Whispers in the Woods; Chapter 02: Sweet Home Surrey

Author's Note: Hello there, this is chapter 2 of Whispers in the Woods.

This is a commissioned fic by Guildmaster RyanMK6. Hope you like it too. . The fic will be updated once a month and Patreon will stay a month ahead.

Also, many thanks and congratulations to our first seven holders of the Guildmaster tier: Camo, I am Lord Dems, StormFox, RyanMK666, Lyrical, Tyler and HadesReynes! 😇🥰

Now, without any further ado....Let's begin!

Author Out!

“I am Talking.” 

‘I am Thinking’ 

Spells

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Whispers in the Woods

-Dev Sagittarius Black 

~~Chapter Two~~

~Sweet Home Surrey~

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“Well, that was good. We should've done this earlier,” Harry smiled at the Bulgarian seeker with whom he had shared today’s breakfast. The two boys shook hands one last time in a gesture of camaraderie; it was a gentle reminder of the perils they had suffered together at the hands of the Dark Lord. 

A secret that no one other than a few members of the Wizarding World knew about. It was a momentous task that would require utmost planning, willpower, and patience to survive as well as protect the ones that they held close. 

“Indeed, Harry.” Krum nodded in agreement. “You have been a good competitor, and an even better friend. If only the others understood the true purpose of the Triwizard Tournament as well.” 

“Just because you’re my opponent, doesn't mean you’re my enemy, Viktor.” Harry smiled and released Viktor’s hand before turning to look at Ivar who had arrived to take the Quidditch prodigy back to their ship that was about to sail. 

Krum nodded once more before he walked over to Hermione who stood beside Harry as other students exchanged their goodbyes around them. The beautiful girl smiled at him, her face flushed with excitement as her eyes lit up. 

They exchanged promises to stay in contact, and he asked her to visit him someday in Bulgaria sometime in the near or far future so that he could introduce her to the rest of his family — as well as his girlfriend who had been unable to come to Hogwarts because she was a year younger than him, and therefore ineligible for the Triwizard contingency. 

Ron, on the other hand, was just happy to get his idol’s address as well as an autograph on his  favorite T-shirt. This was one of the reasons why he wasn’t angry with the Bulgarian superstar anymore. Another reason might be because he had, once again, received kisses on his cheeks by the ethereally gorgeous Delacour sisters who came to thank him, and Harry once again for rescuing them. 

Although, for some reason, the younger sister was a bit too eager — in his opinion — to give kisses to Harry, even going as far as to attempt a third one on the teenage celebrity’s lips before she was interrupted by her elder sister who only smiled at her pout. The girl’s face had remained a flush of rose throughout the time she stood there admiring Harry with her baby blue eyes while the Beauxbatons champion conversed with Harry and Hermione. 

Harry was quite surprised when Fleur told him that her parents, as well as her grandmere, had invited both him and Hermione to their Chateau. Apparently, her father had been greatly impressed by the younger mage’s abilities with the wand, and had purposefully requested him to grace the Chateau Delacour with his presence. No one said anything about the younger Delacour’s letters to her family that were almost always full of her thoughts regarding the boy-who-lived. 

“Walk with me, Harry?” Krum asked him once he finished the tedious task of bidding adieu to your friends, and those who pretend to be one. “I wouldn’t like to face the cameras anymore than I actually have to. People behind the lens have polished their skills to ignore the thin line that separates a public moment from a private one, and right now, I want you, my friend, to walk with me till I reach my ship.”

Harry gave a small look to Hermione who waved him off and went in search of her other male friend. She knew that there was a huge possibility that he would be near the Beauxbatons carriage, something that was becoming more and more obvious with each passing moment as she could easily spot the mop of red hair amid the blondes and blacks that frequented her field of vision.

“You wanted to tell me something, didn’t you?” Harry asked Krum as they took the cobblestone pathway leading them towards the Black Lake. The chirping of birds and fluttering of monarch butterflies accompanied them as the boys inhaled the earthy aroma of freshly rained soil. 

“Oh? And why do you think so?” Krum asked him, his lips twitched a bit before he regained control over his labial muscles. 

