The Hidden Hero

Harry settled smoothly into his seventh and final year at Hogwarts. He enjoyed meeting up with old friends. He had missed Ron and Hermione a lot but, in truth, he found his attention caught the most by Ginny.

Over the summer, Ginny seemed to have become even more beautiful, if that were possible. Harry tried to stop staring at her, but his eyes seemed to be drawn to her involuntarily. One day, at breakfast, Harry felt eyes watching him and turned to see Draco giving him a knowing smirk. He tried to look innocent but Draco raised a disbelieving eyebrow. Harry blushed.

When breakfast was over, Harry felt a presence standing at his shoulder. He knew who he would see before he turned around. Sure enough, it was Draco. Had he come to tease him? He had better not do it in front of Ginny! With this thought in mind, Harry faced Draco with a belligerent expression. “What do you want?” he asked roughly.

Ron and Hermione looked surprised. Harry was seldom so rude.

Draco lifted a haughty eyebrow again. “Come with me, Potter,” he demanded.

“Why?” asked Harry suspiciously.

“Do you want me to explain here – in front of everyone?” Draco asked in a soft but threatening tone.

Harry’s lips tightened and he got to his feet. Reluctantly, he followed Draco from the Great Hall.

The blond led him through the grounds until they came to the Dark Lake. They did not speak for a while but watched the water rippling in the distance where the Giant Squid was on the move.

Finally, Draco spoke. “I noticed you mooning over Ginny Weasley. How come you don’t ask her out? You know she’d go.” Out of habit, he teased, “I know she’s Weasel’s sister but you, out of everyone, would be willing to overlook that.”

“It’s none of your business, Draco,” Harry responded angrily.

Draco did not react to Harry’s anger. “Maybe not. But, I’m asking,” he said calmly.

“Have you ever thought maybe I don’t want a girlfriend?”

“Not the way you look at her, Potter. You want a girlfriend all right. You want Ginny Weasley!”

Harry blushed. Harry turned to look out over the Dark Lake. He hesitated. He was not used to confiding in anyone. But, perhaps Draco was the only one who could understand. After all, the blond had suffered under Voldemort too. Taking a deep breath, he whispered, “You know what he was. You know what he did. There are things I did when I was with him...”

Draco tried to understand. “What does You Know Who have to do with anything?” When Harry didn’t respond, Draco cast his mind around for an explanation. He was struck by a sudden thought. “I heard stories of a muggle woman You Know Who hurt once in that way,” Draco said softly. He watched Harry closely.

Harry nodded, closed his eyes and swallowed. “I hurt that woman!”

“That wasn’t you.”

Harry opened his eyes and turned to face Draco. “But, it feels like it was,” Harry admitted. It was a relief to finally say it aloud. Snape and Healer Ainsley, after many long and painful treatments, had been successful in prying this memory from the “walls” in his mind. However, a large dark shadow, covering almost the entirety of a room in Harry’s mind, had remained and would always be there. While the memory of the muggle woman’s face had been blurred and her screams muted, Harry would never be able to forget what had happened.

Harry turned to look back over the Lake as he admitted, “I can’t believe I’m thinking about having a girlfriend, when that poor woman…” His voice trailed off.

Draco looked at him consideringly. “Do you think I deserved Azkaban, Potter?”

“No!” said Harry, surprised at the question.

“But I did cruel things, Harry. I chose to be a Death Eater. You saw me…I crucio’ed my father. I stood by while Voldemort murdered Professor Burbage.”

“You didn’t realize what you were getting into. Voldemort forced you to hurt your father. You couldn’t have saved Professor Burbage. And you turned away from Voldemort when you could.”

“So, I am forgiven?”

“Yes,” said Harry forcefully.

“But, you’re better than me?”

“I never said that!” Harry said angrily.

“No, but you hold yourself to a higher standard. You don’t forgive yourself even though you actually didn’t even do anything.”

Harry was silent. Then, so quietly, Draco had to strain to hear him, Harry said, “It’s not really that I feel guilty. I know, at least with my head, that it wasn’t my fault. But…it seems so frightening.”

How had he gotten himself into this conversation? Draco asked himself. He was silent for a moment and then, fighting off his embarrassment, tried to advise the other boy. “It’s not always like that, Harry.”

Harry looked at Draco in surprise. Draco never called him Harry.

