Chapter 2 : Good and Evil

“Severus…Please”
“Avada Kedavra”
Harry woke up with a start. His hands were sweating and so were his body.. He had the same dream for the past one week. He couldn’t get enough sleep. Harry knew that he shouldn’t rest until he had done the job, to take revenge. He wanted to leave the place that day. The sun had just risen and Hedwig was not there. He had sent it to Diagon Alley to get a copy of the Daily Prophet last night. Harry felt deeply depressed. He had always liked the feeling of a wizard., the night Hagrid came and told him that he was a wizard. But now he would have been happier with just cleaning up the home.
Hedwig came back with a copy of the Daily Prophet for which he had actually sent it. He read the news that he had been thinking for the past one week, the news about Dumbledore’s death and also there were the words of conflict between the minister and the ex-minister.

‘The Wizards and Witches have now started complaining about the Minister of Magic, Rufus Scrimgour , who replaced Cornelius Fudge last year. They wanted the immediate removal of the new Minister of Magic.
“When I was the minister nothing like this happened. Hogwarts is a school and I can’t imagine death eaters attacking there. This shows the carelessness of the Ministry….”
Said our former minister Cornelius Fudge.
Rufus Scrimgoeur however had a defense to the statement. “I never expected such words from the former minister. This was an accident and no one expected such brainwork from the death eaters. Well shall I point out that a year ago, several death eaters and mere students managed to enter the most secure room of the Ministry of Magic! We are doing our work and this year I shall do the obvious, saving the people. The world comprises of two – the good and the evil. My job here is to eliminate the evil and it is not only the job for me but for all of you. Lets do it together! ” ‘

Harry now had a great respect for him. He didn’t know why. It was maybe because he didn’t like Fudge or maybe because he liked his speech.
. But then he found something interesting. The news about the one man he hated the most – Severus Snape.

‘Ministry has searched the house of the death eater Severus Snape at Spinner’s End where he lives. But they were too late. He had escaped. News confirmed that Snape had been there recently’.

Harry couldn’t understand why the Daily Prophet is turning against the Ministry. But he didn’t care about it and he went on with the news:

‘It is likely that the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizadry will be closed this year owing to the attacks almost a fortnight ago! Professor Minerva McGonagall had a few words to say about this, “It is upon the Ministry to decide”. ‘

Harry wondered of the world without Hogwarts. He had already decided not to return to Hogwarts even if the school reopens. He closed the newspaper and went downstairs to see Dudley fighting his dad.
“Look, my son can attack me”, Uncle Vernon said with a happy tone.
“Dudders, are you preparing yourself for the boxing match you got?”, said Aunt Petunia.
“Yes mom”, said Dudley proudly.
Harry found this topic relevant to this task. Just like Dudley, he has to prepare himself to fight the evil. He carried on with his work to clean the house as if he didn’t mind what they were talking.
“Show them that you can take out any sorts Dudley”, said Uncle Vernon with a smile,”even their kind”
Harry knew whom they were talking about but he didn’t mind. When the Dursleys realized that Harry is never going to respond, Uncle Vernon said, “What were the things that attacked you two years back?”
Harry for the first time replied, “Dementors” and went on with his work.
“Yes Dudley, you can take out those as well, can’t you?”
“Yes I can”, Dudley replied proudly.
Harry wondered how Dudley would be fighting with things that he can’t see. Aunt Petunia didn’t like that topic to be continued, so she asked Dudley, “How about a chocolate cookie, Popkins?”
“Show them how you can make knock out punches”, Uncle Vernon however interrupted.
Duddley nodded.
After having breakfast, Harry wondered when to leave the house. He wanted to leave the house desperately; he had the same in his mind every summer at the Dursley’s house but this time he didn’t want to leave the house to have fun but for his destiny. Except his third year someone picked him up. The first year he was picked up by Rubeus Hagrid, the time he knew he was a wizard. The next year Ron, Fred and George picked him up. In the fourth year, Arthur Weasley picked him up when he had to go to the Quidditch World Cup. In his fifth year, a group of Aurors picked him up. In the sixth year, it was none other than Dumbledore who picked him up. This time he didn’t expect anyone to pick him up as he was sure that everyone who had come to pick him up, except for the Weasley brothers, had come on Dumbledore’s orders. But now since Dumbledore has died, he didn’t expect anyone. He knew he didn’t want anyone to pick him up. He felt mature this time.
A month later it was the same for him. It was July 29th. In the daily prophet which Hedwig brought, he read about a muggle attacked by dementors and he didn’t care to read it
Harry received a mail from Ron and Hermione who was already at the Burrow. It came in a single letter. From the dirty handwriting he knew it was Ron who wrote it.

‘Harry hoping you are fine. We have to talk to you. Come here soon! We miss you! I guess they will come to pick you up today or even later. I am not sure.

P.S: If you are wondering who the other in the ‘we’ is, it is Hermione.’
.

Harry read the letter twice and went down the staircase to find Uncle Vernon crying. He had never seen his uncle crying. It was more like a pig’s grunt to him.
Another man was there. Harry would have thought something would have happened to Aunt Petunia or Dudley if they had not been standing in the kitchen listening. There was a man speaking to Uncle Vernon.
“Yeah its true Vernon. It happened”
“How is she now?”
“In a worse condition….” Said the stranger and added, ”you should not meet her”
“Why? I should meet her, Mr.Jones”
“She doesn’t reply. It is the worse the people have seen. She is kind of died.”
“Poor Marge!” Uncle Vernon gave a deep sigh.
Harry knew what it was. He quickly went upstairs and read the daily prophet that he had ignored fifteen minutes back.