“Otherwise you wouldn’t have asked Hermione to leave.” 'Harry shrugged, he put his hands in his pockets. “I know that you trust her enough to invite her to your home; something that you haven’t done for anyone else. No, wait — I don’t count that offer for school as an invite to your home, Viktor. Also, I’m quite sure that Dumbledore would probably reject it anyway.” 

“There is no fault in trying, right?”  

Harry blinked at the unexpected response from the stoic boy. “What?” 

“I mean, I am quite sure that you have your reasons to stay here, at Hogwarts. But tell me, Harry, has the school really treated you well? Please don’t take my words otherwise, I am merely stating the facts that I learned throughout my stay here at a place where you have resided for quite some time.” 

“Facts that you learned from the ones who wear green?” Harry shook his head. “They don’t like me, Viktor. Not a single one of them likes me. They’re nothing more than a jealous bunch that want to hurt me because of one reason or another, don’t listen to what they say.” 

“Then who better than to hear the words from the haters themselves?” Viktor smiled; a pleasantness exuded him even though his words were anything but. “You only get trouble from those who are your enemies, even backstabbing friends are enemies, and therefore no one could have told me more about your perils than the ones who caused them.” 

Harry didn’t say anything, his mind played with various scenarios as he tried his best to determine why his Durmstrang friend brought out his past at the time of his departure. The only reason that seemed even a bit logical was the fact that the boy was attempting to convince him once more. 

“You have received challenges at every step that you took throughout your stay here, all I want to know is—Did any of that actually make you stronger? Will you do anything different if you were placed against the same challenges again? What will your change of plans be, if any?” Viktor pressed as he took a small glance around them, “Tell me, Harry. How will you survive You-Know-Who once more?” 

The last question stopped Harry in his tracks. 

The question was valid, and Harry for all his reasons couldn’t say anything on the matter because he knew that throughout his stay at Hogwarts, whenever he had faced Lord Voldemort, he had only been able to escape through sheer luck. Something that would run out one day, and that day might be his last one on this planet. 

“You wouldn’t.” Krum spoke in a casual manner, as if he was discussing the weather and not the worst dark lord in history hunting his friend. There was something about the way Krum spoke that captured the boy-who-lived’s attention like never before. 

“I mean—”

“Don’t lie to me, Harry,” Krum interrupted him. “Lying to me will only give you the confidence in your non-existent abilities, and will at best delay the inevitable. Therefore, I would ask you, Harry, for once do not lie to yourself. You know yourself better than others, don’t you? Everyone does.” 

They had reached the temporary dock that had been created for the ship that was being rapidly filled by its passengers as they said their last goodbyes. There was something beautiful about the parting words of a friend, the promise of staying in contact, and the memories that were built through the time that was spent in each other’s company. 

Harry thought about Viktor’s words, the way they had not only impacted him physically, but also his sense of self. Harry knew that he was being nothing but absolutely truthful. He was nowhere compared to the Dark Lord in magical power. He had no arsenal of spells or even a special skill that the evil wizard couldn’t counter. 

The brutal honesty with which Krum had offered the advice was a bit hurtful to his self esteem, sure. But it didn’t mean that it was any less true. If anything, the brutality and frankness of his words made them even more impactful than they would’ve been if the boy had gone roundabout with his message. 

Viktor smiled when he looked at Harry’s face, the boy was projecting his emotion like a toddler, and it was way too easy not to know what might be going through his head. Something he would need to change if he wanted to survive the upcoming war that was once more on his country’s threshold. 

“You know you aren’t strong enough to survive him.” Viktor pulled his friend out of the tornado of thoughts. “But that is why I had offered you a place in Durmstrang, Harry. No, wait! Let me finish.” The Bulgarian stopped Harry, “I know you are strong, stronger than the average fourth, or maybe even fifth year, but that’s not enough. Don’t take this as me bragging about it but… what Hogwarts teaches in fourth year, Durmstrang students could do in their second.” 