Draco was gazing at him with understanding and sympathy. “It doesn’t have to be humiliating or painful. It’s meant to be…beautiful.”

Harry was surprised that Draco held such a romantic view. He looked at him curiously. “Have you ever?”

Draco smiled. “Yes, Potter. I have.”

“Really? Who with?” he asked curiously, distracted.

Draco lifted an eyebrow in his usual haughty manner. “A gentleman never tells.”

“Oh,” said Harry, abashed. He looked out over the Dark Lake again.

“Is this why you won’t go out with Ginny?” Draco pressed.

“I don’t want to hurt her,” Harry muttered.

Draco was unsure what to say. Still, he pressed on. “Whatever you feel you did while living inside him, it wasn’t you. You wouldn’t behave that way. Stop worrying. When the time is right, and with the right girl, it won’t seem frightening. Besides, you’re only seventeen. You don’t have to worry about…that for a long time.”

“You already did it!” Harry protested.

“That was me, Potter. It wouldn’t surprise me if you waited until your wedding day.”

“What’s wrong with that?” the other boy muttered, embarrassed.

“Nothing,” Draco smiled. “Then again, Ginny may not let you wait. She thinks you’re hot.”

Harry snorted. “Right!”

“Potter, at times you’re so clueless, it’s annoying.”

Harry looked confused. Draco shook his head tiredly. “Just ask her out, Potter.”

*

In the week that followed, Harry tried to ask Ginny out on numerous occasions but kept losing his nerve. The time never seemed right. There was always someone else around or Ginny seemed to be worrying about classwork or Harry couldn’t find the words.

Harry knew that Draco was becoming impatient. “I swear I’ll tell her myself if you don’t get a move on, Potter!” Draco told him irritably after class one day.

“I’ll get around to asking her! Anyway, it’s none of your business!” protested Harry. “Why do you care if I ask her out?”

“Because someone has to take you in hand. I wouldn’t put it past you to end up with a muggle. At least Ginny Weasley’s a pureblood. ‘Harry Potter’ should set an example.”

“Draco, that’s a terrible thing to say! Didn’t you learn anything about not being so prejudiced?! I don’t care about her blood status. You make me wish Ginny was a muggle!”

“But, she’s not,” said Draco with satisfaction. “Besides, someone has to help you out! You may have defeated You Know Who but you are helpless when it comes to your love life!”

“What are you two talking about?” asked Ron, joining the two. He had been wondering for days what Draco had wanted to speak privately about with Harry.

Harry turned red and muttered, “Nothing.”

Draco looked consideringly at Ron, though. It was clear he was wondering whether he should enlist Ron’s help.

Harry’s eyes widened in alarm. This was Ginny’s brother! Desperately, he seized Ron’s arm and tried to steer him away from Draco. “Let’s go!” he said. “You wanted to play some wizards’ chess. How about we set up a game right now?”

Ron looked more suspicious than ever and pulled his arm out of Harry’s grip. “What are you hiding?” demanded the redhead.

“Nothing!”

“Harry likes your sister and wants to ask her out but doesn’t have the nerve,” said Draco.

Harry glared at Draco, promising retaliation with his eyes. Ron, meanwhile, was taken aback. Whatever he had been expecting Harry or Draco to say, it wasn’t this. Sure, he had sometimes imagined how it would be if Harry dated his sister but he hadn’t realized that Harry really did like Ginny. Although now he thought about it, Harry did seem tongue-tied around Ginny a lot.

“Cool!” said Ron.

“Cool?” repeated Harry. “You…you don’t mind?”

“Mind? Why would I mind? You’re my best friend and I think you and Ginny would make a good couple. Just watch out for her temper!”

Harry grinned, relieved that Ron wasn’t angry at him.

Ron continued, “Just think, if you marry her, you’ll be my brother!”

Harry’s eyes widened in alarm again. “Who said anything about marriage?” he asked.

Ron laughed. “Wedding bells are in the air,” he teased.

Draco threw cold water on the conversation. “There’s one problem with this scene of domestic bliss,” drawled the other boy. “Harry’s too scared to ask her out.”

“I am not scared,” Harry objected. “I’m just…”

When he hesitated, Draco filled in the word again, “Scared.”

Harry glared at the blond.

“I know she likes you, Harry,” said Ron.

“Really? Did she say something?”

