Chapter Text
Harry lay in the bushes outside of his aunt and uncle's home trying to stay out of sight. He had taken to laying here, under the open window, in hopes that he might hear the news. He had been back on privet drive now for almost three weeks, and in that time his letters from Ron, Hermione, and even his godfathers were short on news and infrequent.
He was frustrated, ever since returning to his aunt and uncle's home he had been starved for news about the wizarding world, and of Voldemort. He listened as the evening news began and let out a small sigh as no news of missing persons or unexplained deaths were reported, he supposed that meant Voldemort had not gained much power yet.
Tired of lurking in the bushes for crumbs of information Harry stood and made his way down the drive and onto the street. He had promised Sirius and Remus that he would stay out of trouble over the summer, and to a point he did, but he could not stay in the house more than necessary.
He made his way to the nearby park where he spent most of his evenings these days, taking one of the swings and letting his mind wander to what his friends were doing.
A laugh caught his attention and he looked over to see Dudley and his little gang of friends making their way home. Sighing Harry stood, he knew better than to arrive home after Dudley, so he followed the group from a distance and kept his head down. Once Dudleys little crew had disbursed Harry picked up speed and caught up with his cousin.
"Out beating up ten year olds again?" He asked casually. Dudley shot him an annoyed glare, "he deserved it."
Harry rolled his eyes but did not argue, he was frustrated with his friends and godfathers, but he did not want to start a fight with Dudley that could end with him locked in his room again.
The two cousins walked in silence, a tense truce between the much stronger Dudley and the threat of Harry's wand. Taking a much used shortcut, they turned into the alley connecting privet drive with the neighboring street. Harry watched his feet in silence as they walked and so he did not notice right away how dark the alley was becoming.
Dudley suddenly stopped and Harry looked up to ask what he was doing when he realized he could barely make out Dudley's large form.
"What are you doing?" Dudley asked, a waiver in his voice. Harry frowned, "I'm not doing anything." The darkness seemed to be growing heavier, and the air colder. Harry stood in silence, listening, he slowly drew his wand from his pocket and held it tightly by his side. The rattling breathing he could hear approaching mixed with the dread he felt washing over himself told Harry everything.
"Dudley, run as fast as you can, and whatever you do don't open your mouth." "What?" "Run!" Harry shouted at his cousin as he raised his wand. "Expecto patronum," the silver raven burst from his wand. Its wings spread wide as it soared at the hooded figure approaching him.
The dementor drew back and the raven circled its form, beating its wings and slashing with its talons. The dark figure shot up into the sky and away into the night and Harry turned to survey the alley for more. Near the end of the alley he saw the form of his cousin laying on the ground, his arms shielding his face. The dark figure of a second dementor loomed over the prone body, its skeletal hands reaching for Dudley's face.
"Get it!" Harry hissed to his patronus, and the great bird flew down the alley spreading its body between Dudley and the dementor. Harry ran towards them and his patronus fended off the second creature and it too fled into the night.
Crashing to his knees next to his cousin he gave the bird a last lingering glance before it disappeared, he wished it could stay with him longer. "Dudley are you okay? Did it touch you?" The larger boy whimpered but shook his head and Harry let out a sigh of relief. "Come on then, we need to get back to the house, we will be safe there I promise."
Harry struggled to pull his cousin to his feet, but eventually he managed it, throwing Dudleys arm over his shoulders, he helped his shaking cousin home.
"What's wrong Dudley? Did Mrs Foster give you something bad at tea?" Aunt Petunia fretted over her son as Harry helped haul him into the house. "Vernon! Vernon come quick, something is wrong with Dudley" Harry managed to help Dudley to the stairs where the larger boy sat and exhausted Harry sank to the floor near the front door.
"What is it?" His uncle asked as he came blundering into the hall. "What is that smell?" He asked, wrinkling his face.