That was a bit more hurtful than he wanted it to be, but Harry let it slide because the boy had already asked for his words to be taken only as direct statements, and not in any other derogatory manner. Still, to think that a second year student of Durmstrang knows more than a Hogwarts one? That was painful. 

Horns blared from the ship and suddenly more and more people started to return to the giant monstrosity that was floating in the lake. A few congratulated Harry for winning the tournament; something that surprised the boy as he had just assumed that they wouldn’t like him because he had defeated them. 

“I will have to leave soon, Harry.” Krum told him, a bit of urgency seeping into his tone, as they stepped aside from the pathway that was rapidly being crowded by Durmstrang students. “He is not going to sit idle, and you will definitely be on his ‘To-kill’ list; it’s better to be prepared than to just leave everything to luck. I want you to think about the offer once more, think it through clearly and carefully by weighing all the pros and cons.” 

Harry nodded, “What about you? Will you be there if I accept your offer?” 

“I won’t be at Durmstrang anymore, this was my last year. But, if you do decide to take up on my offer then rest assured that I will personally ensure you get all the tools to not only survive but also change the tides of the upcoming wars against him.” The boy told him as the horns blared once again and Igor called out to him.

“Why are you doing this for me?” 

“What?” 

“A week ago you wouldn’t even talk with me, much less worry about my health and safety.” Harry voiced his concern, “Don’t take this wrong, I am really glad that you are, but I still don’t know why you want me, a guy who was a complete stranger to you throughout the year, to get stronger and defeat him.” 

Viktor gave a small smile, “Because back then, you were Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and the fourth champion of Hogwarts. Someone who was my competitor, and therefore, with the way I had been brought up, you were also the one person I couldn’t show my other sides to. But now, you are Harry Potter, my friend and the guy who saved my life. If there’s anything that I could do to save yours, I will do it without hesitation.” 

“And what if I chose to deny your offer?” 

“You can do whatever you want, Harry.” Krum shrugged, “I am just giving you an option as well as friendly advice and a chance to change yourself as well as your life’s expectancy. Still, if you want to stay in Britain, then it’s completely fine with me. My only request, and mind that it’s still a request, is that you train hard. Not like a Hogwarts student or even a Durmstrang one — I want you to train yourself hard enough like a monster who instills fear in the hearts of his enemies. Only then could you survive a monster who’s done the same to everyone else.” 

Harry nodded, he understood what Krum was trying to tell him. The world, as he knew, was about to be torn asunder, and only those with strength and power would be able to survive and protect others from the apocalypse. To be that someone, he would have to change himself, turn himself from a happy boy to one with enough ambition and strength to protect everyone who was dear to him. 

“I will.” Harry nodded and gave a small smile. “And if I ever want to go to Durmstrang, I know who to contact.” 

“You better. I’ll wait.” Krum chuckled and gave a one-armed hug; he patted Harry’s back a few times before they separated. 

Harry watched as Krum was the last person to board the ship. He waved goodbye to the boy who had changed his mindset with nothing but words that were used freely around him. With just a few sentences, he’d given Harry a lot to think about as well as a goal to work towards. 

~o}{o~

Albus Dumbledore sighed in frustration as his favorite student left his office after thirty minutes of discussing his residence, and making him understand that right now Privet Drive was the only place that was suited for him, and Hogwarts was the only school that would keep him safe. 

“The boy’s points were nothing to laugh at, Albus.” Armando Dippet’s portrait spoke from behind Dumbledore. “His concerns regarding his personal safety, as well as training were well founded, and if not for knowing you throughout your life, I would’ve sided with the boy and demanded a few answers myself.” 

“I know, Armando, my friend…I know that very well…” Dumbledore removed his half-moon glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly. “To think that Harry had suffered so much, and had bottled everything inside him for so long… I don’t know whether I should be surprised that he still behaves so well or if I should be worried that it might not be the case for long.” 

“You should be neither!” Phineas Black grumbled. “You should be disappointed in yourself, Dumbledore. You have failed the boy, both in providing a secure learning environment as well as training him to fight the battles that you suspected he might face. It’s a failure on your part.” 