Draco rolled his eyes. “How old are you, Potter? Eight? Can’t you read the signs at all? She’s tried to catch your attention all last year.”

“Really?” Harry asked again, surprised. It would be great if it were true, but maybe Draco and Ron were mistaken.

Draco threw up his hands. “I can’t take it anymore! Weasel, you go ask your sister if she wants to go out with Potter.”

“No!” said Harry. “I’ll do it!”

Draco threw him a doubting look. “I will!” Harry insisted.

“When?” Draco demanded.

“Tonight,” Harry promised rashly.

Draco threw one last suspicious look his way. “You had better, Potter. If you don’t, this time tomorrow, I’m putting up a big heart in the Great Hall with a picture of you and Ginny in it.”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Oh, yes, I would!”

With this threat looming over him, Harry cautiously approached Ginny in the common room that night. It was awkward with Ron watching him, a knowing smirk on his mouth. Hermione looked up from the book she was reading. A small smile touched her lips as well.

Ginny was sitting at a table surrounded by some of her friends, writing an essay for Transfiguration. She looked up when Harry cleared his throat.

“Hi, Harry,” she smiled pleasantly.
“Er…hi, Ginny.” He was silent and she looked at him in puzzlement.

“Was there something you wanted, Harry?”

“No. I mean…yes. Er….can I speak with you a minute?”

One of the girls at the table giggled and Harry turned red. Ginny, with dawning understanding, started to redden herself. Sounding slightly breathless, she rose from her seat and said, “Sure, Harry. Do you want to take a walk?”

“Yes!” gasped Harry gratefully.

It was incredibly embarrassing. The common room fell silent as the pair walked to the portrait hole. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw a few of the students nudging each other with their elbows and grinning knowingly. It was a relief to leave the Gryffindor common room and stand with Ginny in the empty hallway.

Staring at her, Harry’s mind went blank. “Do you want to take a walk to the Quidditch pitch?” she asked.

Harry seized on the suggestion. “Yes! That sounds perfect.”

In silence, they walked to the pitch. Trying to put Harry at ease, Ginny began speaking about Quidditch. “I hope you join the team this year, Harry. You are such a fabulous player.”

“I think I’ll give it a pass,” said Harry. “I don’t want to attract any more attention than I already do.”

“I’m not sure Professor McGonagall will ever forgive you,” Ginny teased.

Harry smiled. More relaxed, he cast her a sideways look. “Ginny,” he began, “I’ve been wondering…”

“Yes,” she encouraged.

“I was just thinking that maybe you would like…maybe you wouldn’t mind…going out with me sometime.”

Ginny felt her heart give a leap. Finally! It had happened! Her dreams had come true! Harry Potter was asking her out. Merlin, he looked so adorable in his embarrassment.

She had had a crush on Mark Twist for years. Of course, when she had learned that Mark was really Harry Potter, she had been as shocked as everyone else. But, in a strange way, it also seemed as if it were meant to be.

She had grown up hearing stories of Harry Potter and spinning girlish dreams about him. Mark had replaced Harry in those daydreams after Mark had saved her from Tom Riddle. As she grew older, her crush slowly transformed into a deeper feeling.

When Mark had been sent to Azkaban, Ginny had been beyond devastated. She shuddered every time she thought back on that miserable year. She had been antisocial and depressed; her schoolwork had suffered so badly, she had worried that she would have to repeat the year. And then, miraculously, Mark had returned to reveal himself (just like a child’s fairytale) as a prince (well, Harry Potter anyway) in disguise and he had gone on to defeat the evil villain.

When Mark – now Harry – had left the wizarding world, Ginny had mourned all over again. She had become an expert at the drying spell, using it on her pillow after her frequent crying jags. When Harry had returned once more to their world, Ginny had rejoiced. She knew she was wrong to do so. She knew that Harry was furious at having been forced to return. But, she couldn’t lie to herself. She was happy Harry was back and she had spent most of last year hoping that he would ask her out. She had thought that he had looked her way sometimes, but nothing ever came of it.

Now, trying to appear cool, although she was internally screaming for joy, Ginny said calmly, “Sure, Harry. That would be great.”

Harry stopped short and, smiling widely, asked eagerly, “Yeah?”

