章節 4: Chapter 3 A Thing Called Trust
Number Four, Privet Drive: July 9th, 1996
Emerald eyes opened and blinked several times, and a sigh shuddered through a still-too-thin body. A teenager sat up quickly in an old, creaky bed, and his fingers rubbed his eyes before moving to his temples. A somewhat shaky hand reached toward a bedside table and brought a pair of silver-framed glasses to his exceptionally tired face. He sighed again, a slight smile touching his lips.
Harry Potter had just dreamed about Salazar again.
Only this time, it had been rather good. Especially the part where Godric had been knocked on his ass. He laughed at that, smiling with satisfaction at just the thought. He couldn't help but be biased. His was a Gryffindor, and his founder shouldn't be such a bastard.
Harry sighed again, mind turning to Siobhan. A slight blush tainted his cheeks. Siobhan Slytherin was certainly no Cho Chang. Not the least be weepy or hung up on her snobby and treacherous friends.
Harry shook his head and ran a hand through his still stubbornly untidy hair. He knew he shouldn't think things like that. Siobhan was just in his dreams, completely imaginary. He didn't even know if Salazar had ever been married, much less if that was really his wife's name.
He shook his head again vigorously, blush deepening as he cheeks went from pink to red, adding a hint of color to his pale face. He couldn't believe that he fancied a fantasy woman, one who existed only in his head. He could only imagine what Ron and Hermione would say.
Harry threw himself back and landed on his flimsy pillow. He groaned heavily and fought the urge to bang his head on something hard.
Ron would probably laugh and think him completely insane. And Hermione… well, she'd just shake her head and come up with some logical explanation for it all. Like it was his way of compensating for having bad experiences in relationships or some other plausible explanation.
He shrugged his shoulders, tapping his fingers on his chin. He brushed a loose piece of hair out of his face and tried to pat it down into place.
Perhaps she would be right. That didn't mean he wanted to stop the dreams. He'd had them every night for over a week, and it simply wasn't enough. He wanted to know what happened to them. What had happened to them.
Each time, his dreams were different but always about Salazar. True, they had all been from his perspective, but they included the other founders… and Siobhan.
Strangely enough, bar the very first, they had all been pleasant. Sure, some of them had only been about common everyday experiences, such as teaching the students at Hogwarts. Yet, to Harry, each had been an adventure into the life of someone else. Someone who didn't have to battle his own fame, someone relatively normal. As time passed, it felt less like they were dreams and more like glimpses, memories of the lives of the founders.
And stranger still, the people seemed vaguely familiar. Harry felt as though he actually knew them, like they had all met before. They were almost like long forgotten companions from a time before he attended Hogwarts, from before his parents died, from before he was even born.
But that was impossible. Completely and utterly mad. Wasn't it?
It was one thing to have visions of Voldemort and his minions. They shared a connection, after all. But people he had never even met before? He wasn't a bloody Seer! He was no Trelawney.
Harry shivered at the thought. It was all a bit unnerving. Maybe he really was crazy.
Still, his dream… memories were not the only odd occurrence. In fact, there had been many bizarre things happening lately. Even strange for a wizard like him.
The first had occurred the day following his initial dream. Harry had started reading a new Defense book, only to become so engrossed in it that he read it all the way through. Yet, much to his surprise, less than an hour had passed, from start to finish. And the book was over a thousand pages long!
Other strange incidents soon followed, much to the dismay of the Dursleys, not that they really realized what was going on. It was like time seemed to speed up or slow down of its own accord. One minute, Harry was weeding Petunia's flowerbeds. The next, it was still morning, and all his chores were complete. Despite the fact that it should have taken all day.
Truth be told, it almost seemed as though time had a mind of its own, but there were additional peculiar happenings as well. Though he hadn't seen the moving shadow again, Harry still felt as though he was continuously monitored. It always seemed like there were eyes watching him, taking note of everything he did. The Gryffindor couldn't even get a glass of water or use the toilet without feeling like he was being observed. Sure, he could write it off as anxiety from being constantly watched by members of the Order, but the teenager wasn't quite certain that they were the cause.
Harry suddenly rolled his eyes at the thought of the Order. They tried so hard to be invisible, but how could he possibly miss they were there? It was pretty hard to miss the sounds of their Apparations. Plus, with Tonks practically tripping on the cracks in the sidewalks, he would have to be an idiot not to notice.
He smirked then, but it was more out of resignation than of malice. The thought of the playful, friendly, but very clumsy Auror always brought a smile to his face. Tonks was rather amusing on her own, but coupled with her inability to remain standing for more than five minutes, she was a laugh-riot. The fact that she had actually gone out of her way to write and even speak to him when she wasn't supposed to over the passed few weeks further endeared her to him.
However, Harry's thoughts soon drifted back to his other watchers, making him shiver. They were still outside, but it felt as though someone was inside the house with him. It was possible, however, that the Order knew something about it. And that only made him wonder what else they were up to, especially since the Weasleys and Hermione were no doubt…
Harry suddenly started.
Hermione. He had totally forgotten!