“More attack and this time it was worse. A muggle lady named Marge was attacked by the Dementors and the worst thing was she was kissed by the dementors and her soul was sucked”

Harry couldn’t read anymore. He remembered this lady whom he blew accidentally four years back. He went downstairs an hour later and found the Dursleys alone. They didn’t say any word. But Harry made a speech, the words bursted out, the speech that he never imagined talking to the Dursleys.
“I heard about your sister”, Harry thought, “ and I feel sorry for her”
Uncle Vernon did not reply. But Harry continued.
“It was hard to hear it ofcourse”
Uncle Vernon still didn’t reply.
“It would have been very bad losing a sister just as I had lost my parents”
Uncle Vernon gave a hiccough that was more like a snort.
“You must be lucky that your son escaped last time”
Uncle Vernon turned his head towards Harry. His eyes were red.
“What do you mean?”, he said
“Your sister was attacked by the dementors that attacked your son”
“What? So your people attacked my sister?”, Uncle Vernon turned pink with anger now almost matching his red eyes.
“Not my people. They are of the bad sort. Evil!”
“Whoever they are, they are of your sort. You are now going to jail”, said Uncle Vernon and got up.
“If you send me to jail, these attacks will continue”
“How dare you threaten me boy?”, Uncle Vernon tightened his fists.
“No I am not threatening you”, said Harry softly.
“Enough of you boy, I have had enough”
“Go on. Send me to jail. They think you have gone mad”
“I don’t care if they do. I have got enough proof”
“You don’t need to send me to jail. I will leave the house in a week or even sooner”
“Trying to escape, aren’t you?” said Uncle Vernon, “Trying to escape with the old man who is teaching you all these stuffs?”
“No I am not”, said Harry, “he is dead”
Uncle Vernon became silent. Aunt Petunia was shocked.
“He is dead?”, both of them said together.
“Yes, the evil sort killed him. It will not be late before any one of us gets killed”
Uncle Vernon’s face went red
“I don’t want anyone else to die”
“Yes Uncle Vernon”
Just then an owl came. It was not Hedwig. It was a different one. He found it to be Lupin’s.

“Harry never leave the house alone we will come there to pick you up. Expect us this evening”

Harry was happy that someone is coming to pick him up. He immediately said to Uncle Vernon.
“I am leaving tonight”, he said.
“That’s for good”.
He had his trunks ready and also his broomstick. He was sure that they would leave as they did two years back. That evening Lupin came and didn’t come inside the house.
“Come out Mr.Potter We have to go soon”
“Yes Professor Lupin I am coming”
He then turned to the Dursleys and made a little bow to them. He didn’t know why he did it. Then he said,
“Thanks Uncle Vernon for taking care of me all these sixteen years. I am really grateful to you”
He then turned to Lupin and said, “Where are the others?”
“I have come here to pick you all alone”
Then came an owl. This time it was Pigwidgeon. Harry quickly read it. It was Ron’s handwriting.

“Professor Lupin ,Tonks, Professor Moody are coming to pick you up, be careful”

Harry read the letter and backed off immediately into his house and said to Lupin who was still standing outside, “Who are you?” taking out his wand.
“Mr.Potter, I am Lupin”
“Professor Lupin never calls me Potter. Now tell me who are you?”
The Dursleys got frightened. Then there was silence.
“Tell the truth who you are!”, shouted Harry
Lupin gave a wicked laugh and shouted, “You better come outside and don’t point that wand at me. You are not supposed to..”
“I know I am not supposed to. But since Hogwarts has closed I don’t mind using a curse even if it is an unforgivable one”, Harry said unsurely and shouted, “Who are you?”
Uncle Vernon had enough. He yelled at Harry, “Don’t you dare take that wand inside my house. Now get out!” Just then the fake Lupin gave a grin and he could see teeth like that of a vampire or like a werewolf to be exact.
“You are Fenrir Greyback!”, Harry exclaimed.
“Potter leave the house now” , shouted Uncle Vernon and tried to push him out of the house.
Harry escaped from the hands of Uncle Vernon and got a glimpse outside. The fake Lupin was gone and he could see several people coming towards the door. There were Lupin, Tonks, Mad-eye Moody as Ron said but there were also two people that Harry never imagined would come. It was Charlie Weasley and Fleur Delacaour.
They came inside the house and said “Hello”.
“’ello ‘arry” ,greeted Fleur and kissed him on his cheeks.
Harry noticed Dudley noticing Fleur.
“Are the trunks ready?”, asked Lupin.
“Yes”, he said still wondering about the fake Lupin.
“I have to tell you something Professor Lupin”
“Yes go on”
He explained the whole situation to them avoiding the hatred glance of Uncle Vernon and also Dudley noticing Fleur.
"Come on Harry. Did you think that just a single wizard can guard you?"
Harry nodded his head.
“How did they get my hair?”, said Lupin
“I guess its Fenrir Greyback Professor”, said Harry in a proud tone.
Everyone was shocked. No one had dared to come near Harry’s house. Even Voldemort wouldn’t have liked it. Fenrir might have come himself without anyone’s orders.
“Alright Harry. Its time to leave”
They mounted the broomsticks in the back garden and flew straightaway just like they did last time. They took turns in surrounding Harry and Harry felt numb like last time when he went higher and higher. He had the feeling to go down but remained on their orders. Atlast they neared the burrow and they got down. Harry could feel the house is waiting for him and eagerly went inside.