When Harry smiled, he looked so handsome! Ginny’s heart beat faster. She forgave herself for being shallow because she had liked Mark even though he had been sort of plain. But, she couldn’t deny that Harry was easy on the eyes. She knew that he would hate to hear it, but she agreed with the Daily Prophet – Harry was top on her list of the sexiest wizards. She smiled back at him now and nodded in confirmation. “Yeah.”

“Oh.” He continued strolling with her around the pitch. “That’s…really great.”

After a few turns around the pitch, he had calmed enough to try to have a conversation with the girl at his side. “Er…I’m actually not sure what to do next.”

Ginny laughed. She reached out and grabbed Harry’s hand. Holding it in hers, they continued strolling. “Why don’t you tell me about what you did this summer?” she suggested.

Harry happily complied. It was amazing how easy it was to talk to Ginny. Now that he wasn’t worrying about asking her out, or wondering whether or not she liked him, he found that it was easy to relax around her. Time passed quickly and it was only the nightly internal summons to present himself at Snape’s office for his ongoing “treatment” that drove them inside.

Seeming to realize that she would have to help guide her new boyfriend, Ginny suggested that they meet in the library during their study hour the next day. Harry eagerly agreed. Waving goodbye, Ginny went back to Gryffindor Tower while Harry turned toward the dungeons.

When he entered Snape’s office, the potions master immediately knew something was different. “What have you been up to?” he asked suspiciously. “You seem in a particularly good mood and I don’t trust it.”

Harry grinned. “Ginny Weasley agreed to go out with me!” he admitted happily.

Snape was taken aback. He realized that he should have been expecting something like this far sooner. Harry was seventeen after all. He was good looking, famous, and – despite his mortification at the title – a very eligible bachelor.

Ginny Weasley was very pretty. She reminded Snape of Lily in many ways, not the least of which was her red hair. Snape wondered whether Harry was subconsciously attracted to the girl for this reason. No matter. She was a talented witch and was used to sticking up for herself – she had to be strong in order not to have been overwhelmed by six brothers. Harry needed someone who would be able to handle being the girlfriend of such a famous boy. Snape thought that she would do well.

Suddenly, Snape had an appalling thought. “Do I need to go over the birds and the bees with you?” he asked in alarm. He knew that Harry knew the mechanics of sex. But, would he have to teach the boy about sexually transmitted diseases, contraception, and the other assorted mysteries of sex education? He had the fleeting thought that he would prefer to face the Cruciatus Curse.

Harry shook his head vehemently. The boy didn’t think there were many things he would enjoy less than such a conversation with Professor Snape. “No, sir!” he assured the older man, much to Snape’s relief.

He waved Harry over to the bed to lie down so that they could begin the nightly treatment. “Just remember that I expect you to behave with proper decorum,” said Snape stiffly.

“Don’t worry,” smiled Harry. “I’ll watch myself. After all, she has lots of brothers!”

*

Harry was happy. He wasn’t sure he completely trusted this feeling. The days melted into weeks, and the weeks melted into months. Classes were fine. Not even the knowledge that this year he would sit for his Newt exams could cause more than a slight flurry of anxiety. There were no crazy lunatics after him and no dark wizard threatened his world. He enjoyed spending time with his friends. And, he had a wonderful girlfriend.

He could finally tell that the long, painful treatments to loosen the effect of his worst memories were working. The crushing depression that had followed him like a shadow overhead in the aftermath of Voldemort’s defeat was no longer clawing at the corners of his mind.

Perhaps it was seeing Harry so happy with Ginny, but Ron and Hermione had finally admitted that they liked each other too, and had started dating. Harry thought that they made a good couple, although they were so different from each other. Perhaps, it was a case of opposites attracting, he thought.

The year seemed to pass at lightning speed. Before he knew it, the Christmas holidays had come and gone. With the end of his last year in sight, Harry started to wonder what he would do once he graduated. His indenture would formally end on his eighteenth birthday. He couldn’t wait. But, where would he live then? What job should he do?

Harry learned not to mention the end of the indenture to Snape. The potions master seemed to think that Harry was incapable of looking after himself and dropped snide remarks whenever the topic was broached.

One night, Harry had a conversation with Ron and Hermione that inadvertently created a firestorm. It started innocently enough. Ron had wondered aloud whether he might join Fred and George in their new joke shop. It was quite a success and they were looking for some help. Ron then asked Harry what the other boy thought he would do once he graduated.

