We are in a gloomy, high-ceilinged, twin-bedded bedroom.
Someone turns the bedroom doorknob, which is shaped like a serpent's head, and opens the door.
There is a loud twittering noise, followed by even louder shrieks from Hermione and I, and we throw ourselves onto him in a hug that nearly knocks him flat, while Ron's tiny owl, Pigwidgeon, zooms excitedly round and round our heads.
"HARRY!" I say. "Ron, Danny, Hermione, he's here, Harry's here! We didn't hear you arrive! Oh, how are you? Are you all right? Have you been furious with us? I bet you have, I know our letters were useless - but we couldn't tell you anything, Dumbledore made us swear we wouldn't, oh, we've got so much to tell you, and you've got things to tell us - the Dementors! When we heard - and that Ministry hearing - it's just outrageous, I've looked it all up, they can't expel you, they just can't, there's provision in the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery for the use of magic in life-threatening situations -"
"Let him breathe, Dawn," says Ron, grinning as he closes the door behind Harry. He has grown several more inches during our month apart, making him taller and more gangly looking than ever, though the long nose, bright red hair and freckles are the same.
Still beaming, Hermione and I let go of Harry, but before we can say another word there is a soft swooshing sound and something white soars from the top of a dark wardrobe and lands gently on Harry's shoulder. A dark shadow follows its lead, but lands on Danny's instead.
"Hedwig and Midnight have hardly separated since Hedwig got here," Danny says.
The snowy owl and Danny's jet-black one click their beaks and nibble their owners' ears affectionately as Harry and Danny stroke their feathers.
"Hedwig's been in a right state," says Ron. "Pecked us half to death when she brought us your last letters, look at this -"
He shows Harry the index finger of his right hand, which sports a half-healed but deep cut.
"Oh, yeah," Harry says. "Sorry about that, but I wanted answers, you know -"
"We wanted to give them to you, mate," says Ron. "Hermione and Dawn were going spare, they kept saying you'd do something stupid if you were stuck all on your own without news, but Dumbledore made us -"
" - swear not to tell him," says Danny. "Dawn's already said."
The warm glow that flared inside me at the sight of my boyfriend is extinguished partly at the look on Harry's face - he looks like he wants us to leave him alone.
There is a strained silence in which Harry and Danny stroke Hedwig and Midnight almost automatically, not looking at any of us. His hands aren't raw from Hedwig. Because he wanted to tell Harry what's going on on, and acted on it.
"He seemed to think it was best," says Hermione rather breathlessly. "Dumbledore, I mean."
"Right," says Harry. He looks at Hermione and I's hands, which, too, bear the marks of Hedwig's beak, and he doesn't look at all sorry.
"I think he thought you were safe with the Muggles -" Ron begins.
"Yeah?" says Danny, raising his eyebrows, and getting up to stand by Harry, whom looks extremely grateful. "Have any of us been attacked by Dementors this summer?"
"Well, no - but that's why he's had people from the Order of the Phoenix tailing you all the time," says Ron.
Harry looks angry and upset. Danny just looks angry.
"Didn't work that well, though, did it?" says Harry, obviously doing his utmost to keep his voice even. "Had to look after myself after all, didn't I?"
YOU ARE READING
Dawn Rivera
Fanfiction"One is the lock, one is the key, one is the sacrifice the world shall shall grieve." Dawn has wanted to go to Hogwarts ever since she was a little girl, and nothing her older sister Gertrude says will discourage her. Little does she know that the m...