“Phineas, I am sure—” 

“Don’t Phineas me, Dippet!” Nigellius interrupted his successor. “I am not in the mood to listen to you, right now. What I want to know is, why didn’t Albus listen to the boy’s request? Why is he repeating the same mistakes that he made during his time as your deputy? Does he not see the resemblance like I do?” 

Every other portrait was silent in the Headmaster’s office when Phineas questioned Albus regarding Harry Potter and his uncanny resemblance with Tom Riddle; who — everyone knew — was the man infamously known as the Dark Lord Voldemort. They knew that Dumbledore, for all his useless facade of mindless senility, was actually a genius who played the game with the bigger picture in mind.

“I do see the resemblance, Phineas.” Dumbledore opened his piercing blue eyes, and glared at the portrait of the former headmaster. “Harry and Tom are similar on many levels, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t different, does it? Plus, their differences far outweigh their similarities. Something you have failed to witness because you don’t know the boy like I do.” 

“As for my reasons for not changing his residence; let’s just say that I have taken precautions for the duration that Harry has to stay in Privet Drive, and right now, other than Hogwarts, that place is where he will be safest.” Dumbledore concluded the discussion that took place in his office every year when Harry came with the request to change his residence. 

“What about schooling, Albus?” The slightly shrill tone of former Headmistress Dilys Derwent pierced the silence that had befallen the office. “I have been honored to hold the position as the headmistress of this prestigious school for twenty-seven long years, Albus. I have never been more happy to be in the place that I love and cherish the most. Yet, the concerns raised by the boy were genuine and even I would be stumped to sort them out.” 

“I know what you mean, professor Derwent, I really do.” Dumbledore nodded, “Harry's school life has been…. more like an adventure filled journey with its own ups and downs but through it all, the boy has shown impeccable growth, both as a wizard, and as a human. Dare I say, if he had gone anywhere other than Hogwarts; he would have turned out much different than how he is now.” 

“Yes, he has turned out to be a good human and will one day be a powerful mage.” Derwent agreed. “But now his foe is here, and he will need all the help to survive the enemy. Something that he would get here, yes. But if you send the boy to Durmstrang then he would be safer there as his foe would expect him to be at Hogwarts.” 

Dumbledore thought about what the portrait of the old headmistress had pointed out. It was true that Voldemort would expect Harry to remain with Dumbledore for safety. Therefore relocating the boy to another school for a short while wasn’t a bad idea. Especially now that the connection between them had been broken. 

There was no real need to watch over Harry other than to protect him from Voldemort until it was time for the boy to vanquish the Dark Lord once and for all. There was, of course, a need to train the boy so that he could do that. 

He knew his old friend Alastor would say the same, but could a few years of training give Harry enough advantage over a man who had studied the deepest and darkest secrets of magic for over half a century? He doubted that. There was also the issue of Tom’s horcruxes that he needed to sort. The last time that he had checked them, he had found one of them in…

“Albus?” 

Dumbledore blinked in surprise; his mind pulled back from the plans that his brain developed as he stared at nothing in particular to the Derwent’s voice which came from the wall behind him. 

“The current headmaster of Durmstrang was once a former follower of Lord Voldemort, Professor Derwent,” Dumbledore replied. “He was only released because he had given names and locations of several Death Eaters including Barty Crouch’s son to the Ministry. Once he had been released, he left the British isles to go back to his homeland and took the place of Professor of Dark Arts at Durmstrang institute. Later he was promoted to his current position.” 

“An insidious fellow, for sure,” said Dippet. “As far as I know, right now Karkaroff would be running away from the British isles as soon as possible so that he could stay away from the war, and Tom Riddle. The last thing he would want to do is join hands again, especially after the act of treachery he committed in the last war.” 

“Yes, I agree, Armando.” Dumbledore steepled his fingers. “Yet, I also know that if push came to shove, a person who could give up the names of his friends and comrades to save his skin, could easily give the location of his former master’s enemy. And all it would need is for Tom to win over Britain or send a few men to get Karkaroff.” 

In the silence of the room, when all the former headmasters and mistresses were thinking of ways to either save Harry Potter, or destroy Lord Voldemort. One portrait smirked, his green eyes gleamed in the flickering light as he took in the information. 