“I’m not sure,” admitted Harry. “I haven’t thought about it much. I could always go back to busing tables in a muggle restaurant, of course.” He had said it to be funny but Ron didn’t laugh.

“What do you mean? You wouldn’t consider returning to the muggle world, would you?”

A few other students wandered close by and overheard the rest of the conversation.

Harry reacted to the disdain in Ron’s voice when he spoke about the muggle world. “There’s nothing wrong with the muggle world, Ron. My mother was muggleborn, remember?”

Ron waved his hand in dismissal. “I’m not talking about muggles. I’m talking about living in the muggle world. You wouldn’t really go back there, would you?”

Harry shrugged. “I don’t know. Anything’s possible, I guess. At least there, no one forces me to do things I don’t want to do. The wizarding world thought it was acceptable to kidnap me, put me under an indenture and force me back to Hogwarts.” The more he thought about it, the angrier he became, and, by the time he had finished speaking, the resentment was clear in his voice.

Hermione had drifted over in time to hear Harry’s outburst. She and Ron exchanged worried looks. Harry hadn’t mentioned his indenture in a while and they had allowed themselves to believe that their friend was no longer upset by the situation. Looking at Harry with troubled eyes, Ron offered tentatively, “They only brought you back because they were worried about you.”

Harry snorted. Hermione said, “You know, Harry, that in the muggle world they would have intervened too, if you had had parents. You might have received counseling, been put on anti-depressants, or been sent to a mental health facility. There are all sorts of options. The wizarding world may use different tactics, but it’s toward the same end.”

“Hermione, I think you should save your breath. No one is going to convince me that putting me under an indenture was a good thing,” Harry stated firmly. “It’s just so typical of this world. I’ve said it before. The Ministry, Dumbledore, too many people in this world. Fundamentally, they think they are better than other people – or other creatures.”

“So, they should have let you die?” asked Ron, angrily.

“I’m not saying that they shouldn’t have intervened Ron. Maybe I needed help. I can admit it now. I know the healers were concerned. But, don’t you think that, maybe, just maybe, Dumbledore, or Madam Pomfrey, or…I don’t know…you, could have convinced me to work with the healers? Neither Dumbledore nor anyone at the Ministry spoke to me even once about the need for me to cooperate before putting me under an indenture.”

Ron gazed at Harry blankly, taken aback at this view of the matter. “I…I…”

“You didn’t think of that, did you?” accused Harry. “It’s because you’re a part of this world, Ron. You, too, Hermione,” he turned suddenly to the silent girl. “You may be muggleborn, but you have absorbed some of the arrogance of being a part of the magical world. Witches and wizards are so used to calling the shots, telling others what to do – goblins, werewolves, centaurs. For Merlin’s sake, they have enslaved the house elves. It’s part of the wizard psyche. A dangerous part.”

Distressed, Ron’s voice dropped to almost a whisper. “You sound like you don’t like us, Harry.”

“Sometimes, I don’t!” Harry retorted, harshly. The conversation had reminded him of all his old resentments and his bitterness flowed freely. “This world doesn’t understand boundaries. It doesn’t understand the need for mutual respect. At its worst, it enabled Voldemort to gain power, because he fed into that arrogance, the belief that wizards are better than everyone else, with pureblood wizards at the top of the heap. And, when it comes to how I was treated…”

Harry shook his head in disgust. “Once again, arrogance! No one asked my opinion on what to do. No one asked whether I would prefer to stay in the muggle world, perhaps seeking some of the intervention you mentioned, Hermione. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying that Dumbledore or the Ministry or anyone else had bad intentions. It’s just that, at its core, this world holds non-wizards in contempt. And, its most powerful or influential wizards have god complexes.”

Ron and Hermione gazed at Harry, appalled. Put in these words, the actions of the wizarding world in subjecting Harry to an indenture seemed inexcusable. And, Harry was right. They, too, had contributed to it!

The silence dragged out uncomfortably. Harry had roundly condemned their world and they didn’t know what to say. His anger spent, Harry felt slightly guilty. He hadn’t meant to unload so vehemently on Ron and Hermione.

Trying to make amends, he deliberately turned the topic to safer grounds, asking Hermione what she thought she might do after graduation.

And thus started the rumor that Harry was planning to return to the muggle world once he turned eighteen.