"Dudley got sick on the porch. What happened Dudley? Do we need to take him to the hospital?" His aunt was beginning to panic as her son would not answer her, he merely stared straight ahead, shock and fear on his face.
"He will be fine, but some chocolate would help," Harry groaned, as he rubbed at his sore shoulder. His uncles beady eyes fixed on him sharpley, "what did you do to my son?" Harry held up his hands in surrender. "I didn't do anything, it was the dementors." To his surprise his aunt gasped at his mention of dementors.
Uncle Vernon opened his mouth to say something, but before he could an owl flew through the open living room window and dropped a scroll into Harry's lap. Ignoring his uncle's enraged tirade about owls, Harry unrolled the scroll and read it.
"Who the hell is sending you letters at this time? We told you to keep the damn owls away from the front of the house!" His uncle bellowed, feeling numb Harry let his hands holding the letter drop into his lap. "They expelled me," he said quietly. "Who did?" His uncle asked, confused.
"The ministry of magic, they expelled me for using magic." His uncle's face went red and he turned to his son. "Did he use, you know what, on you?" Dudley looked blankly at his father but nodded. "I knew it! That is is!" Vernon turned to Harry and he flinched away at the thunderous look on his uncle's face. Before he could try and run, another owl swooped into the hall, nearly hitting his uncle's head. Vernon ducked and yelled in frustration as another note was dropped in Harry's lap.
Not wanting to remain on the ground with his uncle looming over him, Harry grabbed his new letter and quickly darted into the living room to read it.
Harry,
Do not give up your wand if ministry officials come, Dumbledore is here and is trying to sort things out.
-Arthur Weasley
Dumbledore was trying to sort things out, Harry felt relief wash over him. He had been terrified that he would have to make a run for it, with Voldemort back he couldn't risk not having his wand.
"What did you do to my son?" Uncle Vernon bellowed as he came into the living room. "I told you it was the dementors, they attacked us" Aunt Petunia helped Dudley to the sofa and sat next to him. "What are dementors?" To Harry's surprise his aunt answered. "They guard the wizard prison, they are awful creatures." Harry and his uncle both stared at her in shock.
"How do you know what they are?" Harry asked, eyeing her wearily. "Because the weird boy told 'her' all about them." Uncle Vernon looked with confusion to his wife and then his son. "What did it do to you Dudley?" Dudley did not answer, but gave a shiver and looked at Harry.
"Muggles can't see them, and they don't really attack you physically. They try to suck out your soul." Petunia shrieked and grabbed Dudleys face. "Oh my god, did they take his soul?" "No! I stopped them before they touched him, he is fine. But dementors can still suck the happiness from you, he will be fine in a few hours, but chocolate helps I swear."
Before his aunt and uncle could ask more questions, a third owl flew through the window and uncle Vernon let out a growl, "bloody owls!"
Harry grabbed the latest letter and read it quickly, feeling his shoulders relax marginally. "Who is it this time?" His uncle demanded. "It's the ministry again, they aren't going to expel me yet, they are giving me a trial." "A trial? Will they sentence you there?" Harry shrugged. "Good, hope they lock you away, nothing but trouble you are."
Harry gritted his teeth, he wanted to yell at his uncle, to tell him just what danger he was really in but he knew his uncle would never understand, or care. For the next 20 minutes Harry painstakingly explained what had happened, and what dementors were.
His aunt and uncle were not convinced that Harry had not done something to their son, but after Dudley regained a bit of his senses he corroborated Harry's story the best he could.
Before Harry could make his escape to his room another owl flew through the window, prompting a last tirade from his uncle the the closing of every window in the house. Grabbing the letter Harry was relieved to recognize Remus's handwriting.
Harry,
Pack your belongings and be prepared to leave as soon as possible, Severus is coming to retrieve you. Be prepared to not return to your aunt and uncles again. See you soon.
-Remus
With his heart in his throat, Harry raced upstairs to pack his belongings.