It had been a decade since he had been roused from his sleep. It wasn’t his fault, the matters in the office had become so trivial that sleep was his only respite from utter boredom. But now, after all these years, he had finally found an exciting enough topic to think about. The clogs in his brain were rapidly cleared out as he started to think of a way to deal with the issue that had presented itself. 

Dumbledore, along with other portraits, was surprised when he heard a booming laughter in his office. His eyes widened when he saw the portrait which the laughter was coming from. It had been nearly a decade since anyone had heard the man, as he had decided to sleep through most of what happened at Hogwarts, something that the current headmaster was glad about. 

“Lord…Derrevans?” Dumbledore asked the man in the portrait. “Can you tell us what you found so humorous? I am sure all of us would like to hear it.” 

“I am laughing at your foolishness, of course, child.” The portrait of Richmond Derrevans, third headmaster who was also the first portrait in the office, smirked. “You are forgetting an important lesson, something that neither of you idiots remembered in the first place.” 

“And what is it?” Nigellius raised his eyebrows. He wasn’t happy that of all the sleeping headmasters, this one had decided to wake up at such a crucial time. Still, Phineas knew that if there was one portrait in the office who was practical enough to actually make a plan work — it was Derrevans. 

“An enemy of your enemy is your closest friend.” 

~o}{o~

The world shifted through the window of the Hogwarts Express as the magical train traversed through the luscious green fields of Scotland carrying the young mages back home. The summer sun hit the glass in the perfect way that gave the onlookers a pleasant view through the fields. 

They passed villages, moved through caverns and tall bridges with the freshwater rivers flowing beneath it. The gentle rocking motion of the train softly lulled a few tired ones to sleep, while others conversed with their friends before they would eventually need to part ways at the King’s Cross. 

Inside the last compartment, the winner of the Triwizard Tournament sat near the window as he watched the scenic beauty of the countryside which was a rarity for him. His less than savory guardians didn’t allow him to go anywhere else, and never bothered to take him whenever they decided to go on a family vacation. 

Other than number four, the only places he had lived was The Burrow, a magical home that belonged to the Weasley family. He had also taken temporary residence at The Leaky Cauldron, but that inn was in the middle of London. His chances of witnessing the countryside beauty was as high as finding a needle in a haystack. 

Harry was thankful that for some reason; Draco Malfoy and his friendly companions who had a fondness for physically harming their fellow students had decided to forgo their biannual visits to his compartment to renew their bullying contract. Although the boys came to showcase their pitiful attempts at bullying, Harry knew that in reality it was them who got their asses handed to them every time. 

The Potter heir didn’t bother spending more than the necessary amount of brain cells to worry about the pompous Slytherin boy with daddy issues. He knew that if anything he should be happy that he got some time to think over the recent developments in his life. He tried his best to categorize everything so that, even as a mess, it’d look a little bit sorted. 

The major changes that had taken place were: the rebirth of Lord Voldemort, an invite to Durmstrang institute from his newest friend Viktor Krum, and the denial of the invite by his headmaster who had expressly told him that Privet Drive was the safest place for him during summer holidays, and Hogwarts during the school months. 

Something that he disagreed with quite strongly, and yet he knew that, at the end of the day, the headmaster would make him go back to Privet Drive no matter how much he told him that his guardians hated his existence. 

There was also the fact that Krum’s words rang in his mind repeatedly: ‘Train yourself hard. Not like a Hogwarts student or even a Durmstrang one, I want you to train yourself hard enough, like a monster who instills fear in the hearts of his enemies.’ 

The words were quite strong, much stronger than what someone would expect to come out of a school boy. Yet that didn’t make them any less true. If anything, it solidified Harry’s motivation to actually work hard and train himself so that he could be strong enough to face Voldemort next time with his own capabilities and not just simple luck. 

“What are you thinking about, Harry?” Hermione, his female friend who had been nose deep in her latest book on charms, asked him with a frown. 

“Whatever do you mean?” Harry asked her back.