Harry wondered why, all of a sudden, students and teachers seemed to be watching him more intently. It reminded him of the overwhelming attention he had received when he had first returned to the wizarding world. But, this was slightly different. Now, when they watched him, there was a hint of sadness and betrayal in their eyes. Their lips pursed with disappointment, hurt or anger. Even Dumbledore seemed to be watching him with worried eyes. Snape just seemed more irritable than usual. Had he done something wrong?

With everyone behaving so strangely, Harry was particularly glad to have an excuse to escape the school for a few hours. Fred and George had invited him to the grand opening of their expanded store in Diagon Alley. They had done so well in the few months they had been open, they had been able to assume the lease in the store next door. Harry was invited to the dedication of the newly expanded facilities.

Given Snape’s recent grumpiness, Harry wasn’t sure that Snape would permit him to go to the event. However, he was pleasantly surprised when permission was granted. He didn’t realize that Snape was willing to encourage anything that would make the boy feel connected to the wizarding world.

Ron and Ginny were also given special permission to visit Diagon Alley for the grand opening, as it was their brothers’ shop that was hosting the event. Since Ginny did not yet know how to apparate, and Dumbledore did not favor students traveling by side-by-side apparition, the three caught the Knight Bus in Hogsmeade and arrived in Diagon Alley in time for lunch.

Fred and George gave Harry the grand tour of the place. At first, Ron and Ginny were a bit jealous that Harry was given some free joke samples. However, after swearing them to secrecy, Harry admitted that he was a silent partner in the shop. They were both very impressed that he had invested his money without Dumbledore or Snape knowing.

It was a really fun day. George and Fred gave demonstrations of some of their most popular tricks, some of which Harry remembered from years past. Harry’s favorite was an oldie but goodie -- the Canary Cream. Fred had pretended to bring back sweets from a nearby bakery for their dessert. Unsuspectingly, Ron had bitten into a cream puff and had turned into a canary.

When he turned back into himself, Ron glared at his brothers. They ignored his anger and were doubled over with laughter. At first, their laughter was so loud, Ron didn’t realize that Harry was laughing too. But, turning to see who else was laughing at him, he saw Harry laughing delightedly. Harry saw a feather which had fallen off the canary-Ron and picked it up from the floor. The sight of the feather sent the boy into further peels of laughter.

Ron stared at Harry in shock. “He’s laughing,” he whispered.

“What?” asked George, no longer laughing, but with a smile still on his lips.

Ron nodded toward Harry. “He’s laughing. Harry Potter is laughing.”

Harry’s eyes sparkled as he held out the feather to Ron. “What did you say, Ron?” he asked.

“I’ve never heard you laugh before, Harry.”

“What?” Harry stopped and considered for a moment. “I’m sure I must have laughed before.”

“No,” said Ron, shaking his head. “You haven’t. Ever.”

“Oh.”

The twins and Ginny stared at him. He shrugged, feeling self-conscious. “I guess I haven’t had much to laugh about in my life.”

Ginny had also heard the rumors of Harry’s leaving the wizarding world but she hadn’t taken them seriously. After all, Harry had never mentioned any plans to leave and she was his girlfriend, for Merlin’s sake. Even if he was angry that he had been brought back to the wizarding world, surely he wasn’t going to leave when the indenture was lifted, was he? But, now, for the first time, she felt unsure. Tentatively, she said, “I know that your life’s been difficult, Harry, but it’s getting better, right?”

He smiled widely. “You bet!” He threw an arm around her shoulder. “Starting with you!”

Ron made pretend gagging noises and Fred and George pretended to threaten Harry for hugging their sister.

Harry laughed again. It was a wonderful sound.

Leaving Diagon Alley, the three teenagers exited through the Leaky Cauldron. They were delayed in leaving because Harry was recognized and they had to wait until all the wizards there had shaken his hand and spoken to him.

It was getting late and they hoped that the Knight Bus wouldn’t take too long. Ginny was just raising her wand to summon the Bus, when Harry pulled down her hand to stop her. She looked at him curiously, but he was staring fixedly across the street. He stood so still and a strange energy radiated from him. His eyes burned in his face, which was suddenly pale.

“What’s the matter?” she asked, frightened.

But, he didn’t respond. Across the street, standing in front of a muggle store, oblivious to him, were the Dursleys.