about Sirius and his animagus. Sirius would turn into a black dog just like Felis. Harry put the dog back where it had been a silent sentinel of the ages and noticed that it had hidden a partial Hippogriff. A strange feeling overcame Harry as if he was meant to find this. He could still hear Sirius singing, God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs before feeding his pet Hippogriff, Buckbeak, who had been rechristened last summer Witherwings.
“Buckbeak. Buckbeak,” said Harry as something clicked. Sirius never revealed much or left much behind, but that didn’t make sense to Harry. How could someone not leave anything behind except a house with none of his possessions? His parents hadn't left much but that was Voldemort's doing.
Harry began looking for a complete drawing of a hippogriff and found one on the wall facing west where Sirius had drawn himself riding its back. Harry touched the drawing, but there was no crack or catch. He got out his wand and touched it, but nothing happened.
“Buckbeak!” cried Harry and pointed his wand at the drawing. A small door appeared in the wall and it slowly opened, revealing a small room. Harry stepped inside to find a child-sized desk and chair. He immediately began looking through the sparse items and found a photo book, but was unable to open it. He tried every trick and the book would not open.
“It won’t open yet,” said Remus Lupin, coming in. He was still filthy from battling the basement denizens.
“Yet? When will it open?” asked Harry, setting it on the desk.
“It will open when the secrets within are ready to come out,” Lupin spoke in his soft voice.
“What secrets? I knew Sirius.”
Lupin looked at him and sat on top of the desk.
“You had too little time to really know him. It took several rounds at the Three Broomsticks for me to learn some things.”
“How do you know that would work?” asked Harry, picking the book back up. He didn’t like what Remus had said…even if it was probably true.
“Give me the book and I’ll prove it.” Harry gave it to him and Lupin opened it easily. He flipped through pages, making sure Harry couldn’t see. Then Lupin held up two pages that contained nothing but Harry and his parents. Harry took it from him and the book sealed the other pages. Baby Harry smiled up at him from several different ages, including one with him in the birthday party hat from the dream he had.
“When was this?”
“That was your first birthday. Half the order attended along with their kids, kind of like this time,” said Lupin and Harry wondered what wasn’t being said.
Harry closed the book. There was the photo album, some papers, and odds and ends, including a slightly singed cloth doll with a plastic face and hands.
“How can he have so few things?” he asked.
“Voldemort doesn’t leave much behind when he pays a house call,” said Lupin, sadly.
“Voldemort came here?”
“No, it was Sirius’ place that was paid for with Uncle Alphard’s money. It was up north, not too far from Hogwarts,” Lupin told him and it made sense to Harry that Sirius would want a place far from London and his parents.
“How did you know how to open the book?”
“One time, I went up to keep him company when he went to see Buckbeak, but he wasn’t there. He was here at his desk, looking through the old pictures. He was glad I came because he wanted someone else to know about it. He made me promise that if something happened that I would make sure that you found this. I was going to give you until Christmas break before showing you this room,” he explained, rising to his feet.
“Tonks told you to come, didn’t she?” asked Harry, noticing how much older Lupin looked since they had first been on the Hogwarts Express together. His hair contained much more grey than brown. Lupin nodded and they left the secret room.
That night found another Order meeting followed by food.
“Young Malfoy seems to be trying to do his father proud,” said Shacklebolt, “We can’t prove it, but he was at the board again, trying to influence their choice of Defence against the Dark Arts teacher.”
“It isn’t their decision, it’s Dumbledore’s,” said Moody, turning to Harry, “Pass a goblet, James.”
Harry surely had heard wrong. It sounded as if Moody had just called him James, but Moody knew he was Harry.
“Harry,” said Moody, slightly more insistent. Obviously, Harry had heard wrong and that was his thought as he passed the clean vessel.
“I have a few ideas,” said Dumbledore, giving a long look at Moody, “but I’m afraid it will take some convincing to both parties.”
“You never seem to have much luck with that position, Albus,” said Andromeda, with a glass of water in her hand.
“Still, it’s made for an interesting experience,” said Tonks before helping herself to a sweet.
“It has been, but I’d rather have competent over interesting,” said Ginny, whose first DADA’s failure of skills had almost led to her death. Harry looked toward Snape who applied every year for the position and had always been rejected, stuck in his Potions position. He looked mum on the current subject, preferring to pick at the vegetables that remained.
“Perhaps this year, the professor, whoever they may be, will carry over into next year as well,” said Dumbledore as Harry encountered a piece of gristle. He wrestled with it and weighed his options, glancing from napkin to glass of water. He went with the glass of water. The rest of the evening was uneventful except for McGonagall arriving late with Crookshanks in tow.
********************************************************
Harry yawned, rubbed his eyes and put his glasses on. Ron must have had a nightmare about the spiders again because he was on the floor with a surprised expression before getting up. It had been a little over two weeks since he had arrived at Grimmauld Place and everything seemed so normal now. Moody hadn’t said anything questionable. It was hard to imagine that the next Hogwarts term was only around two weeks away. Crookshanks pounded lightly into their room and meowed. The boys ignored him. He meowed again.
“He must want something,” said Harry.
“Probably to show us something else he’s killed,” said Ron.
Crookshanks whined.
“Give us five minutes,” said Harry, getting down. Crookshanks stiffly bounded out of the room.
When Harry and Ron were fully dressed, they made their way downstairs to find Arthur being fussed over. Lupin and Moody helped him onto a couch while Arthur made a face as he put weight on the old snake bite wound.
“Dad!” said Ron and Ginny and Hermione entered.
“I’m fine, Ron,” his father said, “I just need a moment of quiet before your mother comes. She’s with Katie today.”
“What happened?” asked Harry.
Arthur’s usual cheerful face clouded over for around a moment.
“Percy came to see me and…well, we got into a bit of a row and he shoved me…just hit the filing cabinet, that’s all.”
He tried to settle into a better spot. Ginny knelt beside him, worried.
“That git,” exclaimed Ron, “What did he want?”
“Information,” said Arthur, “He knows we’re on Dumbledore’s side. He’s trying to decide what would be most advantageous to his career.”
With a pop, Molly arrived and began her own round of making sure her husband was all right. Katie and the twins would arrive later. The others dispersed to give the couple some privacy and Harry realised that Lupin had left without him noticing.