FROM YOUR HUMBLE AUTHOR, VENUSGREENIGHT
Ah, the plot unfolds. This next chapter will introduce you to some new stuff, so hang tight. Damn i suck at "author thingies". LETS JUST GET TO IT!!!
MEMORIES ON THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS
After transporting Cornelius Fudge’s body to the Ministry of Magic, Harry marched down several halls and straight into the Minister’s office. The secretary looked up in surprise.
“Mr. Potter, do you have an appointment?” she asked automatically, beginning to thumb through some papers.
“No, I don’t need one,” Harry said quite loudly. He walked right into Arthur’s office. The Minister sat at his desk.
“I’ve come to report that Cornelius Fudge has been murdered,” Harry said, hands dug deep into his pockets. Arthur looked up slowly.
“Indeed,” he said softly, a dazed look in his eyes.
“That house on Melville Drive was Fudge’s. I found no clues as to who the murderer is, other than the fact that the Dark Mark was above the house. I believe, however, that it is quite obvious that it was Wormtail. It appears that Fudge was killed abruptly, most likely by the Death Curse.”
Arthur nodded, pushing some papers over to the side of his desk.
“Innocent until proven guilty,” Arthur said pointedly. “I’ll need you to file a report, Harry. I’m also going to assign you a new mission.”
Harry stood up taller and his heart began to flutter in anticipation.
“I’m going to need you to find the murderer, Harry. We can’t let this happen again.”
“I said, it’s obviously Wormtail! But don’t worry, Mr. Weasley.” Harry said softly. “I’ll get him.”
Arthur smiled dryly.
“Do be careful, Harry. I have confidence that you will succeed. I am counting on you.” Arthur paused, picking up a memo from the corner of his desk. “Luna just sent a message for you before you came in. She said that you were supposed to be home at noon to get ready.”
Harry smacked his forehead.
“I forgot!” he exclaimed, turning on his heel and grabbing the doorknob. He looked quickly at Mr. Weasley. “I’ll try my hardest,” he added.
Not for the first time that day, Harry ran though the halls of the Ministry of Magic and out. Once outside, he apparated to his home in London. He appeared in his living room.
“About time,” a critical voice said behind him. Harry turned to see Luna with an amused look on her face and Lily on her hip. He sighed.
“Wormtail business,” he said simply.
“Reliable?” Luna asked. Harry shook his head, rubbing his temples. Luna stepped up to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
“Someday,” she murmured. “Someday.”
Harry leaned over and kissed her on the forehead. Lily grabbed a good handful of his hair. Laughing, Harry pried her strong fingers from his dark locks, patting her lovingly on the head.
“Shouldn’t we be getting ready to leave?” he said, tossing his cloak on the couch. Luna nodded, picking up a tote bag from the coffee table.
“‘K, I’ve got diapers and a bottle and some books for Lily. I’m all ready. Do you want to change?”
Harry looked down at his black slacks and blue formal shirt.
“No, I think I’ll be fine. Let’s go.”
Lily wasn’t old enough to travel by Floo Powder, so Harry called up the Ministry and hired a ride from Arthur. The Ministry car showed up just minutes later. They then traveled to London and Kings Cross Station. The small family stepped through Platform 9 3/4, bringing back so many old memories. Together they boarded the Hogwarts Express.
Stepping into the first compartment, Harry held the door open for Luna and Lily. The compartment wasn’t empty. Harry looked straight into the startled eyes of Susan Bones. She smiled.
“Harry! I haven’t seen you in forever!” she cried. Harry grinned sheepishly. Luna sat down across from Susan, resting Lily on her knees.
“Susan Bones? I remember you,” Luna said, glancing back up at Harry. He sat next to his wife.
“My wand, this is Lily?” Susan breathed, leaning forward and resting her elbows on her knees, taking Lily’s hand. “She’s gotten so big! The last time I saw her was at the wedding!”
Lily giggled, pulling her hand out of Susan’s. Susan straightened and looked at Harry.
“I assume you’re going for the commencement,” she said.
Harry nodded. “This was Mark’s last year,” he replied.
“Yes, my cousin also, Hufflepuff.” Susan smiled.
Just then the compartment door slide open and a new face emerged. It was a medium sized man with a squashed face and ginger hair.
“Harry! Luna!” the man exclaimed. “I’m glad you could come! Mark was really hoping you would.”
“We wouldn’t miss it for the world, Uncle Forrest,” Harry said, beckoning for his uncle to sit down. “Where’s Aunt Gertrude?”
“Ah, well, she met a couple of her potions buddies in the back. Stopped to swap a couple of recipes. She’ll come in a second.”
Harry turned back to Susan.
“Luna and I are taking the train because we can’t Apparate to Hogsmeade with Lily. Why are you?” he asked.
Susan breathed in deeply through her nose. “I just wanted to ride the train again. You know, all those memories.”
Harry nodded, a smile on his face.
“Well, I’m takin’ the train ‘cause Gertrude can’t Apparate,” Forrest said, pulling a cigar from his pocket.
“Forrest, please. The baby,” Luna scolded. Forrest dejectedly put the cigar back in his pocket.
“Gertrude may be a Squib, but she’s one hell of a potions master,” Forrest went on.
Harry had just recently gotten used to having another aunt and uncle. In their seventh year at Hogwarts, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had found that Crookshanks wasn’t any normal cat. Of course, Ron had suspected that from the beginning, but his suspicion was proven when Dumbledore sent Harry on a mission to go after Voldemort with Crookshanks as his partner. It was during that little mission that Crookshanks revealed that he was really Harry’s uncle, or Lily Evan’s little brother, Forrest Evans. He was an Animagus and had kept the form of a cat to spy for Dumbledore at Hogwarts. Forrest preferred not to call it spying but observation. Undoubtedly, he had failed in Harry’s fourth year when he hadn’t discover that Mad-Eye Moody was really Barty Crouch Jr., but he made up for that after Harry’s final duel with Voldemort when he brought Dumbledore to Harry when he was critically injured.
In Harry’s sixth year, he had met his other cousin, Mark Evans, the son of Forrest Evans and his wife Helen. However, Forrest and Helen had split up shortly after Mark’s birth. Helen ran away with her son, never telling Forrest where she and Mark were. Sadly, Helen died due to a fatal potion accident, leaving three year old Mark in the possession on Helen’s mother, a Muggle by the name of Beulah Carilla, on Wisteria Walk in Winging Surrey. For ten years Harry had been unaware that he had another cousin living within walking distance of the Dursley’s house.
Beulah Carilla let her grandson go to Hogwarts when he received the letter, and it was there that Mark first met Harry. Harry automatically felt protective of Mark, even though he didn’t know why. However, when Beulah died in Mark’s fourth year (and Harry’s seventh), Mark was returned to his father, Forrest Evans, and Harry finally found that Mark was his cousin all along.
Forrest had remarried several years after his split with Helen to Gertrude Lamar. Mark now treated her like a mother.
And now it was the end of the last year at Hogwarts for Mark. Harry wanted to be there to support him.
Aunt Gertrude showed up shortly. The time after slipped by surprisingly fast; before they knew it, the train stopped. Together, they all loaded off the train, stepping out of the station and into the familiar streets of Hogsmeade. Just like it used to be when they were students, several horseless carriages waited for them. Luna and Harry glanced at each other, knowing they both could actually see the thestrals pulling the carriages. But they climbed in and began the short ride to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
Reviewism of the day:
Draco Malfoy:
"You'll soon find out some REVIEWS are much better than others, Potter. You don't want to go getting the wrong sort. I can help you there."