Harry silently threw back his thin blankets and slipped out of bed. He quickly moved to his desk and turned on a wobbly lamp. His excited fingers picked up a small envelope and opened it in with a single movement. Inside, there were several thin sheets of paper, all of which seemed to be covered by incredibly neat but still tiny writing.
Harry mentally berated himself for forgetting her letter. He had no idea why he had even done so. Especially after Tonks had gone out of her way to deliver it, owl post somewhat sketchy as of late and too easy to intercept. At least, that's what Tonks had said.
He growled at himself as he unfolded the paper and started to read.
Dear Harry,
I hope you are well and that you are not being too hard on yourself. As I told you before, Snuffles' death is not your fault, Harry! There is no way you could have known that it was a trap. You only wanted to protect him, and in turn, he only wanted to protect you. He loved you! He wouldn't want you to blame yourself…
Harry frowned heavily, eyes drifting away from the parchment. His shoulders drooped as he listlessly gazed at a spot on the far wall. Hermione's words were very true. Deep down, Harry still felt traces of guilt. However, at the same time, he knew that it was not his fault. There was no way he could have known; he had only wanted to save Sirius.
The Gryffindor forcefully steeled his shoulders, turning his gaze back. His gaze rapidly skimmed Hermione's letter, stopping at a more cheerful part.
…As you may have already guessed, I am currently at the headquarters with all of the Weasleys, even Bill and Charlie. Percy isn't here though. I believe that he is still living in London somewhere. Bill told me that Percy spoke to Mr. Weasley at the Ministry and that Percy wanted Mr. Weasley to apologize! Can you believe that, Harry? I don't know how Mr. Weasley responded – Bill wouldn't tell me. He did, however, start laughing every time that I asked, so it must have been rather interesting.
A lot of things have been happening here lately. Fred and George have joined the Order. They were inducted the day after we returned from school. They had some sort of ceremony, but only Order members were allowed, so I am unsure of the details. Over fifty people came, but then there was have a meeting directly after the ceremony. I suspect that is why there were so many.
Plus, something important is going on. I'm not sure what, however. Though, it must be big. The Order is having constant meetings. Members keep randomly popping in and then just disappearing. It must be REALLY big. No one will tell us – Ron, Ginny, and I – anything. Mrs. Weasley still thinks we are far too young to know, though I am beginning to wonder if she might actually be right. At least for some of us. I continue to ask Bill, but he said that he was sworn to secrecy. Even Fred and George won't tell, no matter how much Ron badgers them. We can't even use their Extendable Ears anymore because they refuse to lend us any! I just wish I knew what was going on.
Even more, I wish you were here. It is just not the same without you. Sure, Ron is here, but he is not very good company. He has been even more… difficult lately. I know that I haven't been spending much time with him, but I have been talking with Bill a great deal recently. He has just so many interesting things to say! I know that curse-breaking was exciting work. After all, they do have to avoid being cursed themselves. But I never imagined it would be this fascinating! Honestly, the level of detail and thought that went into the curses. Did you know that the ancient wizards made a specialized curse that was only used for Nefertiti's tomb? Apparently, it was designed to not only incinerate anyone who tried to enter, it also would cause painful burns to appear on that person's family, and Bill said that this wasn't even the most interesting one!
Bill has also been helping me research your scar. After all, he does know a great deal about curses. We really don't have anything conclusive yet, but we have discovered some interesting things, like about your mother's sacrifice. Everyone knows that when Voldemort cast the spell on you that it reflected back, that your mother's love saved you…but what we didn't know was that when she died it was like a countercurse to Avada Kedavra. This was why it reflected the spell back. I am sure you know what this means Harry. Avada Kedavra is supposed to be immune to deflection and, more importantly, reflection! If we can somehow make a spell that mimics the effect of your mother's love we might have a counter to the curse!
Harry froze. Hermione's letter slipped from his unmoving fingers onto the worn floorboards.
A counter to Avada Kedavra? People had been trying for centuries. Even Nicholas Flamel had failed. It was a fool's hope for certain, but the mere chance that it could work was priceless. They could save dozens, hundreds of people. There would be no more victims like his parents and countless others.
A sharp shake of his head ended Harry's train of thought. He quickly blinked and coughed to clear his throat. After a moment, the teenager bent and retrieved Hermione's letter.
It might not be possible, though. Still, we can only hope! Bill and I will continue to work on it. I know that the odds are stacked against us, but we have to try.
I pray that you are well. And please take care of yourself, Harry. For my sake, if not your own.
Love Always,
Hermione
Harry smiled faintly. He'd try, if only to make her feel better. His grin faltered for a moment but then returned full force. His green eyes sparkled once again, resembling the headmaster's for a moment. Even though most of the letter wasn't very informative, it was good to know that Hermione had thought to write. Ron apparently hadn't.
A heavy sigh escaped Harry. He wrapped his arms across his chest and shivered but not due to the coolness of his room. He had a dark sense of foreboding, and the teenager could not help but feel that something was wrong. Something that centered around Ron.
"It is more than Ron being difficult, as Hermione put it," Harry murmured to himself. He clenched and unclenched his right hand subconsciously. Unaware, he began to gently rub his palm.
