Carnations: The Girl Who Lived book 2

Three

I decided to sneak out again. Last night Harry snuck a note under my door telling me to sneak out at around 9:00 tonight. I shoved pillows under my covers and a doll head facing the window on my pillow. Hopefully Vernon is stupid enough to fall for it.
At 9:00 I checked outside to make sure nobody was watching and dropped down for the second time. I started running to the right of the Dursley's and someone's hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me into the bushes. "Harry, Jesus Christ! Why do you have to scare me like that?" I laughed.
We went for another stroll, this time we went to the park. As we got closer, we heard the unmistakable voice of Dudley. I suppose he was with his little gang of "friends."
After a few minutes they started walking away. "... Squealed like a little pig, didn't he?"
"Nice hook, right Big D?"
"Same place tomorrow?" Dudley asked.
"See you then."
We waited for their gang to disappear before showing ourselves to Dudley.
"Hey, Big D!" Harry said.
Dudley turned. "Oh. It's you."
"How long have you been 'Big D' then?" I asked.
"I thought you already got a beating for sneaking out once? Would you like another?" He sneered at me.
"Would you like your 'friends' to know about Ickle Diddykins? Or do they already know that's what your mum calls you?" I retorted.
"Shut it."
We together into a narrow alleyway. Kinda creepy if you ask me.
"Think you're big kids carrying around those things, don't ya?" Dudley said.
"What things?" Harry replied.
"Those— those things you're hiding."
"Not as stupid as you look, eh Dudley?" I smiled.
Harry and I both pulled out our wands.
"You're not allowed," Dudley stuttered. "You'd get expelled from freak school if you do."
"How do you know they haven't changed the rules?"
"They haven't."
Harry and Dudley continue arguing for a few minutes.
"You wait until I tell Dad—"
"Running off to Daddy, are you now?" I smirked.
"You're not this brave at night are you, Heather?" Dudley sneered.
"What?"
"I heard you last night— 'Don't kill Cedric! Not Cedric!'" Dudley impersonated me. "Who's Cedric, your boyfriend?"
Shit. I had a nightmare last night. Harry can't know about this! Nobody can. "Shut up, Dudley."
"'Mum, Dad, help me! He's going to kill me!'"
Harry looked at me. "Heather, what—"
"Not now, Harry. Dudley shut up." I pointed my wand straight at his throat.
"Don't point that thing at me! Get that thing away from me! POINT IT SOMEWHERE—"
Dudley stopped, gasping for air, as if someone was drowning him in icy water.
Suddenly the night got darker, the temperature colder.
"Harry, did you do something?" He shook his head.
"W-what are you d-doing? Make i-it st-stop!" Dudley stuttered.
"We didn't do anything! Now shut it, Dudley," Harry snapped.
"I-I've gone blind! I can't s-see! I— I'll tell Dad!"
"You won't be doing anything of the sort. Now shut-" Harry stopped. There was something else here with us in the alleyway; something was drawing quick, jagged breaths.
"Oh no," Harry whispered. "They're here."
"Harry? What are? What's here?" I asked tentatively.
Harry gulped, pointing into the shadows. "Dementors."
I looked at where he was pointing and made out a cloaked figure. Rather tall and deathly thin. Everyone's worst nightmare.
"Lumos!" Harry whispered. The alleyway was luminated. I still had my wand pointed at Dudley's throat.
The hooded figure glided smoothly towards us. Dudley ran in the opposite direction, only to find another dementor.
Then I felt the weirdest sensation. It was as if someone was sucking the life out of me, slowly but surely. I couldn't concentrate. I slowly started fading out of consciousness.
"Expecto Patronum!" Someone shouted. A stag started flying around above me and the dementor retreated. I felt someone grab my hand and pull me up. I blinked as the dark spots faded from my vision. I looked over and saw Dudley whimpering on the ground. Great.
I picked up my wand. "What the hell was that?"
"Something bad." Harry shuddered.
"You take Dudley back. I need to sneak back into my room and hope Uncle Vernon doesn't catch me."
Harry nodded and I ran off. I climbed up the drainpipe and through the window. My door was still closed and locked. No sign of Vernon. What I did find, though, made me extremely happy. I found a stack of birthday cards and a cake from the Weasleys. Well, half of a cake. I figured the other half must've been sent to Harry. I opened the cards first. They were all tied together. Mione's was in the pile, too, so I guess she's already at the Weasley's. I opened hers first.
Heather-
Happy birthday! We all miss you very much! I hope the Dursleys aren't treating you too terribly. See you soon!
Next was from Ron. It basically said the same thing. Then there was Gin's.