After their other friend, Ron, had left to hunt for the old cart lady so that he could get some sweets from her because he was feeling ‘Too hungry to survive a damn train journey.’ The compartment had fallen into a moment of peacefulness which had been appreciated by the remaining duo. 

“You always get a ‘lost’ look on your face when you’re thinking deeply about something. You laugh? I can describe it to you and then we’ll see who’s laughing.” Hermione smirked, she was glad that her friend was smiling once more as it had been quite painful for her to hear his pained screams whenever she visited him in the Hospital wing. 

“I mean, who wouldn’t?” Harry shrugged. “I’m not much of a thinker, Hermione. We both know that. The twins, and the gryffindor team calls me a brooder, not a thinker. Therefore, color me shocked when you said that I actually have a face that represents my thinking level. I am actually curious as to what I look like? Hopefully nothing too horrendous I suppose?” 

“Just a little bit.” Hermione giggled. “I guess it’s not too much because there are still a few girls who like you.” She gave a small shrug and went back to reading her book, concealing her smile that threatened to spill on her face. 

“Wait… what did you just say?!” Harry asked her, his bright green eyes alight with surprise and a subtle hint of self-confidence that showed in the wide grin which was threatening to split his face. “Hermione Granger, did you just say that there are a few girls who like me?” 

“What are you talking about, Harry?” The bookworm asked with feigned surprise, “Why would I ever tell you such lies?!” 

“But that’s not a lie!” He cried, the smile on his lips widening further when he noticed the one on his friend’s. “You know what you just said, now clarify it!” 

“Alright, Harry,” She grinned, “I just said ‘Why would I ever tell you such lies’. This means I am asking you—”

“You know I didn’t mean that!” Harry laughed, “You’re just messing with me. How could you?!” 

“Watch me, Mr. Potter.” The brightest witch smirked, “I won’t say what I said, or clarify, or tell you who they are.” 

“Is that a challenge?” 

“It is whatever you make of it.” She answered. “Now, let me read in peace. Shoo!” 

After that, neither Hermione got to read another word from the charms book; nor did Harry learn the names of the girls that liked him or even the reason behind it. He suspected that it might be because he was a celebrity and they would have spent their learning years hearing the heroic tales of the Boy-Who-Lived which were, in his honest opinion, complete bullshit. 

When Ron rejoined his friends with a pocketful of magical candies, and two in each of his hands. He was surprised to see his two friends, who he had left on separate benches, sitting together and laughing. Why didn’t they do that when he was with them? Honestly, it felt like he was the one who had to carry the fun-mood in their small gang. ‘What a drag….’

Rest of the train ride passed by peacefully as the golden trio kept on their friendly banter. The boys tried to get Hermione to spill the secret names while Hermione kept on finding excuses as she enjoyed the joyful atmosphere along with the sweets that Ron had brought for them. 

After waving his friends and acquaintances goodbye and a happier summer holiday, Harry dragged his trunks as well as Hedwig’s cage towards the magical barrier that separated the magical side from the muggle one. He knew that on the other end of the barrier, his “family” would be waiting for him. 

Getting through the magical barrier was impossible for those who didn’t have magic in their blood. Although, that didn’t mean his guardians would’ve stepped on the station for him if it was allowed. They were just the sort of ‘normal’ people who neither wanted nor tolerated any sort of freakishness in their lives. 

And to pick-up their nephew from a magical train-station while many others like him waited alongside them for their own wards? That was absolutely horrendous to them! Far be it for them to even come near such a place, much less actively participate in the faux show of affections towards their nephew. 

Harry just wanted to be old enough one day to get out of their clutches, he didn’t even want to hurt them for the way they had treated him throughout his life. They were a pitiful lot, and deserved nothing more than his complete and utter ignorance once he was of age.

‘Just one more year… then I’ll be able to live wherever I want, maybe Sirius would like some company? He did say that he had a place in mind, and that he and Remus were renovating. It would be so awesome to live with them…’ The boy thought wistfully as he took one last look at the Hogwarts Express before he ran towards the magical barrier. 

The moment he stepped out on the muggle part of the platform; he looked around the general bustle of King’s Cross Station for a fat man with a walrus mustache, and a horse-like woman who was as opposite in body proportions to her husband as possible. 