In truth, he could understand why Ron was acting that way. Anyone with half a brain could tell that Ron fancied Hermione. It was painfully obvious! And everyone knew how he was when Hermione even thought about speaking to another male.
Harry rolled his eyes at the thought as visions of an infuriated Ron raging about Viktor Krum filled his head. A slight smirk played at his lips.
Ron was known for his irrational jealousy, and it sounded like Hermione had been spending a great deal of time with Bill. This in itself would have caused problems, but it also seemed that Hermione might like Bill as more than a friend.
If Ron wasn't acting likely a git because he was insanely jealous then Harry was a flobberworms. But there was a darker edge to everything, a feeling that there was something else entirely going on. Perhaps Ron was still bothered about what had happened at the Ministry. And either way, this situation had catastrophe written all over it.
Absentmindedly, he lifted his fingers to his temples and began to rub small circles. He could already feel a headache coming on.
But Harry suddenly froze. Something was odd, wrong. There was someone else in the room… again.
A mysterious presence filled the entire area, and it silently approached the desk where Harry stood. The presence moved hesitantly behind and to the left of him, to avoid the lamp's light. It continued to edge nearer, as though it were trying to catch him unaware or read the letter held firmly in his fingers. It crept closer, inching forward slowly.
Harry could feel the presence just behind his elbow.
The teenager whirled quickly, knocking a small figure to the creaky floor. As if by magic, a holly wand suddenly appeared in Harry's hand, even though it had been all the way across the room, on his bedside table. Without hesitation, he pointed it at the shocked creature.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" Harry stared at the being as it shakily rose to its quivering knees. His forceful glare took in the bat-like ears. The clean and neatly pressed tea toga. And large, luminous eyes.
It was a house-elf. But not Dobby.
"Peachy is sorry, master wizard!" the creature cried in a rather squeaky and androgynous voice. "I wills punish me!" It raised its small head forcefully and made as if to bash its head against the worn floorboards, and only Harry's quick reflexes prevented the action's completion.
"NO!" the teenager stated forcefully, his green eyes gleaming. "No punishment."
"I musts, master wizard. I is failed in my mission. I is seen by you. I is betraying and spying on you!" The house-elf started to sob. Its large eyes brimmed with tears. It again moved to bash its head, but Harry's hand stayed the action.
"NO!" Emerald eyes shimmered with power.
The house-elf froze completely, an expression of absolute terror on its face.
"There will be NO punishment. And don't call me master! I am just Harry," he calmly stated, power echoing in his words.
"Yes, mas… Harry, sir." The little house-elf trembled, and its tiny hands clenched the tea toga and wrung nervously. "My master doesn't like to punish either," it informed him slowly, finding a knot on the floorboards very interesting. "Sos it should be okay."
The Gryffindor raised an eyebrow at that bit of information but momentarily chose to file it away. "Now, what is your name?" Harry asked instead, using a very gentle tone. He idly wondered if the house-elf was male or female.
"Peachy, sir!" it answered, its very large eyes finally meeting the young man's green ones.
"And what is your mission, Peachy?" Harry kindly intoned, still trying to figure out if the little being was male or female.
"I is to watch you, Harry sir. And to-" the house-elf again froze, wringing its hands.
"Yes?" the teenager questioned softly, magic in his voice. A fire burned in his eyes.
"And to tells my master all of what you do, sir." Peachy looked as though he, or was it she, might cry at any moment. No doubt due to ever-increasing the emerald flame in Harry's gaze.
"Who…" the Gryffindor paused.
Brilliant and still very fiery eyes flicked to the elf's tea toga. On the left side, just above the heart, was a crest. There were four animals: eagle, lion, badger, and serpent. And each was on different colored background.
The Hogwarts crest.
Harry breathed, "Dumbledore!"
"Yes, Harry sir. Master Dumbledore is my master!" the elf answered with something bordering on awe. Apparently, it was very surprised that Harry had managed to figure out the mystery without any clues.
The fire intensified, blazing with power. Then, suddenly… it disappeared.
"Thank you for being honest, Peachy. You may return to your master now."
"I mays, Harry sir?" it asked, face broadcasting surprise.
"Yes." A mysterious gleam appeared in the young man's gaze. "And be sure to mention that you spoke with me."
"As you command, Harry sir!" it whispered nervously, bowing very low despite the Gryffindor's peeved expression. With a quick snap of its thin fingers, the house-elf disappeared.
Emerald fire returned full force.
Harry fumed. He couldn't believe that Dumbledore would send a house-elf to spy on him! That is what the Order members outside were for!
Green eyes blazed brighter.
The sheer nerve of that man made him grind his teeth. He clenched his trembling hands. Harry could feel his rage growing. His magic rose up within him, a fiery surge of pure energy trying to escape…
But it didn't.
The blazing surge receded, leaving behind a tingling sensation and a great warmth.
Harry had controlled his power.
Afterwards, he quietly sank onto the rickety desk chair. He sat, lost in thought, for several moments. And then, the teenager breathed deeply, a sly smile forming on his lips. The mysterious gleam returned to his eye. A plan had already begun to brew in his mind.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票