Heather:
Mum told me about me being adopted a few days ago. I was terribly upset as you can imagine. Then she told me about you, and how you were also adopted. I'm really sorry. But I'm super happy we're sisters! That makes me happy. Happy birthday! Oh- do you know when your actual birthday is now? I imagine it's still around the same time, but you should ask Professor Dumbledore! We all love and miss you! Write soon!
I smiled. I should write Dumbledore and find out.
The last card is from Fred and George.
Dearest Heather,
How are you? We all love and miss you. (Especially Freddiekins here) Shut up George. Whatever. Anyways, it's wicked that you and Gin are sisters. Yeah, you two were close already. Plus now she won't have to wait for Fred. What?!?
I could actually feel George smirking through the letter. I laughed.
Anyways, Happy Birthday! Please write soon, Fred might lose his mind. The first thing George is correct about.
Love,
(Hah you said 'love') Georgie and Fred (so what George?)
I smiled. I set my cards down on my bedside table and hid the cake in my closet for later.
I looked in the mirror and laughed. My hair was still bright yellow. I wonder how long it'll last. Hopefully not too long, but in all honesty, I've grown attached to my yellow hair. I wonder...
With a pop, my hair was purple. I grinned. A pop later it was blue. I finally settled for green to blue ombre.
There was screaming downstairs. I overheard bits and pieces of it. Harry expelled from Hogwarts, something about a hearing...?
Then a howler.
"Remember my last, Petunia."
What? Aunt Petunia's in touch with wizards? Who's it from? What did they mean?
The next day, Dudley, Petunia and Vernon went out to Merlin knows where. Strict rules, as always. No leaving the bedroom, don't touch anything, don't steal food. The usual.
Then I heard voices. Professor Moody?
Someone named Professor Lupin?
And some younger girl whose voice I didn't know.
They were taking Harry somewhere.
"Wait, what about Heather?" Finally. Thank Merlin, Harry.
"I'll get her."
I grabbed my wand and my door shot open. A brown haired bearded man stands there. He has scars across his face.
"Hello, Heather. I don't believe we've met. I'm Remus Lupin."
I smiled.
"What's happening?" I asked.
"Tonks will fill you in on the details on your way to Headquarters."
"Okay."
I met Harry in the hallway and slapped him lightly. "You're always getting into trouble." I grin.
"Nice to see you too."
Mad-Eye Moody was now sitting at the kitchen table swigging from a hip flask, his magical eye spinning in all directions, taking in the Dursleys' many labour-saving appliances.
"This is Alastor Moody," Lupin continued, pointing towards Moody.
"Yeah, I know," I said uncomfortably. It felt odd to be introduced to somebody I thought I'd known for a year.
"And this is Nymphadora–"
'Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus," said the young witch with a shudder, "it's Tonks."
"Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only," finished Lupin.
"So would you if your fool of a mother had called you Nymphadora," muttered Tonks. She smiled at me. "I love your hair."
I grinned back. "I like yours too." She has purple hair.
"And this is Kingsley Shacklebolt"–he indicated the tall black wizard, who bowed–"Elphias Doge"—the wheezy-voiced wizard nodded–"Dedalus Diggle–"
"We've met before," squeaked the excitable Diggle, dropping his violet-coloured top hat. He smiled at Harry.
"—Emmeline Vance"–a stately-looking witch in an emerald green shawl inclined her head–"Sturgis Podmore"—a square-jawed wizard with thick straw-coloured hair winked–"and Hestia Jones." A pink-cheeked, black-haired witch waved from next to the toaster.
Harry inclined his head awkwardly at each of them as they were introduced. I wished they would look at something other than us; it was as though we had suddenly been ushered onstage. I wondered why so many of them were there.
"A surprising number of people volunteered to come and get you," said Lupin, as though he had read my mind; the corners of his mouth twitched slightly.
"Yeah, well, the more the better," said Moody darkly. "We're your guard."
"We're just waiting for the signal to tell us it's safe to set off," said Lupin, glancing out of the kitchen window. "We've got about fifteen minutes."
Fifteen minutes later, we were off. On our way there, Tonks explained what happened with Harry and why we had a head quarters.
"Well, Arthur said that he had a good reason to believe you-know-who is back. And that's you can explain when we get there."
Oh. Right. I forgot to mention I told Mr. Weasley about my encounter at the graveyard.
I gulped. "Yeah."
We landed soon after. I got off my broom—Harry taught me a while ago— and looked around. "Where are we?"
"Here," Moody muttered, thrusting a piece of parchment towards Harry and holding his lit wand close to it, so as to illuminate the writing. "Read quickly and memorise."
We looked down at the piece of paper. The narrow handwriting was vaguely familiar. It said:
The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.