When he did spot them, standing near the exit of the platform, the two of them were talking with a few strange looking people. Strange by muggle standards but perfectly acceptable by wizarding ones. He easily knew that they were wizards thanks to the old man with a multitude of scars on his face, a handcrafted staff, and a magical eye that was spinning rapidly in all directions, scaring everyone around him. 

“Professor Moody!” Harry exclaimed as he dragged his trunks towards the small group. “What are you doing here?” 

The man looked at Harry once before he looked back at the boy’s uncle and thumped his staff once on the ground causing sparks to erupt from the point of contact. “Remember my words, Dursley. It’ll be better if you don’t repeat your goddamn mistakes, or so help me from doing exactly what I just told you.” 

A vein bulged on Vernon’s purple face as the man glared at Alastor Moody with his beady black eyes, trying to spit all the hate that he could muster at the retired Auror. His fists were clenched in anger and his nostrils flared as he tried to control his emotions. 

“We-we won’t need that!” Petunia interrupted the two males. “I will make sure of it! I will.” The woman nodded furiously as she tried to muster her courage when the man’s blue eyes suddenly twisted to look at her, “You better.” Moody growled. 

After a few tense minutes the scar-faced man gave a low grunt before he jerked his head towards Harry. “Nothing Potter. Just wanted to talk to your guardians so that I could make sure that everything is in order.” 

“What's everything?” Harry questioned him again, “What is going on?” 

“Nothing you need to worry about, aye?!” The man gave a grin which came out more like a grimace that would’ve scared Harry. “We’ll take our leave now; enjoy your holidays. Don’t think too much about what’s happened, you did what you could. And don’t forget: CONSTANT VIGILANCE!!”  

Harry jumped a bit along with his relatives and a few other passersby at Moody’s signature command. The man himself didn’t care a single bit in the slightest as he turned to look at the Dursleys once more before the entire group left the platform, leaving the residents of Privet Drive alone. 

It took Vernon a while to calm down enough to speak coherently. He knew that the freak who had threatened to chop his balls off and feed them to his wife and son was strong. Probably stronger than other freaks who had accompanied him — himself included. 

Yet the feeling of a freak like him coming straight up and threatening him in broad daylight on a crowded station, yet no one hearing anything much less saying anything about it both astonished and annoyed the Dursley patriarch. 

“GET IN THE CAR, BOY! WHAT DO YOU WANT ME TO DO? PULL THAT BLOODY GARBAGE OF YOURS?!” Vernon pointed at Harry’s trunk before he turned towards the exit gates of the station and started moving, followed quickly by his wife who tried her best to calm down her husband’s rapidly souring mood. 

Harry glanced around himself again. There were people who were looking at him and the small debacle that had happened. Well, there was nothing he could do about it, right? Moody did what he wanted to do, Vernon will do what he wants to do. And what will he — the great Harry Potter do?

He gave a small shrug of his own before he dragged his trunks towards the exit. 

There was nothing he could do right now other than go back to his ‘lovely’ home at number four Privet Drive. The thought that he had before he had stepped on the muggle side of the platform looked even more alluring now. He just couldn't wait to get rid of the Dursleys. 

‘I really hope you and Remus renovate your new place as soon as bloody possible, Sirius. Can’t wait to get out of this shithole.’ He thought as he followed his guardians out of the station, and towards their car which would take them to their current residence at Number Four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey. 

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Ending Note: There you have it fellas, chapter Two of Whispers in the Woods, hope you liked it. The Prologue chapter has been published on Fanfiction/ao3.

This fic is commissioned by Guildmaster RyanMK6. And it will be updated once a month. Every month.

Liked it? Loved it? Needs some changes? Please, do tell.

I am waiting for all your comments. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.

Those who have joined my discord server, please tell one of the mods or me about it in the server to get the patrons role, I am most active in my server so you can freely ask anything there.
Link: https://discord.gg/Gcbcv4dxGx
Name: Dev Black's Empire

Thank you for reading and comments.

With regards,
Dev Black