In the Melancholy Moonlight, Part 5: Dark Matter

Chapter 250: Half of Your Heart

HARRY:

Before I knew it, the time had come to leave Privet Drive forever.

My belongings were all packed by sunset, and I was sitting in my room staring into the last fragment of the enchanted mirror that had been given to me by Sirius, lost in thought.

Inexplicably, for just the briefest second, rather than my own green eye staring back at me, a blue one flashed into view.

I could have sworn it was Dumbledore's.

Before I could even think about saying anything aloud, it was gone again, so fast I might have imagined it. I was still staring into it when Uncle Vernon's voice boomed from downstairs.

"Oi! You! BOY!"

I sighed and tossed the fragment on top of my rucksack as I made my way down to the living room, where my aunt and uncle and cousin were waiting.

I sighed. "Yes?"

"Sit down!" Uncle Vernon barked.

I raised my eyebrows at him.

"Please!" he added.

I obliged him and watched as he paced back and forth. I was certain he'd changed his mind yet again, and he was going to stay on Privet Drive after all, and I'd have to remind him that they'd die if they did, and he wasn't going to believe me, and so forth and so on. It was the same routine every day, I'd complained about it to Lucy many times. Fortunately, though, Mad-Eye was coming that night to whisk me away from that awful house. I just had to bear it an hour longer.

"I've changed my mind," Uncle Vernon said.

I bit back a sigh. "What a surprise."

"Don't you take that tone with him!" Aunt Petunia protested, but Uncle Vernon dismissed her concern, focusing solely on me.

"It's all a lot of claptrap, I've decided I don't believe a word of it. We're not going anywhere. According to you, we — Petinua, Dudley, and I — are in danger. From — from — "

"Some of 'my lot,' right," I finished for him.

"Well, I don't believe it. I was awake half the night thinking it all over, and I believe it's a plot to get the house."

"The house? What house?" I asked.

"This house! Our house!" Uncle Vernon replied. "House prices are skyrocketing around here! You want us out of the way and then you're going to do a bit of hocus-pocus and before we know it the deeds will be in your name and — "

"Are you out of your mind? A plot to get this house?" I interrupted. "Are you actually as stupid as you look? Just in case you've forgotten, I've already got a house, my godfather left me one. Why would I want this one? All the happy memories?"

Uncle Vernon paused for a long moment, thinking over what I'd said, before he resumed his pacing. "You claim that this Lord Thing — "

"Voldemort, and we've been through this about a hundred times already," I said. "This isn't a claim, it's fact, Dumbledore told you last year, and Kingsley and Mr. Weasley explained it all as well when they visited earlier this summer. Once I'm seventeen, the protective charm that keeps me safe will break, and that exposes you as well as me. The Order is sure Voldemort will target you, whether to torture you to try and find out where I am, or because he thinks by holding you hostage I'd come and try to rescue you. You've got to go into hiding and the Order wants to help. You're being offered serious protection, the best there is."

"I thought there was a Ministry of Magic?"

"There is," I replied slowly, confused.

"Well, then, why can't they protect us?" Uncle Vernon asked. "It seems to me that, as innocent victims, guilty of nothing more than harboring a marked man, we ought to qualify for government protection!"